We have reached the final installment of our dog friendly trip to the Berkshires of Massachusetts, with our visit to October Mountain State Forest. What drew us to October Mountain is its long history of paranormal activity. From UFOs, to ghosts, to Bigfoot, visitors have seen it all, over the centuries! However, what kept us there was the beauty of its 16,500 acres, that includes land in four towns, making it the largest state forest in Massachusetts. The main entrance is located at 317 Woodland Road, Lee, Massachusetts. There you will find access to a variety of parking areas, campsites, and trails that range from easy to difficult. Or you can explore by way of one of the many other access points throughout this vast state park.
Our original plan was to hike the trail network located off County Road. However, what we didn’t factor into our plan is that we were visiting in June during the height of horsefly season. Our vehicle was swarmed by horseflies as we drove closer to the trailhead, and although we were brave enough to want to search for Bigfoot, none of us wanted to do battle with the horseflies in the process. So instead we doubled back, and enjoyed a tranquil day at Buckley Dunton Lake, located on Buckley Dutton Road, Becket, MA.
This lake is popular for fishing and boating, with its rough boat launch. We explored the rudimentary trail that skirts this reservoir. Although to be honest, we didn’t hike the entire Cordonier Trail, because we were once again outnumbered by horseflies the deeper into the woods we went. Yet with the light breeze by the lakeshore, the bugs were kept at bay, making for an enjoyable spot for a picnic lunch, and just relaxing. A rare treat on our adventures.
After spending the morning there, and forgetting about the horseflies, we then headed off to explore the Roaring Brook Trail off of Roaring Brook Road, near Lenox, MA. This wide fire road made for a leisurely walk in the woods, until the horseflies found us again. So we only hiked a fraction of the approximately 3 mile trail. But we did meet a family on bikes, who told us this is one of their favorite trails.
Dogs are allowed on-leash at October Mountain State Forest in Massachusetts. To plan your visit, we recommended visiting October Mountain State Forest at Mass.gov. There you can download a map of the entire park, their suggested hikes, and even reserve a campsite.
October Mountain State Forest: Come for the paranormal, stay for the beauty, and try to avoid horsefly season! To read more about our adventure and the other places we visited while exploring western Massachusetts, visit Our Quest for the Berkshires’ Bigfoot. Thanks for following along on this adventure all summer! Stay tuned for new adventures this autumn!
