Beginner Off-Road Trails
Near Williamstown, Massachusetts

An alternate exit/entrance from County Road, this trail is a muddy, rocky, and rutted path through mostly hardwood forests. There are several instances where alternate paths avoid rockier terrain but travel through murky muddy pools. Near the intersection with County Road is a small murky pond and c...
Learn more about Risky Ranch Road (VT TR 302)

This is a well-maintained state access road with wooded valley views, numerous adjacent brooks, and multiple side hiking trails. It is part of the Berlin State Forest and provides access to the Taconic Crest hiking trail network. The only challenge would be numerous mud holes if driven during the we...
Learn more about Cowdry Hollow to Comstock Hollow Road

This is a quiet and usually easy alternative route to ascend Mount Greylock, Massachusetts highest peak. While only open June through October, this gravely jaunt through the woods is more peaceful than the paved and more popular Rockwell Road. Eventually it does meet up with the paved main road, and...
Learn more about Greylock Road

This is a very gentle dirt road with a mildly more difficult center section that is not maintained. The real gem of this trail is the access it provides to Bog Pond, which includes a small boat launch. This trail is a main access corridor leading to multiple off-shoot hiking trails in the Savoy Stat...
Learn more about Savoy Road/New State Road

This route starts as an easy track curving through thickly wooded state land. It eventually rises to a ridge with decent views of the west and spectacular views to the east overlooking the Taconic Ridge and the Berlin Pass. This road is inside Cherryplain State Park with lots of other activities, in...
Learn more about Schaeffer Road

Low risk, high reward. This trail through Monroe State has it all: a wooded drive, fantastic views, and amazing waterfalls. The trail has two names because it is a town road that passes through two towns, with a different name in each town. The very northern end of the trail crosses Dunbar Brook whe...
Learn more about Monroe/ Raycroft Road

Narrow trail that meanders along the path of the Stamford Stream, dotted with private property. There is a parking area about halfway down to get out and stretch your legs, or park and head to the stream for some fishing. If you make it to the end of the trail, there are ruins of an old mill, which ...
Learn more about Dunville Hollow Road

Adams Road is a deeply rutted and muddy road that descends from near an active fire tower (with a gated access road, but hiking up to it is permitted) down the northeast side of Borden Mountain. Views are mostly wooded, with some teases of mountains poking through the leaf canopy.
Learn more about Adams Road

This is a short but rewarding drive for a novice of roader, or just someone looking for an easy day out. It provides some nice views of the Berkshires and pleasant topography, especially in the spring or fall. Be sure to pay attention to the signs stating where the permitted motorized vehicle use en...
Learn more about Rounds Mountain DEC Access Road

The trail is well-maintained by the National Forest Service and features several campsites along its length. It becomes narrow in certain sections, particularly toward the northern end, where it intersects with cross-country ski and hiking trails. Toward the southern end, ATV and SxS traffic is more...
Learn more about Prospect Mountain Trail

Bannis Road is an unmaintained road, open June 1st through December 30th. A rolling, wooded trail, it is easily completed with any high-clearance vehicle, with only a few deep gullies and ledges. It does feed into several other trails, some permitting ATVs and dirt bikes, and others for non-motorize...
Learn more about Bannis Road

This is a well-maintained gravel road flanked by forests and dispersed campsites on either side. There is a gate at the entrance which is closed from December 15th to May 1st. Camping is allowed at the dispersed campsites which include space for 1-2 cars and a fire ring but no bathrooms. There are n...
Learn more about US FSR 74

Also known as Forest Road 278, this trail starts very easily and is scenic, but quickly turns into a challenge when you turn to head uphill. The track will require you to air down as it is very rocky, narrow, and a slow crawl in places. There are ledges and areas where the trail washes out and leave...
Learn more about Middle Ridge Road

This trail starts and ends on easier terrain, but the middle section is a nice little challenge. Dense hardwood forests, numerous babbling brooks, ancient stone bridges, a grassy field, and even a couple of mud holes are just some of the varied sights Stetson Road brings you through as you drive int...
Learn more about Stetson Road

