Mount Washington State Forest

Not to be confused with Mount Washington State Park, New Hampshire.
Mount Washington State Forest
Map showing the location of Mount Washington State Forest
Map showing the location of Mount Washington State Forest
Location in Massachusetts
Map showing the location of Mount Washington State Forest
Map showing the location of Mount Washington State Forest
Mount Washington State Forest (the United States)
LocationMount Washington, Berkshire, Massachusetts, United States
Coordinates42°08′30″N 73°28′28″W / 42.14167°N 73.47444°W / 42.14167; -73.47444[1]
Area4,619 acres (18.69 km2)[2]
Elevation1,470 ft (450 m)[1]
Established1958
Governing bodyMassachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation
WebsiteMount Washington State Forest

Mount Washington State Forest is a 4,619-acre (1,869 ha) state forest in 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 Massachusetts. In addition to offering recreational and scenic opportunities, the forest lies adjacent to Bash Bish Falls State Park. It is managed by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation.[3]

History

The forest was acquired by the state through gifts of Alfred F. Intemann (1897–1986) and his wife Cornelia Van der Smissen Intemann (who died in 1963) conveyed in 1958, 1959, 1961, and 1968.[4]

Features

The forest protects 300 acres (120 ha) of old growth northern hardwood forest in separate areas.[5][6] The tri-state boundary stone on the Mount Frissell Trail marks Massachusett's southwest and Connecticut's northwest corners. The names of Massachusetts and New York are engraved in the stone, while Connecticut is "graffitied" on the granite.

  • The Mount Frissell Trail passing the Connecticut–Massachusetts–New York tri-state monument
    The Mount Frissell Trail passing the Connecticut–Massachusetts–New York tri-state monument
  • Other side of the monument with a blank face for Connecticut
    Other side of the monument with a blank face for Connecticut

Activities and amenities

The forest has 30 miles of trails including portions of the Appalachian Trail and the South Taconic Trail, which ascends Alander Mountain. Trails are used for hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, and cross-country skiing. The forest also offers restrooms, picnicking, fishing, restricted hunting, and primitive wilderness camping.

References

  1. ^ a b "Mount Washington State Forest". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  2. ^ "2012 Acreage Listing" (PDF). Department of Conservation and Recreation. April 2012. Retrieved January 19, 2014.
  3. ^ "Mount Washington State Forest". MassParks. Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. Retrieved July 21, 2013.
  4. ^ "A Guide to Related Archival Collections" (PDF). Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. June 9, 2015. p. 135. Retrieved March 13, 2017.
  5. ^ Davis, Mary Byrd (January 23, 2008). "Massachusetts" (PDF). Old Growth in the East: A Survey. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 19, 2011. Retrieved August 28, 2013.
  6. ^ See the list of old-growth forests in Massachusetts for details.