Did you know that Monument
Mountain in Great
Barrington, Massachusetts helped
inspire one of the greatest sea
adventures of all time? Herman
Melville had a wonderful childhood
growing up in The Berkshires, in
and around the Pittsfield. As a
young man he joined the Merchant
Marine and U.S. Navy and wound up
falling in the love with the South
Pacific islands. But not even
Tahiti could surpass The
Berkshires in his mind. Soon after
returning he met a couple new
pals, Nathaniel Hawthorne and
Oliver Wendell Holmes. They
invited him to Monument Mountain
and he absolutely fell in love
with it.
Nathaniel and Herman became
especially close and they often
hiked for the amazing views or
just to hang out and talk; and
like a lot of young men back then,
they shared some wine in caves as
thunderstorms passed. They weren't
looking to make trouble or avoid
reality. They were looking to be
creative and they really helped
each other out. Their
conversations and the physical
nature of The Berkshires, and in
particular Monument Mountain,
inspired their writing. Herman
started forming great ideas for
sea adventures. And from his
farmhouse window he could see his
favorite mountain in the world, Mt
Greylock, way off in the distance
to the north. The profile of
Greylock reminded him of a whale,
and he used it for inspiration to
create a great white whale he
named Moby Dick.
Monument Mountain is easy to find
since it's literally right off
Route 7; a few miles south of
Stockbridge and a few miles north
of Great Barrington. Stop and read
the signs before venturing in. It
will help you plan your hike
better and also point out some
neat highlights along the way,
which I'll leave to you to find
rather than point them all here.
They have 3 miles of trails well
maintained and appropriate ages
and abilities. The trail system is
a large loop that starts out at
the parking lot and goes up to the
rocky peaks. A little beyond the
midway point is a side trail that
goes to the scenic Squaw Peak (see
photo at top of page) - which can
be steep and there are spots with
sheer drop offs, so just use good
judgement if you haven't hiked in
awhile or if you have children
with you. From Squaw Peak, you've
got the Litchfield Hills south,
north to take in Melville's
Greylock, and the valley below is
classic southern New England.
Don't forget to check out the
rocky caves where the lads had
their wine. But leave the wine
home of course, since it may not
be allowed and Herman lived in a
time where automobiles were just a
concept so he obviously didn't
have to drive home.
In late June, Mountain Laurel
blooms all over the southwestern
Massachusetts corner and it, along
with other wildflowers, is quite
the spectacle. October's foliage
season is another prime time
event. When you go, pack in plenty
of water, a good lunch with
snacks, and bring a jacket even in
summer as you can never predict
the weather on a N. England
mountain peak. Except to spend 2
to 3 hours hiking in and out if
you intend to take your time and
enjoy the day. It can be hiked
quicker if you just want to bound
up for the views and rock
formations, etc.
Directions:
Monument
Mountain's official website
Visit their website for
trail maps and updated info.
These directions are taken
directly off their website.
From intersection of
Routes 7 and 102 at the Red
Lion Inn in Stockbridge
center, take Route 7 south and
follow for 3 mi. Entrance and
parking are on right. From
Great Barrington, take Route 7
north and follow for 4 mi. to
entrance and parking (56 cars)
on left.
Phone number:
413-298-3239
Printable
version of the Monument
Mountain page
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