Escape Outdoors
Many of our guests come to the Deerfield Valley to get outdoors and there truly is no better place to do it! From boating the lakes, skiing the slopes, hiking the mountain side and tasting sugar on snow, there is something to do any time of the year. Below are a few of our favorites.
Zoar Adventure Center
Zoar Adventure Center specializes in guided trips and equipment rental to share our passion for adventure with our guests. Our year-round offerings include kayaking, Stand Up Paddle boarding, mountain biking, snowshoeing, and cross country skiing. Zoar Adventure Center is the newest location of Zoar Outdoor, located 35 minutes south on the Deerfield River in Charlemont, MA. Zoar Outdoor is in its 25th year of offering whitewater rafting, zip line canopy tours, whitewater kayak instruction and much more!
25 Min South
VAST Trails
Founded 50 years ago, VAST is responsible for the organization of the sport of snowmobiling, maintaining and grooming over 4,700 miles of trails in Vermont. One of the oldest snowmobiling organizations in the U.S., VAST is a non-profit 501-c-3 organization that includes 127 clubs statewide, with over 24,000 members combined. The clubs and their steadfast volunteers, and the landowners that allow riders to cross their land are the backbone of the organization.
1 min East
Timber Creek Cross Country Ski Area
Timber Creek has 4 and a half miles of the finest cross country skiing in the area. The well groomed trails wind through the woods above and around the Timber Creek Condominium Complex.· The trails coincide, at times, along the way allowing the skier to create fun, mysterious loops that offer varying skiing experiences.· We hope you will discover a wonderful winter world in the Vermont mountains· through the trails of Timber Creek Cross Country Ski Area!
23 min North
The Long Trail
Vermont’s Long Trail follows the main ridge of the Green Mountains from the Massachusetts-Vermont line to the Canadian border. Built between 1910 and 1930, it was the vision of James P. Taylor and later became the inspiration for the Appalachian Trail. The LT and AT share 100 miles of trail in the southern part of the state.
29 min West
The Appalachian Trail
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail or simply the A.T., is a marked hiking trail in the Eastern United States extending between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine. The trail is about 2,200 miles (3,500 km) long, though the exact length changes over time as parts are rerouted or modified. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy describes the Appalachian Trail as the longest hiking-only trail in the world. More than 2 million people are said to take a hike on part of the trail at least once each year.
29 min West
Stratton Mountain
Vermont ski & summer destination with 99 trails, glades, fast lifts, lodging options, golf, mountain biking, music and more.
60 min North
Somerset Reservoir
Somerset Reservoir is a large lake in southern Vermont that is nestled deep within the Green Mountain National Forest. The lake is actually a dammed section of the Deerfield River, and is roughly 6.5 miles long and covers 1568 acres. The shoreline is totally undeveloped, but there is a small boat launch, some picnic tables, and a porta potty for those who come to recreate. The lake sits at 2,000 feet above sea level, so it’s a great place to cool off in the summer. The winter snows don’t melt here until May. Winds can be fierce here, and it’s an excellent spot to bring a small sailboat, fishing boats, canoes, or kayaks. Boats with motors can not exceed speeds of 10 miles per hour.
39 min North
Prospect Mountain Nordic Ski Center
Prospect Mountain maintains more than 30 kilometers of trails. When the snow falls, the trails are expertly groomed for both skating and classical cross-country skiing. Most trails have tracks set on either side with a wide skating lane in the center. There are also special snowshoeing and single-track trails. We have trails from beginner to expert. The Mountain Trail is popular with experts looking to climb more than 400 feet to the top of the mountain. After enjoying the view into the valley below, get ready for several kilometers of downhill fun!
28 min West
Poets Seat Tower
The scenic observation spot actually earned the name “Poet’s Seat” in the mid-1800s when local writer Frederick Goddard Tuckerman coined the phrase. As the highest point in the city, the spot commands some truly panoramic sights. To make even more of the incredible view, a wooden observation tower was built on the edge of the lookout in 1879. This crude construction stood on the site until 1912 when the current stone turret was built on the site. The tower has multiple floors that visitors can access via winding internal staircases. The tower’s series of arched windows allow for the best possible view of Greenfield spread out below.
36 min South
Mount Snow
Mount Snow is a mountain resort and ski area in southern Vermont located in the Green Mountains. It is Vermont’s closest big mountain to many Northeast metropolitan areas. In September of 2019 Mount Snow joined Vail Resorts’ portfolio of 37 resorts and its Epic Pass.
20 min North
Mount Greylock State Reservation
The trails at Mount Greylock Reservation vary in difficulty from casual to extremely difficult. Examine the trail map to see which is right for you.
49 min West
Mount Equinox
At 3,848 feet above sea level, the summit offers breathtaking panoramic views of the Green, White, Adirondack, Berkshire and Taconic mountain ranges. Several paved parking areas provide spectacular views, but most outstanding is the Skyline Drive itself as you drive along the crest of the mountain on your way to the summit. The Green Mountains, The Valley of Vermont and the White Mountains of New Hampshire may be seen to the east. The Adirondack Mountains of New York provide the backdrop to the west, and the Taconic and Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts to the south. Guard rails have been installed almost the entire length of the drive making it one of the safest, best engineered, well constructed toll roads in the country.
