Mount Washington State Forest

Mount Washington State Forest is a publicly owned forest with recreational and scenic features covering 4,619 acres (1,869 ha) in the town of Mount Washington, Massachusetts. The forest conjoins with New York state and the state of Connecticut in the southern Taconic Mountains of the southwestern Berkshire region of Massachusetts. Bash Bish Falls State Park lies adjacent to the state forest. The forest is managed by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation.[3]

For the similarly named New Hampshire state park, see Mount Washington State Park.
Mount Washington State Forest
The tri-state boundary marker
on the Mount Frissell Trail
Location in Massachusetts
LocationMount Washington, Berkshire, Massachusetts, United States
Coordinates42°08′30″N 73°28′28″W[1]
Area4,619 acres (18.69 km2)[2]
Elevation1,470 ft (450 m)[1]
Established1958
Governing bodyMassachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation
WebsiteMount Washington State Forest

History

The forest was acquired by the state through gifts of Alfred F. Intemann (1897-1986) and his wife Cornelia Van der Smissen Intemann (who died in 1963) conveyed in 1958, 1959, 1961, and 1968.[4]

Features

The forest protects 300 acres (120 ha) of old growth northern hardwood forest in separate areas.[5][6] The tri-state boundary stone on the Mount Frissell Trail marks Massachusett's southwest and Connecticut's northwest corners. The names of Massachusetts and New York are engraved in the stone, with Connecticut "graffiti" on the granite.

Activities and amenities

The forest has 30 miles of trails including portions of the Appalachian Trail and the South Taconic Trail, which ascends Alander Mountain. Trails are used for hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, and cross-country skiing. The forest also offers restrooms, picnicking, fishing, restricted hunting, and primitive wilderness camping.

References
  1. "Mount Washington State Forest". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  2. "2012 Acreage Listing" (PDF). Department of Conservation and Recreation. April 2012. Retrieved January 19, 2014.
  3. "Mount Washington State Forest". MassParks. Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. Retrieved July 21, 2013.
  4. "A Guide to Related Archival Collections" (PDF). Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. June 9, 2015. p. 135. Retrieved March 13, 2017.
  5. Davis, Mary Byrd (January 23, 2008). "Massachusetts" (PDF). Old Growth in the East: A Survey. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 19, 2011. Retrieved August 28, 2013.
  6. See the list of old-growth forests in Massachusetts for details.
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