Wednesday, October 27, 2021

Laura's Tower & Ice Glen Trail (Berkshires) Stockbridge, Massachusetts

New England will never cease to amaze me with all of its beautiful nooks and crannies. This was another one of those "rain came in we need to pivot" situations. We left the Catskills, stopped for coffee and a walk-in Hudson, and stopped again in the Berkshires (Stockbridge, Massachusettes) to be exact.

I quickly looked up hikes in the area, on the hunt for something under 5-miles with the baby and the dogs. Laura's Tower had some great reviews and the pictures offered a lookout tower that offered sweeping views of the Berkshires. I read a little further and someone suggested the Ice Glen Trail in addition to the trek to the fire tower.

The best part about this hike (and the big sell for me)? It's only 5 minutes from downtown Stockbridge which is an amazing little town that's getting its own blog post. Pair this hike with lunch downtown and if you have the time, an overnight stay in Stockbridge. New England small town perfection.

Laura's Lookout Tower

Walking along the Ice Glen Trail

First Impressions

The reviews were right - these are two beautiful trails that are so different. You can do these as two separate hikes on two separate days, or combine them for one awesome hike (under 3.5 miles). The hike starts with a scenic walk over an iconic footbridge over the Housatonic River before crossing a set of train tracks. When heading to Laura's Fire Tower, expect a steady uphill climb through the woods and then a climb up a narrow and very steep set of stairs up the tower (30' high). The tower sits on Beartown Mountain at an elevation of 1465 feet, offering views of the Berkshires, of Massachusetts, the Greens of Vermont, and Catskills of New York in the distance.

If you add on the Ice Glen trail (and you really, really should), expect a different kind of hike. You won't gain a ton of elevation but you will be clambering up, around and over boulders, across small bridges, and you will weave your way through a forest that belongs in Fern Gully (kids will have a blast). I was blown away by the beauty of this relatively flat trail that doesn't get to any "end view". The trail itself is so mystical and beautiful in a way that's hard to describe.

Both trails are dog-friendly, kid-friendly, and easy to follow. At 3.3 miles RT for both, it's approachable and can be shortened to just one of the trails if you are short on time.

Ice Glen Trail (left) and Laura's Tower Trail (Right)

Trail Statistics

Trailhead/Parking: At the end of Park Street in Stockbridge, MA. The parking area is small and there are no restrooms.

Distance: 3.3-miles for both the Ice Glen and Laura's Tower Trail

Elevation: 700 feet gained

Route: To start, head out across the iconic footbridge over the Housatonic River. Cross the railroad tracks and head up, up up. Eventually, the trail will merge - stay left on Laura's Tower Trail until you reach the tower. Head back down the way you came and at the intersection, take the other trail (Ice Glen Trail) through the glen. Follow your tracks back to the intersection and head down to the parking lot.