80 min North
Molly Stark State Park
Welcome to Molly Stark State Park, named for the famous wife of General John Stark of the Revolutionary War. The park is located along the Molly Stark Trail Scenic Byway (State Route 9), the main east-west route in Southern Vermont that connects Brattleboro, Wilmington and Bennington.
10 min North
Madame Sherris Castle Ruins
The dramatic staircase ending mid-air is all that remains of the castle today. After falling prey to vandals, the castle was destroyed by a fire in 1962, leaving behind only the foundations and a section of the staircase. Locals have reported hearing and seeing strange things in the ruins, which were later taken over by the Chesterfield Conservation Commission, which added trails around the structure and renamed the forest after Madame Sherri.
41 min East
Living Memorial Park
Living Memorial Park is a four-season destination for outdoors enthusiasts and has been serving Windham County since 1955. In addition to its Olympic-size pool, it boasts two baseball fields, two tennis courts, a basketball and volleyball court, hiking trails, a playground for children and a picnic location that can accommodate up to 150. In winter the park offers a ski lift and a complete indoor skating rink.
32 min East
Lake Rapanda
Today, the shoreline is dotted with homes and cottages, many with their own private dock and swimming beach. A small beach and picnic area owned by the Town of Wilmington is reserved for town residents and local taxpayers. A public boat launch at the north end of the lake provides access for fishermen but holds no accommodations for swimming or larger boats. Lake Raponda thus remains quiet and serene – far quieter than when bands played the pavilion. The heavily-wooded lakefront hides the many homes and cottages along the shore. No personal watercraft are permitted, but the occasional resident water skier circles the lake. Most boating activity is limited to sailing, wakeboarding, pontooning, rowing, canoeing and kayaking. The 121-acre spring-fed lake is particularly quiet during the week, as many cottage owners are absent except for week-ends.
13 min North
Jumptown Skydiving
Your first tandem skydive is an event you will never forget! Picture yourself at 13,000 feet at the door of an airplane looking out on the horizon. Your heart is racing a million miles an hour, but you’re about to be free! Your tandem instructor calls out “Ready, Set, GO!”
60 min South
Hogback Scenic Overlook
Hogback Mountain is a mountain in southern Vermont, United States, in the town of Marlboro, Vermont, just north of Vermont Route 9. Its main peak is 2,409 feet high. The area is well known for expansive views from Route 9. Hogback Mountain Ski Area was located across Route 9 on Mount Olga.
14 min North
High Ledges Wildlife Sanctuary
Enjoy the spectacular views of the Deerfield River Valley and Mount Greylock from the ledges at the end of the sanctuary road. Spring is the best time to see many wildflowers; although the entire flower season offers both common and uncommon wildflowers and ferns. Some trails may be strenuous, but the views are worth it.
35 min South
Harriman Reservoir & Dam
Eight miles long with 28 miles of shoreline. This undeveloped jewel is home to bald eagles, loons, and a variety of wildlife. The lake is open for swimming, kayaking, powerboats, sailboats and paddleboards. Explore the Dam for an incredible hike and glorious views.
13 min West
Gaines Family Farm
Each autumn The Gaines Farm cranks out a-Maize-ing family fun with the annual Corn Maize. Join us for games, good food, good folks and 7 acres of ten-foot corn stalk, Maize madness. It’s an agricultural feat that will mystify, and entertain!
39 min East
Dutch Hill Ski Area
The Dutch Hill ski area went out of business in the mid-1980’s. In its day, the skiing was great at Dutch Hill, in the middle of an amazing snow belt and with some of the steepest pitches (for short stretches) on the East Coast. When the Forest Service began exploring ways to make public recreation available in this part of the Green Mountain National Forest, backcountry ski enthusiasts banded together to form DHASH, a non-profit, all-volunteer organization to collaborate with the Forest Service on the effort.
21 min West
Bridge of Flowers
The bridge with its graceful arches was constructed in 1908 for trolleys to convey raw materials from the railroad yard in Buckland across the Deerfield River to the factories in nearby hill towns. As a concrete structure, it could bear heavy loads better than the iron bridge that it parallels. With the advent of motorized vehicles, however, by 1927 the trolley bridge became obsolete and the trolley company went out of business. Tearing down the bridge would have been prohibitively expensive. What’s more, it carried the pipe that furnishes water to the town of Buckland.
27 min South
Berkshire East Canopy Tours
With three different zip line canopy tours featuring some of North America’s longest zip lines, Berkshire East Canopy Tours is New England’s largest zip line destination. Featured by USA Today as one of the top 10 zip lines in the United States! Whether you are getting a taste of zipping on our Base Area Tour or seeking an adrenaline rush on our Valley Jump, there is something to suit all interests. Each tour has limited space, so make sure to make a reservation in advance.
27 min South
Berkshire East
Berkshire East Mountain Resort is Southern New England’s Fall Outdoor Destination. Year-round mountain biking, skiing, snowboarding, tubing, ziplining, & more.
27 min South