Mass.Gov - Mount Greylock - Northern Berkshires

[Marty Giggard]

The recreational experience on Mount Greylock is semi-primitive.

Other than the developed road system, which provides access through the park to the summit and snowmobiling in winter, access is non-motorized. The trail system is simple with minor developments and the wilderness experience is overall tranquil. The campground and backpacking shelters are primitive overnight areas, accessible by hiking only. The summit area is more developed to accommodate auto traffic and wheelchair access, but provides rustic amenities for visitors at Bascom Lodge. Visit Recreation for more information, rules and regulations.

Park Roads are Closed. The park’s road system is closed to auto traffic for the 2007-2008 seasons and currently under repair for safety and access improvements. Bascom Lodge and the Veterans War Memorial Tower are closed; the campground and Stony Ledge are accessible by hiking only. During this period trails and the Visitors Center remain open. Full operation and access to all these facilities is scheduled to resume in 2009, upon completion of the Historic Parkway Rehabilitation project road repairs.

Access to the park is free; once the roads reopen there will be a $2 parking fee for the summit parking lot only.

Weather for the northern Berkshires is characterized by shorter, mild summers and longer, cold winters. Mount Greylock’s lower elevations are generally warmer but conditions are more moist and cool as altitude increases, with an average 8-10 degree F (5-6°C) difference between the base and summit. Prevailing winds are from the southwest in summer and northwest in winter. The summit is shrouded by cloud cover for about one-third of the year.