Doll Mountain facts for kids

Doll Mountain is a cool mountain in western Massachusetts. It stands about 1,930 feet (590 m) tall. That's like a really big stack of 300 school buses! It's part of the Taconic Mountains, which are a long chain of hills and mountains.

This mountain is inside Pittsfield State Forest, a large park where people can enjoy nature. The very top of Doll Mountain is covered in trees and doesn't have a path to the top. But don't worry, there's a trail called the Doll Mountain Trail that goes along its northern side. This trail is great for hiking, biking, and even horseback riding! The mountain is covered in a special kind of forest called a northern hardwood forest. This means you'll see trees like maple, oak, and birch.

Where is Doll Mountain?

Doll Mountain is located in a town called Hancock, Massachusetts. It's part of a long line of mountains.

• To the north, the mountains continue as Smith Mountain.
• To the south, you'll find Holy Mount and a smaller ridge called Mount Lebanon.
• To the east, there's Shaker Mountain.

Across a valley to the west, you can see West Hill and The Knob.

Water Flowing from the Mountain

Water from Doll Mountain travels in two different directions!

• On the west side of the mountain, rain and melting snow flow into a stream called Wyomanock Creek. This creek then joins Kinderhook Creek, which eventually flows into the Hudson River. The Hudson River then empties into Long Island Sound near New York City.
• On the east side, water flows into Lily Brook. This brook joins the Housatonic River, which also flows into Long Island Sound. So, water from the same mountain can end up in the same big body of water, but by different paths!

How Doll Mountain Was Formed

Doll Mountain is very old! It was formed during a time called the Ordovician Period. This was about 485 to 443 million years ago, long before dinosaurs roamed the Earth!

The mountain is made of two main types of rock:

• Metamorphic rock: This is rock that has changed over time due to intense heat and pressure deep underground. Think of it like baking a cake – the ingredients change into something new!
• Sedimentary rock: This rock forms from layers of sand, mud, and tiny bits of plants and animals that get pressed together over millions of years.

Doll Mountain was also shaped by something called a thrust fault. Imagine two giant pieces of the Earth's crust pushing against each other so hard that one slides up and over the other. That's a thrust fault! This powerful geological process helped create the tall peaks and ridges of the Taconic Mountains, including Doll Mountain.