Mount Race, , is a prominent peak in the south
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. ...
of
. The mountain is known for its waterfalls, steep, eastern ridgeline cliff face and expansive views of the
Housatonic River
The Housatonic River ( ) is a river, approximately long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map , accessed April 1, 2011 in western Massachusetts and western Connecticut in the United S ...
valley and
Berkshires
The Berkshires () are a highland geologic region located in the western parts of Massachusetts and northwest Connecticut. The term "Berkshires" is normally used by locals in reference to the portion of the Vermont-based Green Mountains that ex ...
to the east and of fellow Taconics to the south, west and north and
Catskills
The Catskill Mountains, also known as the Catskills, are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains, located in southeastern New York. As a cultural and geographic region, the Catskills are generally defined as those areas cl ...
and
Hudson River
The Hudson River is a river that flows from north to south primarily through eastern New York. It originates in the Adirondack Mountains of Upstate New York and flows southward through the Hudson Valley to the New York Harbor between N ...
valley to the west, for the traverse of the said cliffline and the summit grounds by the
Appalachian Trail
The Appalachian Trail (also called the A.T.), is a hiking trail in the Eastern United States, extending almost between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine, and passing through 14 states.Gailey, Chris (2006)"Appalachian Tr ...
and for its
old growth
An old-growth forestalso termed primary forest, virgin forest, late seral forest, primeval forest, or first-growth forestis a forest that has attained great age without significant disturbance (ecology), disturbance, and thereby exhibits un ...
pitch pine
''Pinus rigida'', the pitch pine, is a small-to-medium-sized pine. It is native to eastern North America, primarily from central Maine south to Georgia and as far west as Kentucky. It is found in environments which other species would find unsuit ...
and
scrub oak Scrub oak is a common name for several species of small, shrubby oaks. It may refer to:
*the Chaparral plant community in California, or to one of the following species.
In California
*California scrub oak (''Quercus berberidifolia''), a widespr ...
summit ecosystem.
Details
Race Brook Falls
Race, RACE or "The Race" may refer to:
* Race (biology), an informal taxonomic classification within a species, generally within a sub-species
* Race (human categorization), classification of humans into groups based on physical traits, and/or s ...
, a popular waterfall, cascades from a common ledge between Mount Race and
Mount Everett
Mount Everett at 2,608 ft - or 793.1 m - is the highest peak in the south Taconic Mountains. Everett rises nearly 2,000 feet in about a mile from its eastern footings around Sheffield, Mass., and is known for its expansive views; for scrubby ...
to the north. Another waterfall,
Bear Rock Falls
Bears are carnivoran mammals of the family Ursidae. They are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans. Although only eight species of bears are extant, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Nort ...
is located on the southeast side of the mountain along the Appalachian Trail. A primitive campsite is located near Race Brook Falls on the Race Brook Falls Trail.
The summit and west side of Mount Race is located in the town of
Mount Washington
Mount Washington is the highest peak in the Northeastern United States at and the most topographically prominent mountain east of the Mississippi River.
The mountain is notorious for its erratic weather. On the afternoon of April 12, 1934, ...
; the east slopes are located in
Sheffield, Massachusetts
Sheffield is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 3,327 at the 2020 census. Sheffield is home to Berkshire School, a private prepa ...
. Much of the upper areas of the mountain are located within the
Mount Washington State Forest
Mount Washington State Forest is a state forest in the Mount Washington, Massachusetts. The forest conjoins with New York state and the state of Connecticut in the southern Taconic Mountains of the southwestern Berkshire region of Massachusett ...
; other parcels are part of conservation easements.
The east side of the mountain drains into Race Brook and Bear Rock Brook, thence into
Schenob Brook
Schenob Brook is a stream in Berkshire County, Massachusetts and Litchfield County, Connecticut, in the United States. Variant names are Kisnop Brook, Schenop Brook, and Skerrob Brook.
Schenob Brook flows generally northward from Washinee Lake i ...
, the Hubbard Brook, the
Housatonic River
The Housatonic River ( ) is a river, approximately long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map , accessed April 1, 2011 in western Massachusetts and western Connecticut in the United S ...
, and
Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound is a marine sound and tidal estuary of the Atlantic Ocean. It lies predominantly between the U.S. state of Connecticut to the north and Long Island in New York to the south. From west to east, the sound stretches from the Eas ...
; the south side drains into Plantain Pond, thence into Bear Rock Brook. The west side drains into City Brook, thence into Bash Bish Brook, the
Roeliff Jansen Kill
The Roeliff Jansen Kill is a major tributary to the Hudson River. Roeliff Jansen Kill was the traditional boundary between the Native American Mahican and Wappinger tribes.
Its source is in the town of Austerlitz, New York, and its mouth is at th ...
, the
Hudson River
The Hudson River is a river that flows from north to south primarily through eastern New York. It originates in the Adirondack Mountains of Upstate New York and flows southward through the Hudson Valley to the New York Harbor between N ...
, and New York Bay of the Atlantic Ocean.
See also
*
List of old growth forests in Massachusetts
The following is a list of old-growth forests in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Old growth is defined as those forests that have not been logged (and have not been significantly disturbed by human beings) in the last 150 years. "Virgin forests" ...
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 ...
.
External links
South Taconic Range trail map
Massachusetts DCR.
Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation.
Mount Washington State Forest mapBerkshire Chapter of the Appalachian Mountain ClubCommonwealth Connections proposal PDF download Retrieved March 2, 2008.
Race
Race, RACE or "The Race" may refer to:
* Race (biology), an informal taxonomic classification within a species, generally within a sub-species
* Race (human categorization), classification of humans into groups based on physical traits, and/or s ...
Mountains of Berkshire County, Massachusetts
{{BerkshireCountyMA-geo-stub