Things To Do Near the Mohawk Trail
Rafting, fishing, kayaking and other outdoor sports locations.
The original Arthur A. Smith Bridge was a single lane bridge built in 1868 which served as a main crossover for the North River in the western portion of the town for 120 years. The bridge was named for Civil War Union Army veteran Arthur A. Smith whose land was the site of that first bridge. Replaced in 1951 by another wooden structure, it in turn was removed in 1991 to dry land by oxen team in preparation for an extensive restoration. The 99 foot bridge was added to the National Register of Historical Places in 1983. Fully restored in 2007 it is open for pedestrian traffic. From Rt. 2 on the east side of the Deerfield River, take Rt. 112 north to the section of Colrain known as Lyonsville, turn left on Lyonsville Road and you will see the bridge.
New England's Outdoor Adventure Center! With top notch Zip Lining, Whitewater Rafting, Downhill Mountain Biking and North America's longest Mountain Coster, there is an adventure for everyone. Accommodations at our scenic Warfield House Inn Available.
Just a few hundred feet north on route 8A in the center of Charlemont is the newlyrebuilt 92 foot BissellCovered Bridge, the third bridge on this site. The original bridge that crossed Mill Brook was built about 1840 and was replaced in 1951. The current bridge, which reopened in May of 2009 after two years of construction, replaces the old bridge which had been closed to vehicular traffic in 1995. The site of the bridge was added to the National Register of Historical Places in 2004.
It took several years of discussion with the residents of Charlemont and state engineers before it was agreed to do a restoration of the bridge rather than demolish it and erect a modern concrete and steel bridge. As a compromise the new bridge has some special added support and guardrails, but to the casual observer the new wooden covered bridge maintains the character of the two preceding bridges at this location.
A special dedication of the new bridge, reminiscent of the one held in 1951, is planed for sometime in the fall of 2009.
Crab Apple Whitewater is New England's largest Whitewater outfitter. Established in 1983, the original family still owns and operates all trips daily. Great service with a personal touch is our family's guarantee for your adventure with Crab Apple. Family members are involved in every trip, so our passion for the experience of rafting comes through every day! On the dam controlled Deerfield River, Crab Apple runs full day and half-day river trips from Mild to Wild. Raft trips are all guided by a great staff of guides who love the river and look forward to showing our guests the majesty of a river trip's scenery, wildlife and excitement. Self-guided, half-day trips in inflatable kayaks called "Funyaks" are also very popular. Eight miles of river and small rapids at your own pace through the Berkshires is a great way to spend an afternoon. Crab Apple prides itself on having the finest personal gear for our guests - life jackets and helmets that are comfortable and stylish. Wetsuits for cool days are fit perfectly to ensure your comfort. Our fleet of self-bailing rafts and kayaks is unparalleled in New England and beyond. Join our family this season for an unforgettable ride through the northern Berkshire Mountains. Bring a smile and expect to get wet and have fun - we'll do the rest in showing you a unique way to enjoy the outdoors. Crab Apple Whitewater 1-800-553-RAFT(7238) Established 1983
18 hole short par 3 course. Clubs and golf balls furnished. Open daily from 9 a.m. to dark. April thru November. Located just 3 miles west of Greenfield rotary, right on the Mohawk Trail.
Hitchcock Brewing Company is a family owned & operated 10bbl craft brewry. Named after Glacial Lake Htchcock. Hitchcock Brewing Company opened in Whately in May 2016 and in September 2019, the brewery moved to its current location in Bernardston. The new venue offers a taproom, live musci & great craft beers.
In our new location, we are continuing our business in a beautiful but different country setting. We are expanding from a small tasting room in Whately where the air was filled with the smells of farms and fields and the sounds of birds and tractors, to a large taproom in Bernardston where the smell of freshly brewed beer wafts over the 2 large bars and the sound of live music fills the room.
