AMC's Best Day Hikes in the Berkshires: Four-Season Guide to 50 of the Best Trails in Western Massachusetts

by John S. Burk, Réne Laubach

Overview

The Berkshire Mountains of western Massachusetts feature some of the best hiking in the state, whether you're looking for a rugged Appalachian Trail trek or a quiet stroll through scenes from the region's history. This fully revised and updated edition of AMC's Best Day Hikes in the Berkshires features hikes stretching from Mount Greylock south to Bash Bish Falls, all completable in a day or less. The variety of trips means that adventurers of all skill levels and abilities can find the perfect hike for them. And with the at-a-glance trip planner and handy icons, you can easily pinpoint the ideal hike for you, whether you're looking for a hike that is universally accessible; great for kids; provides opportunity for fishing, swimming, snowshoeing; or more.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781628421880
Publisher:	Appalachian Mountain Club Books MA
Publication date:	08/26/2025
Edition description:	Fourth Edition
Pages:	304
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.00(d)

About the Author

John S. Burk is an outdoor writer, photographer, and historian from central Massachusetts. His other books include AMC's Massachusetts Trail Guide andBest Days Hikes in Central Massachusetts.

René Laubach retired in 2014 from Mass Audubon's Berkshire Wildlife Sanctuaries, which he directed for nearly 30 years. He is also co-author of AMC's Best Day Hikes in Connecticut, 2e, has written seven books on natural history, and has written for AMC Outdoors, Audubon, Sanctuary, and many other publications.

Table of Contents

CONTENTS
Locator Map
At-a-Glance Trip Planner
Acknowledgments
Introduction
How to Use This Book
Trip Planning and Safety
Leave No Trace

Section 1: Maryland
1. Patuxent River State Park
2. Merkle Wildlife Sanctuary
3. Calvert Cliffs State Park
4. Cedarville State Forest
5. American Chestnut Lands Trust
6. Seneca Creek State Park—Clopper Lake
7. McKee-Beshers Wildlife Management Area
8. Watkins Regional Park (Wetland Trail and Old Maryland Farm Path)
9. Cosca Regional Park (Lake Trail)
10. Patuxent Research Refuge (South Tract: Loop, Goose Pond, and Cash Lake Trails)
11. Piscataway National Park—Accokeek Foundation
12. Greenbelt Park
13. Lake Artemesia and the Northeast Branch Trail14. Catoctin Mountain Park and Cunningham Falls State Park
15. Antietam National Battlefield
16. Sugarloaf Mountain
17. Black Hill Regional Park
18. Matthew Henson Trail
19. Capital Crescent Trail (Elm Street Park, Bethesda to Aqueduct Arch, Georgetown)
20. Billy Goat Trail at Great Falls
21. Woodstock Equestrian Park (Straight Shot Trail and Field's Edge Loop)
22. Little Bennett Regional Park
23. Patapsco Valley State Park
24. Greenwell State Park

Section 2: Washington, D.C.
25. Theodore Roosevelt Island and Potomac Heritage Trail
26. Potomac River: Georgetown to Lincoln Memorial
27. National Arboretum
28. Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens
29. Rock Creek Park
30. Around Georgetown
31. East Potomac Park and Hains Point
32. The National Mall

Section 3: Virginia
33. Prince William Forest Park
34. Sky Meadows State Park
35. Mason Neck State Park
36. Leesylvania State Park
37. Bull Run Mountains Natural Area
38. G. Richard Thompson Wildlife Management Area
39. Riverbend Park and Great Falls Park
40. Huntley Meadows Park
41. Fraser Preserve (Blue Trail)
42. Wildcat Mountain Natural Area
43. Washington & Old Dominion Trail and Cross Country Trail
44. Bull Run (Occoquan Trail)
45. Scotts Run Nature Preserve
46. Mount Vernon Trail—Fort Hunt Park to Mount Vernon
47. Old Rag
48. Harpers Ferry to Maryland Heights
49. Manassas National Battlefield Park
50. Meadowlark Botanical Gardens

Nature and History Essays
An American Success Story: Saving the Bald Eagle
A Story to Tell: The Piscataway People
As Well As Any Man: Matthew Henson and the Race to the North Pole
Centuries of Perseverance: The Chesapeake & Ohio Canal
Peace and Long Life: Spirit within a Tree
Washington's Sakura—and Those Who've Loved Them
What's in a Name: Mr. Smithson's Legacy
Under Cover: Spies in the Parks
Far Away in Time: The Geology of Great Falls
Beavers at Work
Roosevelt's Tree Army: The Civilian Conservation Corps
John Brown and the Assault on Harpers Ferry
“Firsts” of the First Battle of Manassas

Appendix
Further Reading

Index
About the Authors
Appalachian Mountain Club
The AMC Washington, D.C. Chapter
AMC Books Updates