Beartown State Forest
Nature preserve
4,939 acres23.4 mi of trail
Beartown Mountain TrailWildcat TrailSky Peak TrailMount Wilcox Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: Anc516 · CC BY 3.0A+Outdoors
Outdoors in Great Barrington
44% of Great Barrington’s land is conserved: 12,659 acres
4,725 acres are parks and preserves, 656 per 1,000 residents. 62 miles of mapped trail cross Great Barrington, 1.4 per square mile of land. The biggest trail networks: Beartown State Forest (23.4 mi), Monument Mountain Reservation (5.9 mi), Tom Ball Mountain Reserve (4.6 mi).
Ahead of 98% of U.S. towns · #92 of 283 in Massachusetts. What drives it
Conserved land
44%
12,659 acres · of 44.8 sq mi of land
Trails
62 mi
1.4 per sq mi of land
Park land
4,725 ac
656 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
89%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
1.6 mi
0.2 mi lanes · 1.4 mi paths
Highest peak
1,837 ft
Beartown Mountain
Lakes & rivers
18
2 beaches · 2 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Great Barrington?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Land that stays wild44% of the land is conserved; a typical Massachusetts town, 21%.Room to roam656 acres of park per 1,000 residents; the typical U.S. town has 13.A trail town1.4 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, more than 87% of U.S. towns.History along the way14 places on the National Register.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Great Barrington have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Great Barrington is ahead of 98% of U.S. towns, #92 of 283 in Massachusetts. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; conserved land ranks highest, the share of residents near a park lowest.
A+
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Great Barrington’s overall grade.
Conserved land44% of the land · typical MA town 21% · U.S. 4%A+Trails1.4 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (62 mi) · MA 1.9 · U.S. 0.4APark land656 acres of park per 1,000 residents (4,725 acres) · MA 91 · U.S. 13A+Parks close to home89% of residents within a half mile of a park · MA 93% · U.S. 72%B+
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 98%
LessMore
Massachusetts towns of 2,500+ (283)Ahead of 68%
Massachusetts towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 21%; the U.S., 4%), so Great Barrington’s 44% is ahead of 95% of Massachusetts towns, while its trails per square mile lead 28% of them.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would still be A+. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
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 Beartown State Forest, with 23.4 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Monument Mountain Reservation
Managed by TTOR
475 acres5.9 mi of trail
Mohican Monument Trail (blue)Willow's Trail (orange)Hickey trail (yellow)Cross Over Trail (purple)+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Tom Ball Mountain Reserve
Managed by Berkshire Natural Resources Council
414 acres4.6 mi of trail
Longview Loop Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
East Mountain State Forest
Managed by Division of State Parks and Recreation
1,588 acres3.1 mi of trail
Appalachian Trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Fountain Pond State Park
Managed by Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation
399 acres2.5 mi of trail
Threemile Hill Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Agawam Lake Wildlife Management Area
Nature preserve
420 acres2.2 mi of trail
Unmaintained trailWillow's Trail (orange)
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Appalachian Trail Corridor
Managed by National Park Service
244 acres1.8 mi of trail
Appalachian Trail
Dogs usually limited
Directionsto the parking lot
Thomas & Palmer Brook
Managed by Berkshire Natural Resources Council (BNRC)
241 acres1.4 mi of trail
Woodland TrailMeadow LoopWhale Rock Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
All 33 parks & preserves
Beartown State Forest4,939 acres · 23.4 mi of trail
DirectionsMonument Mountain Reservation475 acres · 5.9 mi of trail · TTOR
DirectionsTom Ball Mountain Reserve414 acres · 4.6 mi of trail · Berkshire Natural Resources Council
DirectionsEast Mountain State Forest1,588 acres · 3.1 mi of trail · Division of State Parks and Recreation
