Pocumtuck Ridge Trail

The Pocumtuck Ridge Trail is a hiking trail that extends from South Sugarloaf mountain in Deerfield, MA northward to Rocky Mountain in Greenfield, MA. Approximately 15 miles long, it is accessible from many trailheads and features dramatic views from its traprock cliffs. Much of the trail is on conservation land. Blue blazes mark the trail, with the addition of small blue square metal markers at certain locations.

Trip Planning

Map of the trail area, including marked points of interest with GPS coordinates
AMC Massachusetts Trail Guide, 10th Edition (best printed reference on the trail)
Local weather forecast

History, Reference, Information Elsewhere

Pocumtuck Ridge Trail on Tumblr: Ongoing feed of photos, links, news
Hiking the Beaver Tail: An article in the Greenfield Recorder (November 2013)
One of "Four fabulous hikes in Western Mass" says MSNBC: ...a vantage point for the Connecticut River Valley's geological history and mythic lore...
History of the Pocumtuc tribe: Perhaps as many as 5,000 in 1600, the Pocumtuc population declined rapidly from epidemic and wars with the Iroquois and English...
Pocumtuck Range (Wikipedia): ...the northern-most subrange of the Metacomet Ridge mountain range of southern New England...
Pocomtuc Indians (Wikipedia): Among the members of the Pocumtuck tribe was Chief Wawanotewat, better known as "Greylock"...
The giant beaver legend: ... the Pocumtuck range is actually the petrified remains of a giant beaver...
Deerfield Academy lost ski area: New England Lost Ski Areas Project
Appalachian Mountain Club, Berkshire Chapter: Sponsor of the trail
PDF map of trails in Highland Park / Temple Woods / Rocky Mountain Park: PRT is in blue. Courtesy of the Town of Greenfield.
Ecological Inventory Report (PDF): from UMass Extension's Natural Resource and Environmental Conservation Program (2002)
The Metacomet-Monadnock Trail: Big brother to the PRT