Rich brews primarily American Ales. He also uses local produce (hops, raspberries, blueberries, maple syrup, pumpkin, and squash) whenever possible. He makes beer that he likes to drink meaning they are full of flavor, crisp and clean, low on acidity, and true to style. His passion for all things beer shows through in the quality of his beer, his committed attitude for his customers and his enthusiastic conversations about the brewery and beer in general.
Brewery Hours: Monday & Tuesday: Closed, Wednesday & Thursday: 4-8 PM, Friday: 4-9 PM. Saturday: 1-9 PM & Sunday: 1-7 PM
All Beers on Tap Available for: Poured Pints to drink on site -Growler/Grunt fills for purchase and off-site consumption - 16oz 4-pack Cans for purchase and off-site consumption
Check out our website for weekly events and entertainment
For those not familiar with out museum, we are accessible via the Mohawk Trail...first left after the Mohawk Park bridge in Charlemont (if you are coming from the west).The Rowe Historical Society owns and operates the Kemp-McCarthy Museum.The museum has an extensive collection of local artifacts and antiques]Highlights of the collection include antique quilts, 19th century dolls, period costumes, china and glassware, sleighs, furniture, photographs, cookware, tools, farm implements and an original 19th century hearse.he Kemp-McCarthy Museum alsohas many valuable photos and literature from the Davis Mine, the Hoosac Rail Tunnel, and the Yankee Atomic Electric Company. There is a virtual tour on our website, if you would like to take a look: https://rowehistoricalsociety.wordpress.com/
Built in 1798 as the original Deerfield Academy building, it opened in 1880 as a museum to preserve and display collections as a "direct memorial of the inhabitants of this valley, both Indian and Puritan." 19 exhibition rooms. Open May 1 - Oct. 31, Tuesday through Sunday, 11 am - 4:30 pm. Rts. 5 & 10.
A clear, cold river cascades through Mohawk Trail State Forest along a rocky streambed. One of the most scenic wonderland areas in massachusetts, the state forest offers visitors a taste of real wilderness in a rustic setting. Over 6,000 acres of mountain ridges deep gorges and tall old-growth trees support a diversity of plants and animal life.
56 wooded campsites are available seasonally, and six overnight log cabins are available year-round. Discover miles of rivers and streams for excellent trout fishing, a swimming area, and a day-use picnic area.
The state forest is located along and named for the Mohawk Trail a historic Native American foot path that connected the Connecticut and Hudson River Valleys. Sections of this route are open for hiking today as the Mahican-Mohawk Trail.
The forest is open May through mid October from sunrise until sunset.
Daily Parking Fee: $8 MA Vehicle, $10 non-MA Vehicle
Camping season is Mid April through Mid October, Cabins are available year round and accommodate 3-5 people. Recreational vehicles up to 30 ft. are permitted on designated sites.
Reservations are suggested.
Off-season camping is available, call for information.
Campground office hours 8am - 10pm
Wild and rugged Monroe State Forest has beep valleys, steep mountains and tall trees reaching for the sky. To view this forested landscape with valley-filled fog is an unforgttable experience. A hike to the top of Spruce Mountain or to Raycroft lookout offers magnificent panoramas of the surrounding Hoosac and Green Mountains and Deerfield River. From the parking area off River Road, hike the Dunbar Brook Trail through shaded stands of old-growth old-growth Eastern Hemlock and associated northern hardwood trees. The pristine brook tumbles and drops 700 vertical feet in two miles, over huge moss-covered boulders forming entrancing waterfalls, rapids and pools.
The forest has reclaimed much of the farmland and pastures that previously existed here in the 1800's. Only cellar holes and stone walls remain; stark memorials to the rugged individuals who once wrested a living from this rocky soil.
The forest is open sunrise to sunset year-round. Access is free. No services are available.
All terrain vehicles and alcoholic beverages are prohibited. Snowmobiling is available conditions permitting (4-inch minimum hard-packed snow base.