Fountain Pond State Park399 acres · 2.5 mi of trail · Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation
DirectionsAgawam Lake Wildlife Management Area420 acres · 2.2 mi of trail
Appalachian Trail Corridor244 acres · 1.8 mi of trail · National Park Service
DirectionsThomas & Palmer Brook241 acres · 1.4 mi of trail · Berkshire Natural Resources Council (BNRC)
DirectionsEast Mountain Forest34 acres · 1 mi of trail
East Mountain Reservoir162 acres · 0.9 mi of trail
Threemile Hill & CHP Loop121 acres · 0.9 mi of trail · Berkshire Natural Resources Council (BNRC)
DirectionsLake Mansfield Recreation Area and Conservation Forest30 acres · 0.9 mi of trail
DirectionsPfeiffer Arboretum at Long Pond40 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
Housatonic Flats27 acres · 0.8 mi of trail · Berkshire Natural Resources Council (BNRC)
DirectionsBerkshire South83 acres · 0.6 mi of trail · Berkshire South Regional Community Center
DirectionsMcAllister Park100 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
Flag Rock Wildlife Conservation Easement45 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Massachusetts Department of Fish & Game
Root Orchards32 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsPark Street Park5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Barrett Woods76 acres · Berkshire Natural Resources Council
DirectionsDay Reserve, Berkshire Natural Resources Council (BNRC)63 acres · BNRC
Williams River Reserve41 acres · Berkshire Natural Resources Council (BNRC)
Housatonic River Access19 acres
DirectionsJohn P Tracey Park9 acres
Fountain Pond Park5 acres
Memorial Field4 acres · Town of Great Barrington Parks and Recreation Department
DirectionsOld Maids Park4 acres
Ball Field, Berkshire Natural Resources Council (BNRC)3 acres · BNRC
DirectionsGrove Street Park2 acres
William Stanley Park1 acres
Housatonic Common1 acres
Grover's Corner1 acres · Town of Great Barrington Parks Commission
DirectionsCharles Castranova Park1 acres
Who protects it
12,659 conserved acres
44% of Great Barrington’s land. Who manages Great Barrington’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Other state land1,954 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits1,817 ac
State natural resources405 ac
State parks244 ac
National Park Service226 ac
USDA easements (NRCS)215 ac
Town or city180 ac
State Resource Management Area · 6,944 acConservation Easement · 2,302 acAgricultural Easement · 2,286 acPrivate Other or Unknown · 1,105 acPrivate Conservation · 706 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 2,540 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 4 of 175 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beartown State Forest State Resource Management Area | Not recorded | 4,986 | Open |
| East Mountain State Forest Local Resource Management Area | Not recorded | 1,850 | Open |
| Camp Institute Of Living Judaism Private Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 549 | Unknown |
| Agawam Lake Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | Not recorded | 415 | Open |
| Thomas and Palmer Brook Reserve Private Conservation | Not recorded | 252 | Open |
| Fountain Pond Park State Resource Management Area | State parks | 248 | Open |
| Appalachian National Scenic Trail National Scenic or Historic Trail | National Park Service | 226 | Open |
| Wyantenuck Country Club Private Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 187 | Open |
| Threemile Hill Conservation Area Private Conservation | Not recorded | 140 | Open |
| Murdock Jeffrey H Private Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 127 | Unknown |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
42 places to go in Great Barrington
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Great Barrington
2 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Public pools in Great Barrington
Barrington Brook Pool
DirectionsPlaygrounds in Great Barrington
4 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Boat launches in Great Barrington
2 boat launches without a name on the map.
Waterfalls in Great Barrington
2 waterfalls without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Great Barrington
Devil’s Pulpit overlookIn Monument Mountain Reservation
DirectionsSRIT Back to Civilization?
