Mount Greylock

Mount Greylock stands as the tallest summit in Massachusetts, a broad, forested peak in the Taconic and Berkshire high country of the state's northwest corner. Its height sets it apart from the rolling hills around it, and its upper slopes hold a boreal forest of red spruce and balsam fir, a pocket of northern woods left behind as the climate warmed after the last ice age.

This land is part of the homeland of the Mohican people, whose descendants form the Stockbridge-Munsee Community, a federally recognized nation with deep roots in the Berkshire region. The mountain and its valleys were part of a landscape they knew and used long before the reservation was set aside, and that history underlies the peak celebrated today.

Crowning the summit is the Veterans War Memorial Tower, a granite beacon built in the early 1930s to honor Massachusetts residents who died in war. Rising from the highest ground in the state, it is topped by a great glass globe that can be lit, a light meant to be seen for many miles across the surrounding country.

Climbing to the base of the tower and looking out, you take in a genuine five-state view on a clear day, with ridgelines fading into the distance in every direction. The tower gives the summit a landmark, a place to gather and orient yourself, and it makes the high point of Massachusetts feel like the destination it is.

Mount Greylock is laced with hiking trails, from steep direct climbs up its flanks to gentler loops through the reservation's forests and past small waterfalls and ponds. The Appalachian Trail, the long footpath running from Georgia to Maine, crosses the very summit, so thru-hikers and day walkers share the high ridge in the warmer months.

Near the top stands Bascom Lodge, a rustic stone-and-timber mountain lodge built during the Depression, offering a place to rest, eat, or stay overnight in the warm season. Between the lodge, the tower, and the network of trails, the summit area rewards anyone who wants more than a quick look, whether they arrived on foot or by the seasonal auto road.

The mountain has long stirred the imagination. Writers who lived nearby, including Herman Melville and Henry David Thoreau, wrote of Greylock, and its whale-backed profile is sometimes said to have shaped Melville's imagination as he worked on Moby-Dick in the Berkshires below. That literary aura still clings to the peak.

The seasons transform it. Summer brings green forests and long views, fall sets the surrounding hills ablaze with color and draws leaf-peepers to the summit road, and winter closes the auto road but leaves the snowy high country to snowshoers and skiers. Whatever the time of year, the cool air and northern feel of the upper mountain set it apart from the valleys around it.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is a place we chose through independent editorial review, never a paid placement.

Mount Greylock is the highest peak in Massachusetts, rising to about 3,491 feet in the Berkshire Hills near North Adams and Adams. Its summit is crowned by the striking granite War Memorial Tower, honoring the state's fallen soldiers, and on a clear day the views from the top stretch as far as ninety miles across several states. A state reservation with trails, a summit road, and a historic lodge, it is the Berkshires' grandest natural landmark.

You have two main options: drive up the scenic summit road, which is the easy way to reach the top and the memorial tower, or hike one of the many trails, including a stretch of the Appalachian Trail that crosses the summit. Routes range from moderate to strenuous. At the top you will find the War Memorial Tower to climb for the full panorama, plus the historic Bascom Lodge with food and indoor restrooms.

The summit road is seasonal, generally open from late spring through fall and closed to cars from around November through April, since it is not maintained for winter driving. So plan a warm-season visit if you want to drive up, and always check current road status before you go. There is a small parking fee at the summit lot, while other trailhead parking and trail access are free.

Come prepared for a real mountain hike: bring plenty of water, bug spray, and wear sturdy footwear, since trails include steep, muddy, and sometimes slippery sections. Start early to allow time and to find parking, especially on busy fall weekends when the summit gets crowded. Mountain weather can change quickly and the summit is cooler than the base, so pack a layer even on a warm day.

Late spring through fall is ideal, when the summit road is open and conditions are best for both driving and hiking, and autumn is especially spectacular for foliage and crisp, clear air that delivers the longest views. Choose a clear day to make the most of the panorama from the tower. Its Berkshires setting pairs well with the region's art museums and towns for a memorable day or weekend.