The Appalachian Trail, The Berkshires, Road Trip

Scenic Western Massachusetts is quite popular this time of year.  We had planned to pack up the van and head out there the first weekend of October.  The weather, however, had other ideas and with a forecast of rain, we canceled our hotel room.  Last weekend looked iffy but we decided to make the best of it, especially after I found an available hotel room.  











Our main destination was Mount Greylock, the highest point in Massachusetts.  The Appalachian Trail runs over the top of Mount Greylock and yes, I have a fascination with the AT.  Rich says that I'm obsessed.  I don't know if I'd go that far but, yeah, I talk about it quite often.  We hadn't really planned or prepared to hike the AT but we ended up walking a portion of it, which the girls absolutely loved.  We began at the summit so the first portion of our hike was downhill.  The Appalachian Trail in that area is rugged but doable for kids.  It really depends on how far you go, especially if the second half of your hike is uphill.  There are many trails to hike throughout Mount Greylock and I hope we return in the near (after winter!) future to explore.





















I hate to complain about the rain as it is needed to fight this drought but the views weren't as spectacular as they should have been because of the overcast skies.  The rain didn't move it until late that night so really not a big deal.  It didn't disrupt our time outdoors.  Our hotel had an indoor pool, which the girls took advantage of.  They were happy.  Oh, they packed their bags too which was super nice for me.  I just had to tell them what they needed (two outfits, pajamas, underwear, bathing suit and an extra pair of shoes) and they were good to go.  It was such a time saver for me not having to pack for four people.











If you're looking for a scenic drive, you must head out to Route 2, also known as the Mohawk Trail.  Unfortunately, it began pouring rain shortly after we hit the road so I wasn't able to photograph it but it's so very different from the landscape I'm used to.  At times, it was hard to believe we were only a few hours from home.