DirectionsSRIT Land Resources, Water Resources I
DirectionsSRIT Land Resources, Water Resources II
DirectionsSRIT Stone and Ice
DirectionsSRIT The Forest for the Trees
DirectionsSRIT Water in and upon the Earth
DirectionsSimon's Rock
Directions1 more scenic view
view west
DirectionsPlus 11 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in Great Barrington
Beartown Mountain1,837 ft elevation · In Beartown State Forest
DirectionsEast Mountain1,778 ft elevation · In East Mountain State Forest
DirectionsWarner Mountain1,736 ft elevation · In East Mountain State Forest
DirectionsPeeskawso Peak1,565 ft elevation · In Monument Mountain Reservation
DirectionsEast Rock1,496 ft elevation · In East Mountain State Forest
DirectionsFlag Rock1,401 ft elevation · In Flag Rock Wildlife Conservation Easement
DirectionsThree Mile Hill1,014 ft elevation
DirectionsVossburg Hill991 ft elevation
Directions1 more peak
Christian Hill906 ft elevation
DirectionsCampgrounds in Great Barrington
CampgroundIn Beartown State Forest
DirectionsPlus 1 campground without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Trails & water
25 named trails and 18 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Horses · 8.0 miUnpaved · 33.2 mi
Beartown Mountain Trail4.6 mi
Wildcat Trail4.3 mi
Appalachian Trail3.7 mi
Sky Peak Trail2.8 mi
Threemile Hill Trail2.2 mi
Mount Wilcox Trail2.1 mi
Old Taconic Skyline Trail2.1 mi
Unmaintained trail1.9 mi
Willow's Trail (orange)1.8 mi
Longview Loop Trail1.8 mi
15 more trails
Mohican Monument Trail (blue)
1.5 miSki and Bridle Trail
1.1 miHickey trail (yellow)
0.9 miHousatonic Flats Trail
0.8 miSimon's Rock Interpretive Trail
0.7 miBeebe Trail
0.7 miCross Over Trail (purple)
0.7 miPeeskawso Peak Trail (red)
0.7 miWoodland Trail
0.6 miMain Trail
0.4 miMeadow Loop
0.4 miLookout Trail
0.4 miLoop Trail
0.3 miWhale Rock Trail
0.3 miWildcat Access Trail
0.2 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
1.6 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
0.2 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
1.4 mi
off-road bike paths
Courts & fields
20Tennis
7Baseball
3Basketball
1Skate park
1Soccer
1Football
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →14 places on the National Register, one a National Historic Landmark
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 1 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Rising Paper MillBuilding · listed 1975
About itDwight-Henderson HouseBuilding · listed 1976
About itSearles CastleBuilding · listed 1982
About itMonument MillsBuilding · listed 1983
About itUS Post Office-Great Barrington MainBuilding · listed 1986
About itSociety of the Congregational Church of Great BarringtonBuilding · listed 1992
About itTaconic and West Avenues Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1998
About itHousatonic Congregational ChurchBuilding · listed 2002
About itClinton African Methodist Episcopal Zion ChurchBuilding · listed 2008
About itMahaiwe BlockBuilding · listed 2008
About itTyringham CemeterySite · listed 2009
About it2 more on the History page.
When to get out
The best walking months in Great Barrington: 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 | 36 | 44 | 58 | 69 | 77 | 82 | 80 | 72 | 60 | 48 | 37 |
| Rain (in) | 3.2 | 2.5 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 3.8 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.1 | 4.6 | 4.5 | 3.4 | 3.7 |
February is the driest month (2.5 in) and July the warmest (highs of 82 °F). 4.6 inches fall in September, the wettest month. The climate in Great Barrington →
Next door
Great Barrington and its neighbors
Great Barrington has the most mapped trails of the 7 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Great Barrington62 miMonterey27 miEgremont17 miStockbridge17 miAlford14 miWest Stockbridge2.9 miHousatonic1.4 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great Barrington | 44% | 1.4 | 656 | 89% | A+ |
| Egremont | 33% | 0.9 | 1,911 | 82% | A+ |
| Housatonic | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Alford | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Stockbridge | 26% | 0.7 | 830 | 91% | A+ |
| West Stockbridge | 21% | 0.2 | 950 | 85% | A |
| Monterey | 47% | 1.0 | 2,371 | 80% | A+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Great Barrington
Where can I hike in Great Barrington?
The longest trail networks: Beartown State Forest, 23.4 miles; Monument Mountain Reservation, 5.9 miles; Tom Ball Mountain Reserve, 4.6 miles; East Mountain State Forest, 3.1 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Great Barrington is conserved land?
44% of its land, against a typical 21% for a Massachusetts town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Great Barrington’s trails?
Beartown State Forest and Monument Mountain Reservation don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Great Barrington?
1.6 miles of bike routes are on the map: 0.2 of painted or protected lanes and 1.4 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near Great Barrington?
86,019 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Great Barrington or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 10,171 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Great Barrington have?
Ahead of 98% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #92 of 283 in Massachusetts. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Great Barrington 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 →