The Taconic Crest Trail is a

hiking Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A Histor ...

trail in the

Taconic Mountains The Taconic Mountains or Taconic Range () are a range of the Appalachian Mountains, running along the eastern border of New York State and adjacent New England from northwest Connecticut to western Massachusetts, north to central western Vermont. ...

in the northeastern United States. The trail extends from

U.S. Route 20 U.S. Route 20 or U.S. Highway 20 (US 20) is an east–west United States Numbered Highway that stretches from the Pacific Northwest east to New England. The "0" in its route number indicates that US 20 is a major coast-to-coast route. S ...

Hancock, Massachusetts Hancock is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 757 at the 2020 census. History Hancock was first settled in 1762 as the Plantat ...

, less than east of the

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

border, north along the ridgecrest of the Taconic Range, first within

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...

, then weaving along the border of New York and Massachusetts and New York and

Vermont Vermont () is a state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to ...

, and ending in

Petersburgh, New York Petersburgh is a town located in the northeast section of Rensselaer County, New York, United States. The population was 1,525 at the 2010 census. The town was named after an early settler named Peter Simmons. History The area was settled arou ...

, on NY Route 346, near the Vermont border. Much of the route has been conserved as state forest, conservation easement, or forest preserve. Forest types on the Taconic Crest Trail are mixed oak-hickory forest and

northern hardwood forest The northern hardwood forest is a general type of North American forest ecosystem found over much of southeastern and south-central Canada, Ontario, and Quebec, extending south into the United States in northern New England, New York, and Pennsyl ...

with

microclimate A microclimate (or micro-climate) is a local set of atmospheric conditions that differ from those in the surrounding areas, often with a slight difference but sometimes with a substantial one. The term may refer to areas as small as a few squ ...

summit balds,

alkaline In chemistry, an alkali (; from ar, القلوي, al-qaly, lit=ashes of the saltwort) is a base (chemistry), basic, ionic compound, ionic salt (chemistry), salt of an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal. An alkali can also be defined as ...

-loving plant communities, and

red spruce ''Picea rubens'', commonly known as red spruce, is a species of spruce native to eastern North America, ranging from eastern Quebec and Nova Scotia, west to the Adirondack Mountains and south through New England along the Appalachians to western ...

balsam fir ''Abies balsamea'' or balsam fir is a North American fir, native to most of eastern and central Canada (Newfoundland west to central Alberta) and the northeastern United States (Minnesota east to Maine, and south in the Appalachian Mountains to ...

stands on the higher summits. The geology is

thrust fault A thrust fault is a break in the Earth's crust, across which older rocks are pushed above younger rocks. Thrust geometry and nomenclature Reverse faults A thrust fault is a type of reverse fault that has a dip of 45 degrees or less. If ...

metamorphic rock Metamorphic rocks arise from the transformation of existing rock to new types of rock in a process called metamorphism. The original rock (protolith) is subjected to temperatures greater than and, often, elevated pressure of or more, causin ...

over younger

sedimentary rock Sedimentary rocks are types of rock that are formed by the accumulation or deposition of mineral or organic particles at Earth's surface, followed by cementation. Sedimentation is the collective name for processes that cause these particles ...

. The Taconic Crest Trail passes through the New York towns of Stephentown,

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...

and Petersburgh; the Massachusetts towns of Hancock and Williamstown; and

Pownal, Vermont Pownal is a New England town, town in Bennington County, Vermont, Bennington County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the town population was 3,258. The town of Pownal includes the villages of Pownal (CDP), ...

. It is crossed by

New York Route 2 New York State Route 2 (NY 2) is a state highway in the Capital District of New York in the United States. It extends for from an interchange with Interstate 87 (I-87) and NY 7 in the town of Colonie to the Massachusetts ...

Massachusetts Route 43 Route 43 is a extension of New York State Route 43 (NY 43) into Massachusetts. Unlike NY 43, which is signed east-west, Massachusetts Route 43 is a north-south route. Route 43's northern terminus is at Route 2 in Williamstown. Along the way it ...

, the seasonal Pittsfield State Forest Berry Pond Campground access road, and by Lebanon Springs Road in Hancock. The trail is supported by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), the Taconic Hiking Club, the

Trust for Public Land The Trust for Public Land is a U.S. nonprofit organization with a mission to "create parks and protect land for people, ensuring healthy, livable communities for generations to come". Since its founding in 1972, the Trust for Public Land has compl ...

, the

National Park Service The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational propertie ...

Williams College Williams College is a Private college, private liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Williamstown, Massachusetts. It was established as a men's college in 1793 with funds from the estate of Ephraim Williams, a col ...

, Rensselaer Land Trust, the

Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) is a state agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, situated in the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. It is best known for its parks and parkways. The DCR's mission is ...

, and the Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation.

Trail details

The trail utilizes two distinct ridgelines of the Taconic Mountains. From Route 20 north, the trail passes through

Pittsfield State Forest Pittsfield State Forest is an Massachusetts state forest located in the town of Pittsfield and managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation. The forest is the location of Berry Pond, which sitting atop Berry Mountain at an elevation ...

in Massachusetts; features include the highland Cranberry Pond and Twin Ponds,

Doll Mountain Doll Mountain, , is a prominent peak in the Taconic Mountains of western Massachusetts. The mountain is located in Pittsfield State Forest. The summit is wooded and trailless, but the multi-use Doll Mountain Trail traverses its northern slopes. Th ...

