Trail Mix

"Trail Mix" is a hiking column written by Alan Cordova '06 for the Williams Record. Some recommendations from the author:

Hikes for "non-hikers": Lower Linear Park Loop, Four Walks and The Cascades.

Non-hikes: (biking) North by Northeast, R.A.M.G.O.D. (Ride Around Mount Greylock in One Day) and Two Rides; (rafting) The Hoosic River; (skiing) Jiminy Peak.

<googlemap width="300" height="340" zoom="10" type="hybrid" controls="medium"> 42.756844,-73.177528,The Dome 42.75508,-73.181305,Broad Brook 42.791622,-73.126116,North by Northeast 42.719525,-73.158302,Pine Cobble 42.718327,-73.15014,AT to Pine Cobble 42.702497,-73.166885,Hoosic River 42.710885,-73.187571,Lower Linear Park 42.710885,-73.187571,Two Rides 42.713723,-73.285761,Berlin Pass 42.705556,-73.218362,Stone Hill 42.546504,-73.286705,Jiminy Peak 42.693949,-73.135321,The Cascades 42.687325,-73.160856,AT to Mount Prospect 42.646334,-73.185039,Hopper Trail 42.638568,-73.175554,Greylock Summit Loop 42.569896,-73.157272,Ride Around Mount Greylock in One Day 42.745247,-73.264732,Triple Point Trail 42.736627,-73.244476,Hopkins Forest Tour 42.736627,-73.244476,Snowshoe Hot Spots 42.742915,-73.243961,Northwest Hill Road 42.742915,-73.243961,Hopkins Forest 42.720092,-73.231945,Petersburg Road 42.713282,-73.221045,Four Walks </googlemap>

Route 7 and Route 2 divide the area around Williamstown into four quadrants.

North

These hikes are north of campus, east of Route 7, in the southern extent of the Green Mountains. They are organized roughly north to south by their trailheads.

The Dome

• Roundtrip Length: 5 miles
• Vertical gain: Approximately 1,700 feet
• Difficulty: Difficult
• Roundtrip Hiking Time: Approximately 3 hours
• Trailhead (3.5 miles)

Broad Brook and Part II

Lower Broad Brook

• Roundtrip Distance: 2.2 miles
• Roundtrip Hiking Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
• Vertical Gain: 178 feet
• Difficulty: Easy

Upper Broad Brook

• Roundtrip Length: 5.2 Miles
• Roundtrip Hiking Time: 3 hours
• Vertical Gain: 945 feet
• Difficulty: Difficult

North by Northeast

• Length: 21 miles
• Difficulty: Difficult
• Total Vertical Rise: 2,100 feet
• Roundtrip Biking Time: 5 hours

Pine Cobble

• Roundtrip Length: 3.2 miles
• Vertical gain: Approximately 1,200 feet
• Difficulty: Medium
• Roundtrip Hiking Time: Approximately 2 hours
• Trailhead within Walking Distance of Campus

AT to Pine Cobble

• One-Way Length: 3.2 miles
• Difficulty: Medium
• Vertical Rise: 1,420 feet
• Hiking Time: 2 hours

The Hoosic River from Ashton Avenue to the Williamstown Waste Transfer Station

• Distance: 3.9 miles
• Difficulty: Easy

Lower Linear Park Loop

• Length: 1.5 miles
• Difficulty: Very Easy
• Roundtrip Hiking Time: 45 minutes

South

These hikes are south of Route 2. They are organized west to east by their trailheads.

Berlin Pass

Lower Loop

• Roundtrip Length: 1.6 miles
• Difficulty: Hard
• Vertical Rise: 650 feet
• Roundtrip Hiking Time: 1.5 hours

Stone Hill

• Roundtrip Length: 0.7-4.0 miles
• Difficulty: Easy
• Roundtrip Hiking Time: 30 minutes – 120 minutes
• Trailhead within Walking Distance of Campus

East

Primarily in and around Mt. Greylock, organized north to south by trailhead.

The Cascades

• Roundtrip Distance: 1 Mile
• Vertical: 300 feet
• Difficulty: Easy
• Trailhead within Biking Distance

AT to Mount Prospect

• Roundtrip distance: 5 miles
• Vertical: 1520 feet
• Trailhead within biking distance

Hopper Trail to Stony Ledge

• Roundtrip Length: 6.8 miles
• Difficulty: Medium
• Vertical Rise: 1,358 feet
• Roundtrip Hiking Time: 3 hours

Greylock Summit Loop

• Length: 3.8 miles
• Difficulty: Easy
• Vertical Rise: 1,100 feet
• Roundtrip Hiking Time: 2 hours

R.A.M.G.O.D. (Ride Around Mount Greylock in One Day)

• Distance: 33 miles
• Time: 4 hours for a leisurely ride

West

North of Route 2 and west of Route 7, these are all in and around Hopkins Forest.

Hopkins Forest Tour

• Length: 7.2 miles
• Difficulty: Medium
• Vertical Rise: 1,500 feet
• Roundtrip Hiking Time: 4 hours

Northwest Hill Road

• Length (from campus): 4 miles
• Vertical Gain: 430 feet
• Difficulty: Easy
• Hiking time: 2 hours

Hopkins Forest

Lower Loop

• Roundtrip Length: 1.6 miles
• Difficulty: Easy
• Vertical Rise: 250 feet
• Roundtrip Hiking Time: 1 hour

Both Loops

• Roundtrip Length: 4.1 miles
• Difficulty: Easy
• Vertical Rise: 530 feet
• Roundtrip Hiking Time: 2 hours
• Trailhead within Walking Distance of Campus

Petersburg Road

1	Type	Distance	Time	Difficulty	Vertical
2	Road	4.6 miles	1 hour	Easy	532 feet
3	Road and Trail	7 miles	3 hours	Medium-Difficult	827 feet