Great Hiking in Massachusetts. Forget New Hampshire!

Less travel! Less time! Less GAS! More beautiful! Hiking in MA well surpasses any hiking in NH. Although our parks here are ofter over looked because they are less advertised. I will tell you from experience what some of the best hiking spots are in MA and some history associated with it if there is any. As well as just some beautiful sites. (Western Ma. Sites) The first one and one of my favorites The Bridge of Flowers and Shelburne Falls at the Glacial Potholes in Shelburne, Ma. The Bridge of Flowers was originally a trolley bridge in 1908 that went out of business in 1928 when trucking took over the freight business. It was transformed to the bridge of flowers in 1929. This is a beautiful site in July when all the flowers are in bloom. ( No cost for parking or to see the site) The Glacial Pothole is the largest pothole at 39 square feet across. It is still being carved to this day when the snow melts and swells the river and rushing water turns the stones and bores the rock. Also very nice and can be cooling on a hot July day just to walk past it. . ( No cost for parking or to see the site) The Natural Bridge State Park North Adams, Ma. It looks boring in the beginning until you go up the stairs. It is lined in marble with falls and rushing water. It is beautiful! It is called the Natural Bridge because it has the only naturally formed white marble arch and man made white marble dam in North America. This park is also an abandoned marble quarry operating from 1810 to 1947. It has a steep 60 ft gorge (beautiful!!!!) which has the Hudson Brook running through it. It became a state park in 1985. This has walks that jet out into the gorge and water rushing under you. (Also no cost for parking or to see the site) Bash Bish Falls Mt. Washington, MA. This has atleast two water falls. It is Massachusetts most dramatic and highest single drop waterfall that goes through a series of gorges and then drops 60 ft into a pool. You are not suppose to swim in it but everyone does. If you decide to go look for the stairs unless you don't mind stumbling down a 300 ft drop. We made that mistake then found the stairs when we got to the bottom. Definitely worth the hike. ( Free to park Free to see) Mt Greylock Adams,Ma. The reservation consists of more than 12,500 acres and the Appalachian trail runs over the summit. It became Mt Greylock in the 1830's and is the highest peak in Massachusetts. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1998 and has a 93 ft tall granite veterans war memorial tower built in 1933. This is a nice historical site if you would like the kids to have fun and learn something too. There is also a restaurant on the top of the mountain near the veterans memorial. Good food! ( Also free parking and to see the site). (Central and Northern Ma.) First is Long Hill Beverly,Ma. This has been in existence since 1979, is owned by the Trustees of Reservations and has 114 acres. From 1916 to 1979 it was the summer home of noted author and editor of the Atlantic monthly, Ellery Sedgewick and his first wife Mabel Cabot Sedgewick. The federal style house was completed in 1925 and contains original woodwork from the Isaac Ball House in Charleston South Carolina Circa 1812. Mrs Sedgewick designed and planted the original gardens. After her death in 1937, Mr. Sedgewick's second wife, the former Marjorie Russell of England continued the additions, some introduced by the Arnold Arboretum. The gardens are surrounded on all sides by more than 100 acres of woodland which contain 2 miles or trails. They also contain an apple orchard and meadow. They don't open the house very often but you can see the outside and it is beautiful. You can have picnics in the gardens or just sit and relax. (No charge for parking or to see the site) Doanes's Falls Royalston, Ma. This reservations is also owned by the Trustee of Reservations. It was named for Amos Dave, who in the early 19th century owned the land in the then triving manufacturing center of Royalston. Doanes falls is a link in the Tully Trail. The falls are fed via nearby Lawrence Brook. New Hampshire parks are nice but there are a lot of people and the can cost up to $15.00 a person. Don't get me wrong they are nice places to go and worth seeing but they are expensive and crowded most of the time. If you want a nice quite place to go that doesn't cost anything choose one of the places above. If you decided that you want to dedicate the nicer months to hiking I would suggest joining The Trustees of Reservations or The Greenbelts. They will send you are parking sticker and a book explaining all the sights. Most are free with option to donate. If there is a fee the highest I have seen is for $10 but that was for a mansion during a function. I hope that I have opened your eyes to Massachusetts state parks give them a chance. Happy hiking!