UUMSB Walks in the Berkshires - 2012 Season
Our walks celebrate the beauty and diversity of the Berkshire / Taconic landscape. The walks are offered from spring through fall, and we explore the diversity of our natural communities through the seasons. This is our 6th season! We meet at 12 noon in the parking lot of the Claire Teague Senior Center in Great Barrington (see directions) after our 10:30am Sunday service (or come to the service!). We hope you will join us!
Sun 5/27 – Bob's Way, Monterey. A walk through beautiful forest, views of extensive wetlands
Sun 6/24 – Sage's Ravine, Mt. Washington. This ravine (pictured here) is one of the prettiest places in all the Berkshires – a cool, deeply shaded hemlock and hardwoods ravine with a fast-flowing mountain stream and a series of small waterfalls and deep pools.
Sun 7/15 – Appalachian Trail a la Downing (now a UUMSB tradition!), Monterey. Start at Diana’s and Dennis’ place, hike the AT on East Mt toward the shelter, come back for a BYO-Everything (except for the grill) Barbecue. Or just come for the barbecue somewhere around 3:30pm.
Sun 8/26 – Benedict Pond, Beartown State Forest, Monterey. Hike the trail around Benedict Pond, then, depending on personal choices and imagination – swimming, picnicking, paddling … what else?
Sun 9/30 – AT to Tyringham Cobble, Tyringham. The AT first follows a boardwalk and bridges across a beautiful, large floodplain meadow, then enters the woods and eventually takes us to the summit of Tyringham Cobble, with great views of the town and valley below.
Sun 10/28 – Yokun Ridge from Olivia’s Overlook (in Lenox) to W. Stockbridge Mt. This is a beautiful hike along the ridge-top through a low-canopy dry oak forest, with occasional views along the way and a sweeping view to the East at the end point. This is a longer hike, not strenuous, but expect about 4 ½ hours.
Sun 11/11 – Basin Trail, Lee. The woods after leaf-fall, old mill pond, observation platform with beautiful view of the beaver pond and wetlands. This is our traditional place to end our walk season.
Meet: After 10:30am Sunday service, we’ll have lunch and leave no later than 12noon from parking lot of Claire W. Teague Senior Center, Great Barrington (see directions).
Bring: TRAIL SNACKS & WATER, good shoes, enough layers for early and late season.
Other: Walks are easy to moderate if you are familiar with walking in trails with typical uneven footing, about 2-3 miles, 2-3½ hours. PLEASE NOTE: Ending times are hard to pinpoint. If you come with a tight schedule, please be prepared to return to your car separately.
Leaders:
Dona Burdick 413-717-1665 djbhiker20022000@yahoo.com
Jose Garcia 518-392-2163 redtailedhawk@taconic.net