Pittsfield State Forest
Nature preserve
6,872 acres54.7 mi of trail
Taconic Skyline TrailTaconic Crest TrailShaker Mountain TrailCCC Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: Bestbudbrian · CC BY-SA 4.0–Not graded
Outdoors in Hancock
Few parks or trails are on the map in Hancock
The biggest trail networks: Pittsfield State Forest (54.7 mi), Bates Memorial State Park (2 mi), Shaker Ridge Trails (0.8 mi). 42% of Hancock’s land is conserved, about 9,712 acres. 1,810 acres are parks and preserves, 2,407 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
42%
9,712 acres · of 35.7 sq mi of land
Trails
75 mi
2.1 per sq mi of land
Park land
1,810 ac
2,407 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
34%
of residents within ½ mile
Highest peak
2,598 ft
Beoadic Mountain
Lakes & rivers
4
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 Pittsfield State Forest, with 54.7 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Bates Memorial State Park
Nature preserve
419 acres2 mi of trail
Beacon TrailCut-off TrailShortcut (orange)Beacon trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Shaker Ridge Trails
Managed by CRICKET TRAILS, LLC
213 acres0.8 mi of trail
Trail I (Wild Turkey)
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Hollow Fields Reserve
Managed by Berkshire Natural Resources Council (BNRC)
45 acres0.8 mi of trail
Shortcut (orange)Beacon Trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
Misery Mountain Wildlife Management Area
Managed by Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife
410 acres0.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 9 parks & preserves
Pittsfield State Forest6,872 acres · 54.7 mi of trail
DirectionsBates Memorial State Park419 acres · 2 mi of trail
DirectionsShaker Ridge Trails213 acres · 0.8 mi of trail · CRICKET TRAILS, LLC
Hollow Fields Reserve45 acres · 0.8 mi of trail · Berkshire Natural Resources Council (BNRC)
Misery Mountain Wildlife Management Area410 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife
Hancock Wildlife Management Area394 acres
E. Howe Forbush Sanctuary366 acres
Abode of the Message20 acres · Abode of the Message
DirectionsTaconic Ridge State Forest6 acres
Who protects it
9,712 conserved acres
42% of Hancock’s land. Who manages Hancock’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Other state land619 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits318 ac
USDA easements (NRCS)193 ac
State parks43 ac
State conservation6 ac
Private owners2 ac
Town or city2 ac
State Resource Management Area · 6,942 acState Conservation Area · 1,173 acAgricultural Easement · 811 acState Park · 558 acPrivate Other or Unknown · 332 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 496 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 1 of 43 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsfield State Forest State Resource Management Area | Not recorded | 6,942 | Open |
| Misery Mountain Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | Not recorded | 802 | Open |
| Bates Memorial State Park State Park | Not recorded | 419 | Open |
| E. Howe Forbush Sanctuary State Conservation Area | Not recorded | 366 | Open |
| Hancock Shaker Village Private Historic or Cultural | Not recorded | 241 | Restricted |
| Jiminy Peak Private Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 230 | Restricted |
| Taconic Trail State Park State Park | Not recorded | 139 | Open |
| Bookstein Camping Facilites Private Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 102 | Restricted |
| Hancock School Research or Educational Area | Not recorded | 12 | Unknown |
| Taconic Ridge State Forest State Conservation Area | State conservation | 5 | Open |
Things to do
23 places to go in Hancock
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Scenic views in Hancock
view eastIn Pittsfield State Forest
DirectionsPlus 2 scenic views without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Peaks in Hancock
Beoadic Mountain2,598 ft elevation
DirectionsSheeps Heaven Mountain2,526 ft elevation
DirectionsPine Mountain2,231 ft elevation · In Pittsfield State Forest
DirectionsTower Mountain2,198 ft elevation · In Pittsfield State Forest
DirectionsBerry Mountain2,192 ft elevation · In Pittsfield State Forest
DirectionsBerry Hill2,185 ft elevation · In Pittsfield State Forest
DirectionsMisery Mountain2,172 ft elevation · In E. Howe Forbush Sanctuary
DirectionsSmith Mountain2,165 ft elevation · In Pittsfield State Forest
Directions6 more peaks
West Mountain1,959 ft elevation · In Pittsfield State Forest
DirectionsDoll Mountain1,923 ft elevation · In Pittsfield State Forest
DirectionsShaker Mountain1,860 ft elevation · In Pittsfield State Forest
DirectionsAppletree Hill1,768 ft elevation
DirectionsThe Pinnacle1,722 ft elevation
DirectionsMount Lebanon1,699 ft elevation · In Pittsfield State Forest
DirectionsCampgrounds in Hancock
Site 1In Pittsfield State Forest
DirectionsSite 2In Pittsfield State Forest
DirectionsSite 3In Pittsfield State Forest
DirectionsSite 4In Pittsfield State Forest
DirectionsSite 5In Pittsfield State Forest
DirectionsSites 11, 12, 13In Pittsfield State Forest
DirectionsTrails & water
25 named trails and 4 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 4.8 miHorses · 1.7 miUnpaved · 50.7 mi
Taconic Crest Trail9.4 mi
Taconic Skyline Trail8.8 mi
Shaker Mountain Trail2.6 mi
CCC Trail2.4 mi
Taconic Crest Trail2.1 mi
Beacon Trail1.8 mi
Griffin Trail1.7 mi
West Mountain Trail1.4 mi
Shaker Brook Trail1.4 mi
Holy Mount Trail1.3 mi
15 more trails
Pine Mountain Trail
1.2 miBrook Trail
1.1 miDoll Mountain Trail
1.1 miNorth Family Trail
1.0 miBrickhouse Mountain Trail
1.0 miCircuit Trail
0.9 miTrail B
0.8 miTrail C
0.8 miTrail D
0.6 miSmith Mountain Trail
0.6 miBentely Hollow trail
0.5 miHonwee Loop Trail
0.5 miParker Brook Trail
0.5 miChurchill Brook Trail
0.4 miTrail A
0.4 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
0.0 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
Courts & fields
3Tennis
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →1 place on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service).
Hancock Town HallBuilding · listed 1975
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in Hancock: 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 | 15.3 | 15.0 | 13.9 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.7 | 9.1 |
| High (°F) | 30 | 33 | 41 | 54 | 66 | 74 | 79 | 77 | 70 | 57 | 46 | 35 |
| Rain (in) | 3.5 | 2.7 | 3.4 | 3.6 | 3.9 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.8 | 4.3 | 3.6 | 3.8 |
February is the driest month (2.7 in) and July the warmest (highs of 79 °F). 4.8 inches fall in September, the wettest month. The climate in Hancock →
Next door
Hancock and its neighbors
Hancock has the second most mapped trails of the 5 towns around it. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hancock | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Pittsfield | 27% | 1.9 | 71 | 95% | A+ |
| New Ashford | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Lanesborough | 34% | 1.9 | 620 | 67% | A+ |
| Richmond | 18% | 0.7 | 813 | 59% | A |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Hancock
Where can I hike in Hancock?
The longest trail networks: Pittsfield State Forest, 54.7 miles; Bates Memorial State Park, 2 miles; Shaker Ridge Trails, 0.8 miles; Hollow Fields Reserve, 0.8 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Hancock’s trails?
Pittsfield State Forest and Bates Memorial State Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Hancock?
92,278 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Hancock or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 8,760 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Hancock 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 →