PADDLING

By kayak or canoe, follow the lazy Housatonic River as it meanders through the Berkshire’s valleys on its way to the Atlantic Ocean. There are multiple put-in’s and take-out’s starting with the East Branches headwaters in Washington, MA at Muddy Pond. In Lenox the “Hoosy” barely finds its way while twisting and turning down the western flank of October Mountain State Park on it’s way to Woods Pond. Glendale brings the only rapids you will find and even these are only Class I, perhaps Class II during the springtime melt-off. This journey continues 150 miles to Long Island Sound with 30 miles in the Berkshires.

Paddling is not something most people think of when visiting the Berkshires, but we have the best of it. North to South there is: Cheshire Reservoir, Pontoosuc Lake, Onota Lake, Lake Ashmere, Richmond Pond, Stockbridge Bowl(Lake Mahkeenac), LAurel Lake, Buckley Dunton Pond, Goose Pond, Benedict Pond, Lake Garfield, Lake Buel, Plaintain Pond, Windmere Lake Reservoir, Guilder Pond, Upper and Lower Spectacle Pond. Surrounded by Mountain Laurel that blooms around Fathers Day and Blueberries that are ready to pick in August, spend a day or three enjoying the tranquility of being on the water.