Hallockville Road is a well-maintained dirt road through the Kenneth Dubuque State Forest. History abounds as you drive through this dense, but young mixed-wood forest. Incredibly good condition stone fences dart in and out of trees and large glacial erratics (boulders). The area was acquired by the...
Learn more about Hallockville Road

Middle Road is a well-maintained state forest road traversing the Kenneth Dubuque State Forest from South to North. Like the nearby Hallockville Road, this easy drive brings you through a young forest with a deep farming history. Multiple foundations can be spotted as you drive through mixed wood fo...
Learn more about Middle Road

Somerset Trail (Forest Road 71) is a well-maintained, relatively smooth gravel road offering the same access and scenery as other routes in the area. Multiple pull-offs and campsites can be found along its length. Expect a moderate amount of vehicle traffic, and be aware of pedestrians and cyclists,...
Learn more about Somerset Trail

From the east, this road begins in Cummington, MA and heads west down a slight but rocky incline, into the Berkshire County town of Windsor where it is named Stearns Road. Mass DOT lists the road as in "intolerable" condition, and for most vehicles, this is spot on. Hardwood forests surround this se...
Learn more about Powell/Stearns Road

Also known as Forest Road 83, this track follows the Deerfield River as it winds through scenic wetlands before gradually transitioning into a dense conifer forest. The setting changes noticeably along the route, offering a mix of open, marshy views and shaded sections beneath the trees. The trail b...
Learn more about Flood Dam Trail

This is an easier trail with some deep mud holes and numerous small rocks along the trail. It brings you to the secluded and picturesque Farnham Reservoir (City of Pittsfield) which provides plenty of cascading waterfalls along several adjacent brooks. It is an unmaintained town road that skirts in ...
Learn more about Whitney Place to New Lenox Road

This is a well-maintained gravel road flanked by forests and dispersed campsites on either side. There is a gate at the entrance which is closed from December 15th to May 1st. Camping is allowed at the dispersed campsites which include space for 1-2 cars and a fire ring but no bathrooms. There are n...
Learn more about US FSR 74

Ashley Lake Road is an old, unmaintained road through October Mountain State Forest. It rolls through hardwood forests past multiple lakes/reservoirs, including Ashley Lake, Sandwash Reservoir (this has a unique "aerator" which is a large fountain in the middle of the woods), Clapp Pond, and Mud Pon...
Learn more about Ashley Lake Road

Vermont Class 4 Road: This is an easy drive through a notch between Little Equinox and Pendock Hill. The trail is sometimes steep, especially on the eastern slope, but includes nothing too technical. The road parallels Skyline Drive, the longest paved toll road in the US for some of the eastern clim...
Learn more about Southeast Corners Road

Mount Wilcox Road is the main loop that meanders through Beartown State Forest. The loop is 4.3 miles and climbs from 1,600 feet to 2,100 feet. The trail begins and ends off Benedict Pond Road. Halfway through the route from either direction is a short spur that breaks off and provides access to the...
Learn more about Mount Wilcox Road

This is a well-maintained gravel road flanked by forests and dispersed campsites on either side. There is a gate at the entrance which is closed from December 15th to May 1st. Camping is allowed at the dispersed campsites which include space for 1-2 cars and a fire ring but no bathrooms. There are n...
Learn more about US FSR 74

Ashley Lake Road is an old, unmaintained road through October Mountain State Forest. It rolls through hardwood forests past multiple lakes/reservoirs, including Ashley Lake, Sandwash Reservoir (this has a unique "aerator" which is a large fountain in the middle of the woods), Clapp Pond, and Mud Pon...
Learn more about Ashley Lake Road

Mount Wilcox Road is the main loop that meanders through Beartown State Forest. The loop is 4.3 miles and climbs from 1,600 feet to 2,100 feet. The trail begins and ends off Benedict Pond Road. Halfway through the route from either direction is a short spur that breaks off and provides access to the...
Learn more about Mount Wilcox Road

Sky Peak Road is a short connector between Beartown Mountain Road and Wilcox Mountain Road. The trail begins from Beartown and climbs from 1760 to 1900 feet in the short 0.7 miles of the trail over loose rock. The trail is well-graded in most sections, with some showing exposed rock. The trail ends...
Learn more about Sky Peak Road