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The Cheap New England Traveler Blog is a blog of VisitingNewEngland, a web site that features real New England travel stories told by a lifelong local.
We could list hundreds of cheap travel ideas for the scenic Berkshires of Western
Massachusetts region, but for the format of this post we’ll go with three suggestions for the outdoor summer enthusiast:
One of the “peaks” of a cheap Berkshires vacation is the Mt. Greylock State Reservation in Lanesborough. Here, you’ll find 45 miles of trails, biking and picnic opportunities, including almost 12 miles of Appalachian Trail — part of the famous trail that goes from Maine to Georgia. You can also drive to the summit of Mt. Greylock, the highest point in Massachusetts at 3,491 ft. Access to the park is free, although there is a reasonable $2 fee for summit parking. The visitor center is located at 30 Rockwell Rd. Lanesboro, MA (Tel. (413) 499-4262)
For more outdoor enthusiast opportunities, The Ashuwillticook Rail Trail is a 10-foot wide paved, 11.2-miles ideal for bike riding, roller blading and walking. The trail spans from Lanesborough to Adams. Tel. (413) 442-8928.
Laurel Lake is located in Lenox and Lee and features a pleasant sandy beach for swimming in an incredibly scenic setting. You can also fish here. There’s a lifeguard on duty during the summer and there are some good basic amenities including changing rooms, restrooms and a boat ramp. Laurel Lake is located at Routes 7 and 20, Tel. (413) 243-5505.
Do you have any cheap travel ideas for the outdoors in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts? If so, please feel free to comment in the box below!
Editor’s note: The Berkshires of Western Massachusetts indeed possess a wonderful, largely rural vacation and travel appeal — with its scenic mountains and hills, many lakes for swimming, cute little towns and significant cultural opportunities (like the Tanglewood Music Festival, Norman Rockwell Museum and within a revived downtown Pittsfield). For more travel ideas on this beautiful region, we suggest logging onto our Ideas on how to plan a vacation in the Berkshires of Massachusetts article at VisitingNewEngland.com.
