Northeast - Suggestions for rides in the Berkshires (North Adams area)

I'm heading up to the Berkshires for Memorial Day weekend with my wife. Looking for tips on good rides we can do together (20-30 easy miles) or that I can do by myself (50+ challenging miles). Would like advice on good roads, areas, or online resources! We're staying in North Adams.

Mt. Greylock is a great ride. From North Adams go west (rt 2) to Williamstown, and then south (rt 7) to Lanesborough. Climb Greylock from the southern entrance and descend on the north side. It's a 40 mile ride with over 3000 of climbing. All beautifully paved roads. Greylock was repaved two years ago and makes for an awesome ride.

Well, if you're in north adams, and looking for a challenging ride for both of you, check out the Ashiwillticook rail trail, you could do a loop where you ride up greylock (the north road is steeper, the south road is more gradual and not overly hard) but if you do the loop with the railtrail, it would be around 35-45 miles. The ash. railtrail itself is about 10.8 miles one way and flat (it's a MUP). Depending on your loop you can ride through the berkshire mall rather than go all the way down to pittsfield. Right now the road to the ash rail trail off Rt 8 is closed, which is the southern end of the Ash. railtrail so the alternate route is slightly north of the southern end but you can pick up the rail trail north there too. The Ash rail trail parallels rt 8 and eventually crosses it in Cheshire just north of the cheshire reservoir and by Bedard Bros auto dealership.

Lots of loops too that you can add if you feel like it too..

Or you can even throw in a hike to from cheshire up the Cheshire cobbles on the AT. The railtrail crosses the AT in cheshire, just before the AT heads towards Mt Greylock..

Obviously, if one is not up for a challenging ride, one can simply ride the railtrail out and back for a 22ish mile easy ride.

Jay

If you can get your hands on a copy of the Rubel bicycle map for Western Massachusetts, you can plan lots of good rides. I'm based further east, in the Connecticut River valley, but I've cycled west as far as Savoy and Windsor. Most of the highways in the Berkshires are good for cycling. Route 2 might be too busy for your taste.

One "lollipop" route would involve riding south on Route on the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail (http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/western/asrt.htm) to its end in Lanesborough, then follow Route 8 south to Hinsdale. Take Route 143 east to East Windsor Road in Worthington, then turn left. East Windsor Rd becomes Cole St. and then Worthington Rd. When you reach Route 9, turn left, then after about 4 miles turn right on Route 8A. When you reach Route 116 in Savoy, turn left, and follow 116 back to Route 8 and pick up the rail trail for your return. The total would be about 60 miles.

I haven't done most of this route, except for the stretches on Routes 8A and 9, so take the recommendation with a grain of salt. You'll definitely run across some hills.

Mt. Greylock is a great ride. From North Adams go west (rt 2) to Williamstown, and then south (rt 7) to Lanesborough. Climb Greylock from the southern entrance and descend on the north side. It's a 40 mile ride with over 3000 of climbing. All beautifully paved roads. Greylock was repaved two years ago and makes for an awesome ride.

Thanks. Two follow-up questions:

1. Which road is the best approach from the south? It looks like perhaps Main Street -> Rockwelll -> Notch?

2. Any suggestions for super-flat riding for my wife? It looks like Rt 8 or the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail are perhaps the only options?

As far as highways go, Rt 8 is kind of busy south of the ashiwilliticook though OK to ride. The intersection of Rt 8 and Rt 9 in pittsfield is crazy and nice to be avoided.

Avoid Rt 7/20 south of Pittsfield and north of Lenox, it's 4 lanes with not much a shoulder. Think East St or Barker/Swamp road...

Rt 7 on the west side of Greylock is fine, pretty much til you get to the green in Pittsfield... But that is south of Rockwell road. It has one small hill on it by Jiminy peak...

Jay