**Mountain laurel, Bear Mtn hike (Mount Riga State Park, CT), pic by M Waldman**

Beat the heat with a shady walk!

Struggling up a steep mountain trail on a hot day has its appeal, but it’s nice to pair that sweaty exercise with a lovely shaded walk on a good trail underneath a full canopy of woods and hemlocks.

And where to do that?

Here are some suggestions:

Owned by Hudson Taconic Lands (HTL), the Alford Family Community Forest’s Cascades Trail runs along a babbling brook in a lovely dark forest, and there’s even a place to sit. Check out other woods trails there or the accessible trail

Margaret Lindley Park in Williamstown at the intersection of Routes 7 and 2 has a fine trail that meanders to Harmon Pond under a full forested canopy. And there’s the fun of swimming in the pond at the trailhead!

The Ice Glen Trail off Ice Glen Road in Stockbridge, owned by the Laural Hill Association, is known for its cool hemlock-shaded and bouldered setting that runs through a glacial ravine. The combo of ice and a glen is enticing!

Berkshire Natural Resources’ (BNRC) Clam River Trail in Sandisfield runs along the burbling Clam River and loops back, all in shade. The same goes for the nonprofit’s property along Yokun Ridge if you take the Monk’s Pond loop from Olivia’s Overlook.

Trails at Moreau Lake State Park and Grafton Lakes State Park also offer plenty of shaded wooded trails to please any hiker and there are lovely beaches and lakes.

Catch a break from the heat with these cooling and refreshing summer walks!

Trail Work Update

Our trail crews have already put in over 400 hours of trail work so far this year. That’s amazing! In addition to the typical blowdown removal, cleaning out water bars, and side trimming, they also completed a couple of extra projects that have been in the planning for some time.

First, a reroute was recently created just south of Phil’s Bench, approximately one mile south of the Robinson Hollow access trail. The original section was very steep, badly eroded and very difficult in winter. Going up it in winter one would usually take two steps forward and one step back! The new trail passes through a scenic meadow that has a gradual drop to where it meets the existing trail. The reroute is very short, probably only about 0.10 miles.

We obtained the necessary approval from the NYSDEC to complete the reroute. After our crew placed temporary flagging along the proposed reroute, DEC hiked the route and tweaked the proposed route. Our crew then returned and installed trail markers on the new section, removed the trail markers from the old section and brushed in the old section of trail.

Second, four broken bridging planks on the Mattison Hollow Trail were recently replaced by two of our trail crew. Now you can walk on the planks instead of around them.

We are fortunate to have such a dedicated, hard-working group of trail workers! They make all the difference in making the Taconic Crest Trail an enjoyable hiking experience.

End-to-End Challenge, May 9, 2026

Save the date! The next End-to-End Challenge will be on Saturday, May 9, 2026. So, if you are planning to either hike the 30-miles in one day or to volunteer to help, note the day on your calendar! Registration will open in early March 2026. We will post additional details as well as the registration time and date on the End-to-End page of the website as we get closer to the event, updates will also be given in this newsletter.

**View from Bear Mountain, pic by J Gorman**

OUTINGS: Refer to the THC website outings page for details about the outings and how to register. We schedule on a monthly and short-term basis, so check the website periodically.

Wednesday, July 2: Snow Hole, Petersburg Pass B-
Monday, July 14 Burbank Preserve & Brothers Trails Lenox MA C+
Wednesday, July 16: Tom Ball Mt. Reserve & Alford Springs Mother Loop B
Thursday, July 17: Field Farm C
Monday, July 21, Troy Waterfalls C
Wednesday, June 30: Sarah Tenney - RRR Brooks loop, Williamstown C+
Thursday, July 31: Stony Ledge C

“Just one small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day.” – Dalai Lama

July Newsletter 2025