Summer
time of year
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Mount Greylock State Reservation, Adams, MA. The highest point in Massachusetts at 3,491’. We climbed the memorial tower which has fantastic views but no air flow. The summit view behind the tower is worth taking the time to sit down and really take it all in.
Jones Nose parking. We went across the road to walk through the pollinator field and admire the wildflowers.
Rounds Rock (1 mile loop, 111’ elevation). There’s a view of the mountains across the way, a small boggy area by the trail, and the wreckage of (and a small memorial to) a 1948 small plane crash just to the side of the trail.
7.9
difficulty: 1
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Natural Bridge State Park, North Adams, MA. Wow! This is one of only 2 marble dams in North America (the other one is on private property upriver). It was built to supply power for the marble quarry that the marble that built the dam came from. Named for its natural bridge of white marble, unique in North America, which you can’t actually currently see due to structural damage. The park is currently working to reconstruct the path to the marble bridge. At the bottom by the quarry, which is very cool, are the ruins from the old mine. The marble is stunning, and the way the water carves through it brings out a special beauty.
8.5
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Hawley Bog Preserve, Hawley, MA. This preserve is one of the few examples of an unspoiled bog that can easily be visited and is a regionally important example of an intact New England bog. A mat of consolidated peat 30 feet thick floats on the open water of a deep glacial depression and supports an unusual community of plants. Volunteers placed a 700’ long boardwalk atop the peat that so that you can appreciate the fauna without damaging it. There were clumps of green and red pitcher plants all along the end loop of the boardwalk.
8
difficulty: 1
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Sunday’s, Concord, NH. How is there not one of these EVERYWHERE?! This is how it works: you choose from premium vanilla or chocolate, choose 2 toppings (choose from cereals, cookies, candy bar bits, fruit, nuts), choose a drizzle and then they take the ice cream and toppings, blend them into a custom flavored ice cream, add more toppings, top with drizzle and voila, the greatest ice cream ever. I got vanilla with Golden Grahams and freshly toasted marshmallows with caramel drizzle. Chris substituted the Golden Grahams for peanuts.
10
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Concord, NH itself feels like a place I might like to live near. It’s clean and quiet, and for a state capital, it feels like a cozy, smaller city. The food looks absolutely incredible too. I can’t vouch for it in winter but definitely this place on your list for somewhere to visit in the warmer months.
8
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Hampton Inn by Hilton, Bow, NH. This place is so nice, especially after last night’s accommodations.
Price: We paid 35,000 points for a $200/night room [how to save money on hotels]
8.3
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