Get Ready For The Ultimate Berkshires Road Trip

Hitting the road is a perfect way to discover new or familiar terrain and the most important factor is company in the vehicle as it is a perfect opportunity to connect with family or friends. With winter just around the corner, it is highly suggested that a long and productive ride should be on your agenda and there are some quaint destinations that can be found right here in the beautiful Berkshires. Let's see where in our area you can experience a fantastic journey in our backyard:

THE MOHAWK TRAIL: 

According to Triple A, they have voted this 70 plus mile road as one of the BEST locales to check out scenery here in the Berkshires as you'll pass through historic towns, plush forests, state parks and waterfront vistas. Highlights of this journey include a stop over in the village of Shelburne Falls and a bird's eye view of The Deerfield River.

JACOB'S LADDER TRAIL (AKA ROUTE 20):

(Photo of Chester Village courtesy of Google Maps)

A GREAT alternative to taking the Mass Pike, this portion of route 20 is "toll free" and offers a slice of Americana throughout your 33 mile trek which begins in "Lovely Lee" and ends just outside of Westfield. When heading east, I enjoy taking this tour of quaint villages that include passage through "Beautiful" Becket, Chester, Huntington and Russell before ending in the city of Westfield. That stretch of road is a smooth ride with no traffic signals to interrupt your journey and it has been designated one of the Bay State's "scenic byways" with plenty of stops to peak your curiosity including Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival and the Chester-Blandford State Forest.

MOHAWK TRAIL BY-WAY:

This 65 mile trip via route 2 begins just outside North Adams where you will encounter your one-on-one with Berkshire county's "hair-pin turn" that features scenic views of Mount Greylock (the state's highest summit), Mount Prospect and Mount Williams with mandatory stops at Old Greenfield Village, Tannery Falls, Whitcomb Summit and Barton Cove Recreation Area in the hamlet of Gill. Your last stop on this glorious ride will lead you into the city of Greenfield.

(Greenfield photo courtesy of Google Maps)

BOTTOM LINE: You can STILL pull off the ultimate day trip prior to ol' man Winter's arrival which is NOT that far away, but we are technically into fall until the latter part of December!