Alford Springs
Nature preserve
894 acres8 mi of trail
Father Loop TrailMother Loop TrailSaddle Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Mother Loop TrailheadWebsite ↗
Photo: ToddC4176 · CC BY-SA 3.0–Not graded
Outdoors in Alford
Few parks or trails are on the map in Alford
The biggest trail networks: Alford Springs (8 mi), Tom Ball Mountain Reserve (1.6 mi), Elizabeth Woods Wildlife Conservation Easement (1.5 mi). 28% of Alford’s land is conserved, about 2,070 acres. 1,110 acres are parks and preserves, 2,563 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
28%
2,070 acres · of 11.5 sq mi of land
Trails
14 mi
1.2 per sq mi of land
Park land
1,110 ac
2,563 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
63%
of residents within ½ mile
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Alford Springs, with 8 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Tom Ball Mountain Reserve
Managed by Berkshire Natural Resources Council
105 acres1.6 mi of trail
Longview Loop Trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Elizabeth Woods Wildlife Conservation Easement
Nature preserve
86 acres1.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Schiffman Woods Reserve
Managed by ALFORD LAND TRUST
11 acres0.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 5 parks & preserves
Alford Springs894 acres · 8 mi of trail
DirectionsTom Ball Mountain Reserve105 acres · 1.6 mi of trail · Berkshire Natural Resources Council
Elizabeth Woods Wildlife Conservation Easement86 acres · 1.5 mi of trail
Schiffman Woods Reserve11 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · ALFORD LAND TRUST
Alford Wildlife Sanctuary3 acres
Who protects it
2,070 conserved acres
28% of Alford’s land. Who manages Alford’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Other state land1,223 ac
State natural resources963 ac
State fish & wildlife878 ac
USDA easements (NRCS)530 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits439 ac
Not recorded130 ac
Conservation Easement · 2,167 acAgricultural Easement · 1,753 acPrivate Conservation · 126 acRecreation or Education Easement · 113 acLocal Conservation Area · 3 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 1,939 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 1 of 44 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maxson-Pederson Memorial Forest Private Conservation | Not recorded | 77 | Open |
| Tom Ball Mountain Reserve Private Conservation | Not recorded | 23 | Open |
| Alford Springs Reserve Private Conservation | Not recorded | 15 | Open |
| West Street Conservation Area Private Conservation | Not recorded | 11 | Open |
| Alford Wildlife Sanctuary Local Conservation Area | Not recorded | 3 | Open |
| Alford Center Cemetery Local Historic or Cultural Area | Not recorded | 1 | Open |
Things to do
4 places to go in Alford
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Scenic views in Alford
clear cut view northIn Alford Springs
Directionsview eastIn Alford Springs
DirectionsPlus 2 scenic views without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Trails & water
4 named trails
Named trails
Open to bikes · 7.4 miHorses · 7.4 miUnpaved · 12.2 mi
Father Loop Trail3.6 mi
Mother Loop Trail2.4 mi
Saddle Trail1.0 mi
Longview Loop Trail0.7 mi
When to get out
The best walking months in Alford: May and August
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.4 | 10.5 | 11.8 | 13.3 | 14.6 | 15.2 | 15.0 | 13.9 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.7 | 9.1 |
| High (°F) | 32 | 35 | 43 | 56 | 68 | 76 | 81 | 78 | 71 | 59 | 47 | 37 |
| Rain (in) | 3.3 | 2.5 | 3.2 | 3.5 | 3.7 | 4.6 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 4.8 | 4.2 | 3.3 | 3.7 |
February is the driest month (2.5 in) and July the warmest (highs of 81 °F). 4.8 inches fall in September, the wettest month. The climate in Alford →
Next door
Alford and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alford | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| West Stockbridge | 21% | 0.2 | 950 | 85% | A |
| Great Barrington | 44% | 1.4 | 656 | 89% | A+ |
| Egremont | 33% | 0.9 | 1,911 | 82% | A+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Alford
Where can I hike in Alford?
The longest trail networks: Alford Springs, 8 miles; Tom Ball Mountain Reserve, 1.6 miles; Elizabeth Woods Wildlife Conservation Easement, 1.5 miles; Schiffman Woods Reserve, 0.4 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Alford’s trails?
Alford Springs and Tom Ball Mountain Reserve don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Alford?
48,749 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Alford or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 1,215 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Alford neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →