The great outdoors — a majestic beauty that has been captured in poems and songs since the dawn of recorded history. Why sit inside all day and binge watch your favorite crime drama when you could spend your staycation out in the glorious bounty of nature?
Hiking Trail Adventures
Whether you’re up for a quick jaunt through the woods or out to climb a steep rocky trail, there are plenty of places to go hiking that will satiate your inner mountain man or woman. In South Deerfield, there’s Sugarloaf Mountain with a picturesque view of the Connecticut River from its two summits and 500 acres of parkland to explore. Mount Tom State Reservation in Holyoke offers 22 miles of hiking trails and towards the base of the mountain, there’s Lake Bray for fishing, canoeing, or just having an afternoon picnic beside the calm waters. In Greenfield, one of the most distinct locations is the Poet’s Seat Tower, a sandstone observation constructed more than 100 years ago that looks like it should have been built in the Middle Ages. The tower gets its name from local 19th century poet Frederick Goddard Tuckerman, who was inspired to write by the breathtaking view from this historical and epic landmark.
Flowers, Flowers, and Flowers
This garden of flowers is an iconic part of the historic Shelburne Falls village. It began as a trolley bridge in 1908 and was transformed into a garden about 20 years alter. In the early 1980s, after years of neglect, more than 500 individuals, businesses, and organizations contributed to the campaign to restore the garden. Every plant, tree, and shrub was removed from the bridge and cared for in private gardens during the restoration project. Today, you’ll find hundreds of flowers along the bridge spanning the length of the sleepy Deerfield River. Depending on what time of year you visit the bridge, you’ll likely see different types of flowering plants in bloom. In the second half of June, there’s perennials such as goatsbeard, plume flower, bellflower, mountain bluet, foxglove, and honeysuckle as well as shrubs like azaleas and kousa dogwoods and Japanese snowball trees. What better way to enjoy the outdoors than taking the time to stop and smell the flowers. bridgeofflowersmass.org.
Extreme Outdoor Fun Times
The Zoar Outdoor Adventure Resort in Charlemont is where extreme love of outdoor activities is commonplace. There’s white water rafting on the Deerfield River, kayaking, rock climbing, and ziplining. There are 11 ziplines at Zoar Outdoor that give you an aerial canopy tour of the region during a three-hour trek that features two sky bridges and three rappels. There are packages for weekend long excursions and lodging at one of the cabins at the resort. zoaroutdoor.com. Looking for adventure higher in the sky? Look no further than Misty River Ballooning in Florence. It’s a three-hour hot air balloon ride across the Pioneer Valley. Riders float quietly above the Connecticut River and, on a clear day, you can see the vast expanse of mountains extending into Vermont and New Hampshire. mistyriverballooning.com.
A Camping We Will Go
The smell of marshmallows roasting on an open fire, a pitch black sky covered in a blanket of stars, and being curled up in a sleeping bag as the early morning rays of the sun illuminate your tent’s interior. These are some of the joys of camping and there’s plenty of campgrounds in the Pioneer Valley at which to spend a night or two camping. There’s the DAR State Forest in Goshen with 51 wooded camping sites, and two lakes for swimming or just spending a lazy afternoon basking in the warm sun. In Monson, there’s Sunsetview Farm Camping Area, which is a lot less wilderness and more oriented towards family fun whether that means playing shuffleboard, horseshoe, basketball, volleyball, or triumphantly defeating your opponent and boasting about your victory at the campground’s indoor video game arcade. And at a moment’s notice, you could also be hiking the trails, going for a dip in the swimming pond, or taking a hot shower after all that wholesome camping goodness.
Cycling the Trails
You want to ride your bike from Hadley to Belchertown, no sweat. The Norwottuck Branch Rail Trail is an 11-mile long paved trail for walking, running, jogging, speedwalking, or, of course, biking. The trail opened in 1992 and it’s part of an even larger cycling trail called the Mass Central Rail Trail, which is anticipated to span 100 miles across the state once completed. However, right now, you’ll have to be content with the Norwottuck Trail. Want to ride across a county in Massachusetts? There’s the Franklin County Bikeway, which covers 240 miles across Franklin County. Much of the bike network consists of shared roadway sections with low amounts of vehicle traffic, but after all, traveling a scenic byway surrounded by wooded mountainous roads and a clear blue sky are all part of the charm.
In Hampden County there are shorter, but no less gorgeous trails: Southwick Rail Trail, 7.1 miles in Westfield; Redstone Rail Trail, 1.4 miles in East Longmeadow; Connecticut Riverwalk and Bikeway, 5.4 miles in Springfield; and the Chicopee River Canal Rail Trail, 0.21 miles in Chicopee.
