• Welcome to AlpineZone, the largest online community of skiers and snowboarders in the Northeast!

    You may have to REGISTER before you can post. Registering is FREE, gets rid of the majority of advertisements, and lets you participate in giveaways and other AlpineZone events!

Berkshires Mtn biking

HowieT2

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 22, 2009
Messages
1,624
Points
63
maybe I'm just missing something, but I havent been able to find mtn biking trails in the berkshires. My in-laws live up there near the MA-CT border, and so I am desperate to get out and ride when I'm up there. I've checked online (singletracks), called the bike shop in Great Barrington, the state parks and come up empty handed. How can this be?
 

marcski

Active member
Joined
Jan 10, 2005
Messages
4,576
Points
36
Location
Westchester County, NY and a Mountain near you!
maybe I'm just missing something, but I havent been able to find mtn biking trails in the berkshires. My in-laws live up there near the MA-CT border, and so I am desperate to get out and ride when I'm up there. I've checked online (singletracks), called the bike shop in Great Barrington, the state parks and come up empty handed. How can this be?

What's up, How? There are some up in that area:

http://www.berkshirenemba.org/Berkshire%20NEMBA%20Pittsfield%20State%20Forest%20Resource%20Management%20Plan%20Inputs.pdf

http://trails.mtbr.com/cat/united-states-trails/trails-massachusetts/pls_4554_918crx.aspx
 

HowieT2

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 22, 2009
Messages
1,624
Points
63

HowieT2

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 22, 2009
Messages
1,624
Points
63
it's unbelievable. there is really nothing of any redeeming value in the berkshires.
 

bzrperfspec77

Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2011
Messages
180
Points
16
Location
Granville, MA
Try finding Motorcycle trails! That's even tougher! I am an active member of our local club (Berkshire Trail Riders - Offroad & Onroad Motorcycle Club) and we are the main care takers within the Tolland State Forest. We maintain all of the trails within the State Forest for all user groups (Horses, ORV's, Mountain Bikes, Hikers etc.). With no thanks or help to/from the state, DCR we go out and maintain these trails for all of 10-15 miles...

What we have done is become very active within our riding communities (near the TSF) and have gained access to a lot of private property. Many of these trails are just used for our events, but we have access on some properties for riding exclusively anytime we want as the State is not giving anything back to us besides the 10-15 miles we already have to maintain.

So off my rant... Here is some help. The Granville State Forest has trails, but none really actually connect to each other. In this area is a lot of property that is owned by MDC. Many of the trails are listed on the maps for the GSF, are actually on MDC that are a bit longer. Not single track, but tote road style. You can try the TSF, but its not mountain-bike freindly IMO. There is the Granville Gorge that has a couple trails as well. Then there is a place within Granville/Westfield I can PM you about if you wish. Not sure of the legality. I have to do some research first, but I see people Mountain biking there all the time.

Good luck and like I said, PM if you wish.
 

HowieT2

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 22, 2009
Messages
1,624
Points
63
Try finding Motorcycle trails! That's even tougher! I am an active member of our local club (Berkshire Trail Riders - Offroad & Onroad Motorcycle Club) and we are the main care takers within the Tolland State Forest. We maintain all of the trails within the State Forest for all user groups (Horses, ORV's, Mountain Bikes, Hikers etc.). With no thanks or help to/from the state, DCR we go out and maintain these trails for all of 10-15 miles...

What we have done is become very active within our riding communities (near the TSF) and have gained access to a lot of private property. Many of these trails are just used for our events, but we have access on some properties for riding exclusively anytime we want as the State is not giving anything back to us besides the 10-15 miles we already have to maintain.

So off my rant... Here is some help. The Granville State Forest has trails, but none really actually connect to each other. In this area is a lot of property that is owned by MDC. Many of the trails are listed on the maps for the GSF, are actually on MDC that are a bit longer. Not single track, but tote road style. You can try the TSF, but its not mountain-bike freindly IMO. There is the Granville Gorge that has a couple trails as well. Then there is a place within Granville/Westfield I can PM you about if you wish. Not sure of the legality. I have to do some research first, but I see people Mountain biking there all the time.

Good luck and like I said, PM if you wish.

Thanks. will PM you.
 

bvibert

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Aug 30, 2004
Messages
30,394
Points
38
Location
Torrington, CT
If Westfield is near where you'll be I'd shoot a PM to MR. evil. He may be able to point you in the right direction. Also check Crankfire (the website I linked to earlier), they have some tracks listed in that area. For some reason I was thinking you were talking more west of there.
 

HowieT2

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 22, 2009
Messages
1,624
Points
63
If Westfield is near where you'll be I'd shoot a PM to MR. evil. He may be able to point you in the right direction. Also check Crankfire (the website I linked to earlier), they have some tracks listed in that area. For some reason I was thinking you were talking more west of there.

Thanks. im a good 45-60 minute drive west of there, in bizarro land.
 

bzrperfspec77

Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2011
Messages
180
Points
16
Location
Granville, MA
when I called the bike shop in great barrington they were less than enthusiastic about the trails there, saying they are all rutted up by ATV's, but it was the one place they did point me to.

Because its an ORV allowed park. Going to happen... There are a lot of good trails in Beartown that aren't rutted up.
 
Top