Friday, May 31, 2013

Holidays In Massachusetts In The Fall, Scenic Drive Through The Berkshires

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By Peter Burns


In New England the fall is known as foliage season. Many tourists, and other visitors, travel to new England to see the beautiful fall landscapes, and to visit some of the historic towns and cities. This brief article gives some help and advice for those taking holidays in Massachusetts in the fall.

The Massachusetts tourist motto is "Massachusetts: It's All Here", as the state is one where you can drive from the beaches and dunes in the east, to the rolling tree covered hills in the west, in less than three hours. Visitors who arrive in their own car, or who are hiring a car, can plan a route to see the best displays of fall foliage.

There are numerous books, and quite a few websites, covering scenic routes through New England in the fall. The Mohawk Trail is New England's first official scenic motor route, and it can be combined with a trip over the top of Mount Greylock, Massachusetts' highest peak.

Via Mount Greylock and the Mohawk Trail, one can take a scenic drive through the Berkshires, and see views of five states from the top of Massachusetts' highest mountain. Note that the route up Mount Greylock is closed in winter after the first of November.

The section of the drive along Route 2 from the MASS-NY border to the Connecticut River was designated a scenic tourist route by the state legislature in 1914, right at the start of America's love affair with the automobile. This is the Mohawk Trail, a pathway first trodden by the native American tribes, and now a highway through spectacular mountain scenery. As well as spectacular fall scenery, and views such as those of the Hoosac Valley from Route 2's Hairpin Turn, one can visit the Mohawk Trail State Forest (6,457 acres) in Charlemont, where there are several original Indian trails now marked out as hiking trails.

It is possible to travel the Mohawk Trail, without crossing over the top of Mount Greylock, but if you make the ascent, and climb the 92ft. War Memorial Tower at the summit, you will be rewarded with a view of unspoiled, natural landscapes in five different states.




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