, Smith Mountain, Tower Mountain, and Berry Pond, , reputedly the highest pond in Massachusetts. A state campground is located at Berry Pond. From Berry Pond, the trail descends the ridgeline into the village of Hancock, Massachusetts, then ascends the second ridge, which straddles the New York border. Features along this section include

Rounds Mountain Rounds Mountain, , is a prominent peak in the Taconic Mountains of western Massachusetts and adjacent New York. The west side of the mountain and summit are located in New York; the east side is located within Massachusetts. The summit a bald; ...

, Misery Mountain,

Berlin Mountain Berlin Mountain is a prominent peak in the Taconic Mountains of western New England and is located adjacent to Massachusetts's border with New York State. It is the highest point in Rensselaer County. The summit and west side of the mountain are ...

(the trail's high point), Mount Raimer, White Rock, and a crevasse called the Snow Hole where ice has been known to persist year round. The trail utilizes conservation land and easements including the Taconic Ridge State Forest (NYSDEC) and Hopkins Memorial Forest, owned and managed by

. The trail is marked with blue squares containing white blazes throughout its length. All NYSDEC portions of the trail are also posted with blue DEC markers. The trail follows a series of high, open summits and ridgeline overlooking the

Hudson River Valley The Hudson Valley (also known as the Hudson River Valley) comprises the valley of the Hudson River and its adjacent communities in the U.S. state of New York. The region stretches from the Capital District including Albany and Troy south to Yo ...

to the west. The entirety of the trail is open to hiking,

backpacking Backpacking may refer to: * Backpacking (travel), low-cost, independent, international travel * Backpacking (hiking), trekking and camping overnight in the wilderness * Ultralight backpacking, a style of wilderness backpacking with an emphasis on ...

snowshoeing Snowshoes are specialized outdoor gear for walking over snow. Their large footprint spreads the user's weight out and allows them to travel largely on top of rather than through snow. Adjustable bindings attach them to appropriate winter footwe ...

cross-country skiing Cross-country skiing is a form of skiing where skiers rely on their own locomotion to move across snow-covered terrain, rather than using ski lifts or other forms of assistance. Cross-country skiing is widely practiced as a sport and recreation ...

, and

backcountry skiing Backcountry skiing ( US), also called off-piste (Europe), alpine touring, or out-of-area, is skiing in the backcountry on unmarked or unpatrolled areas either inside or outside a ski resort's boundaries. This contrasts with alpine skiing, which i ...

, and many sections permit

mountain biking Mountain biking is a sport of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, usually using specially designed mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and pe ...

horseback riding Equestrianism (from Latin , , , 'horseman', 'horse'), commonly known as horse riding (Commonwealth English) or horseback riding (American English), includes the disciplines of riding, driving, and vaulting. This broad description includes the ...

and

snowmobiling A snowmobile, also known as a Ski-Doo, snowmachine, sled, motor sled, motor sledge, skimobile, or snow scooter, is a motorized vehicle designed for winter travel and recreation on snow. It is designed to be operated on snow and ice and does not ...

as well. Overnight camping is allowed on the trail; a seasonal campground with facilities is located at Berry Pond. The Taconic Crest Trail originally extended from Berry Pond in Pittsfield State Forest to

North Pownal, Vermont North Pownal is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Pownal, Bennington County, Vermont, United States. It was first listed as a CDP prior to the 2020 census. It is in southwestern Bennington County, in t ...

. In the late 1990s, the

Taconic Skyline Trail The Taconic Skyline Trail is a multi-use trail in the Taconic Mountains of Berkshire County, Massachusetts. The trail extends from U.S. Route 20 in Hancock, Massachusetts, less than east of the New York border, north along the ridgecrest of ...

in Pittsfield State Forest was separated into two parallel trails: one retained the name "Taconic Skyline" and was designated a motorized recreation trail; the other trail was added on to the southern end of the Taconic Crest Trail, extending it by . To the north, in Vermont, the Taconic Crest Trail once extended into North Pownal, but was closed by request of a property owner; the trail terminus was re-routed north to a newly constructed DEC trailhead at NY Route 346 in North Petersburgh, New York. Not visible from the road, the new trailhead shares a driveway with a private residence and with an old, barred forest road, which are visible; box 25, on the south side of 346, marks the trailhead entrance. It is west of the "Entering NY" sign and from the railroad tracks. A NYSDEC access trail, marked yellow, still leads down to the former terminus of the trail, at the old Prosser Hollow trailhead.

References

*''Massachusetts Trail Guide'' (2004). Boston:

Appalachian Mountain Club Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) is the oldest outdoor group in the United States. Created in 1876 to explore and preserve the White Mountains in New Hampshire, it has expanded throughout the northeastern U.S., with 12 chapters stretching from Ma ...

.
Commonwealth Connections proposal PDF download
Retrieved March 2, 2008. *''AMC Massachusetts and Rhode Island Trail Guide'' (1989). Boston:

.
Taconic Crest Project
Rensselaer Land Trust. Retrieved March 2, 2008.

External links

* http://www.dec.ny.gov/about/650.html * http://www.dec.ny.gov/about/625.html * http://www.dec.ny.gov/about/621.html

Rensselaer Land Trust

Pittsfield State Forest map
Massachusetts DCR.

Taconic Hiking ClubWilliamstown Rural Lands Foundation
{{Vermont hiking trails Protected areas of Bennington County, Vermont Protected areas of Berkshire County, Massachusetts Hiking trails in Massachusetts Hiking trails in New York (state) Hiking trails in Vermont Taconic Mountains Protected areas of Rensselaer County, New York

Trail details

See also

References

External links