Hoosac Range(Northern Berkshires)

Wow, what gorgeous weather we are enjoying this week!  Ideal conditions for hiking!!  I chose to do an after work hike at the Berkshire Natural Resources Council's Hoosac Range trail, which can be found high above the town of North Adams and offers several spectacular views.  The parking area sits just south of the hairpin turn on Route 2(and just north of the Florida town line) in a well marked BNRC parking lot.  Trail maps and other useful information can be found at a kiosk next to the trailhead.  I set out at a brisk pace, taking advantage of the conditions.  Elevation to start is 2018 feet.
The trail heads south through hardwoods, slowly gaining elevation along the way.
Peek-a-boo!

Yoda??  Looks a lot like the Star Wars character...no?

While most of the woods still retain their green, this maple has almost fully turned a colorful shade of yellow and orange.  Soon the rest of the forest will follow its lead.

For folks who don't want to do a long hike, a much shorter, simple loop can be made to a spot called Sunset Rock.  This spot is only 8/10 of a mile from the road and offers spectacular views to the west and north.

Continuing on past Sunset Rock, I came to an interesting pair of split boulders, which sit just off trail.

The trail meanders its way south along the ridgeline, heading through a pretty hardwood forest, with several small ups and downs along the way.  The ascent is spread out over the course of nearly 3 miles, so barely seems noticeable.  After about 2.1 miles, a spur trail heads a short distance through the woods to a small viewpoint to the east over the Savoy Mountain State Forest. 

After enjoying the view east, I got back on the main trail and continued south towards Spruce Hill.  Just before the final climb to the summit, I noticed a body of water sitting about 100 yards off trail.  I decided to give it a look and was very pleasantly surprised to find an enormous and picturesque beaver pond.

The pond is actually part of the headwaters of Staples Brook and is quite sprawling.  I climbed up to a small knoll to take in a broader view of the water.

After soaking in the water views, I headed back to the trail but within moments found myself in another off trail spot. Just north of Spruce Hill's summit, another large clearing provides nice west facing views.

The valley of North Adams sits far below this clearing, with the Greylock Range(left), the TaconicRange(distant center) and East Mountain(right).

Yes, fall is right around the corner.

From Spruce Hill's 2566 foot summit, the views are quite spectacular.  This is my 3rd visit here, and is never disappoints.   North Adams to the NW, with Windsor Lake in the foreground.

The rolling peaks of the central Berkshires make up the south facing viewshed, with just a hint of fall color beginning.

Certainly the highlight of this hike is the grand view of the Greylock Range  from the summit.

The Route 8 valley and town of Adams sit in the shadows of Mount Greylock.

A nice and easy hike back got me to car with daylight to spare. 6 miles RT(with a little off trail excursion) and about 750 feet of ascent.