Little Tom Mountain facts for kids

Little Tom Mountain is a special place in Holyoke, Massachusetts. It's a 73-acre (300,000 m²) nature preserve that's looked after by the Trustees of Reservations. This land was bought in 2002 through a team effort. The Trustees worked with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Department of Conservation and Recreation, and the Holyoke Boys & Girls Club. They bought it from the people who owned the old Mt. Tom Ski area.

Today, the Trustees and the Holyoke Boys and Girls Club work together. They manage the area and run fun environmental education programs.

Ancient History of Little Tom Mountain

Dinosaur Footprints in the Sandstone

Long, long ago, about 200 million years back, dinosaurs roamed this area. You can find their fossil footprints in the sandstone rock. These tracks are at Dinosaur Footprints Reservation, which is east of Little Tom Mountain.

Some of the dinosaurs that left tracks were Eubrontes giganteus, Anchisauripus sp., and Grallator cuneatus. These were all two-legged theropod dinosaurs. Even though we haven't found tracks on Little Tom Mountain itself, many are likely hidden deep inside its rock layers.

Glacial Lake Hitchcock and Early People

Little Tom Mountain looks over a huge ancient lake called Glacial Lake Hitchcock. This lake formed in the area where the Connecticut River is now. It happened when a giant ice sheet, called the Laurentide ice sheet, melted and left behind dirt and rocks. These blocked the Connecticut River.

Meltwater filled Lake Hitchcock for over 4,000 years. This was until about 14,000 years ago. Scientists have found signs of early Native Americans living south of the ice sheet 18,000 years ago. These people moved north as the ice melted. They were the ancestors of the Pocumtuck tribe. The Pocumtuck people lived and thrived in the Connecticut River Valley until Europeans arrived. We don't have proof that the Pocumtucks used Little Tom Mountain specifically.

Protecting Little Tom Mountain's Land

In 2002, four groups worked together to buy and protect 396 acres. This land was on the eastern side of Mt. Tom. It used to be the Mt. Tom ski area. The Department of Conservation and Recreation led this important effort.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Holyoke Boys & Girls Club, and The Trustees of Reservations also joined in. These 396 acres included a quarry site. The quarry was planned to grow much larger. The talks to buy the land were long and hard, but they worked out!

Who Owns What?

Each group bought a part of the land:

• The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) bought 144.7 acres. This cost $1.3 million. Most of this land is along the northern side, next to the Mount Tom State Reservation.
• The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service bought 140.8 acres for $1.1 million. This covered most of the old ski slopes.
• The Trustees bought 73.5 acres of the hill called 'Little Mountain' or 'Little Tom'. This land is between the old ski lodge and I-91. It cost $300,000.
• The Holyoke Boys & Girls Club bought 21.7 acres at the base of the mountain. This included the old ski lodges and a wave pool. They paid $300,000 to use it as a summer camp.

The quarry was allowed to keep working, but only in a nine-acre area. DCR also got the chance to buy the quarry land later. The four groups have agreed to manage the 396 acres together. The Trustees and the Holyoke Boys and Girls Club run environmental education programs and manage the area as a team.

Exploring Little Tom Mountain's Landscape

The Metacomet Ridge and Traprock

The Mt. Tom ridge is part of the Metacomet Range. Imagine these ridges like a layered cake. They have layers of basalt (a type of volcanic rock) and sandstone. From above, the Mt. Tom ridge looks like a huge, flat tabletop. It tilts mostly to the east and a little to the south.

The western edge of the Mt. Tom ridge has sharp cliffs and rocky slopes. This is why it's often called "traprock." This name comes from a Swedish word meaning "step." The Metacomet-Monadnock Trail follows the top of these cliffs. From here, you can see amazing views to the west.

Little Tom Mountain's Unique Features

East of Mt. Tom, closer to I-91, is a smaller, rounder ridge. It's called Little Mountain on maps, but many people call it Little Tom Mountain. The rock layer at the top of Little Tom Mountain is younger than the main Mt. Tom ridge.

The old Mount Tom Ski Area property is a long, rectangular shape. It starts at the top of the main ridge and goes down the slopes. Then it climbs over Little Tom Mountain and ends near I-91. The Trustees' Little Tom Reservation is the northern part of Little Tom Mountain.

Forests and Water Features

Most of the area is covered in forests. The main ridge has mostly deciduous trees (trees that lose their leaves). Little Tom Mountain has a mix of hemlock, hardwoods, and some white pine trees. The old ski slopes and some fields are open areas with grass and shrubs.

The deciduous forests are usually dry and have many oak trees. Some spots have richer soil, often near wet areas. Here, you can find different kinds of plants, including some rare ones. These are nice places to walk and explore.

The property also has many water features. There are about 18 vernal pools (temporary ponds that fill with water in spring). There's also a reservoir, several ponds, and a stream that flows into Lake Bray. The large vernal pool at the top of Little Tom Mountain is very important for wildlife.

Amazing Wildlife of Little Tom Mountain

Birds of the Mountain

In 2003, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service studied the birds here. They saw 75 different kinds of birds! Many migratory songbirds use Mt. Tom as a resting stop during their long journeys.

Some of these colorful birds include the Blackburnian warbler, black-throated blue warbler, blue-winged warbler, northern parula, and yellow-rumped warbler. Scientists are still studying how these birds use Mt. Tom as a stopover habitat.

Amphibians and Reptiles: A Special Habitat

The Mount Tom ridge is super important for amphibians and reptiles. A total of 38 species of amphibians and reptiles have been found here. That's 76% of all the species found in Massachusetts!

Some of the rarest species include the marbled salamander, box turtle, wood turtle, copperhead, timber rattlesnake, and eastern rat snake.

In April 2003, a survey of the vernal pools found ten amphibian species. This included four species that must use vernal pools to lay their eggs. Two of these are even listed as rare in the state. The most important vernal pool is on top of Little Tom Mountain. It's a special, isolated pool. Many spotted salamander and wood frog egg masses were found there. This makes the vernal pool a very important natural resource.

During plant surveys, box turtles, painted turtles, and black racers were also seen. It's likely that northern copperheads and timber rattlesnakes also use this area. There might even be some den sites for copperheads on the property.

Dealing with Invasive Plant Species

In 2003, a plant survey also looked for invasive plant species. These are plants that are not native to the area and can harm the local ecosystem. Here are some of the invasive plants found:

• Asiatic bittersweet
• Autumn olive
• Black locust
• Climbing nightshade
• Glossy buckthorn
• Japanese barberry
• Common barberry
• Japanese honeysuckle
• Morrow honeysuckle
• Japanese knotweed
• Multiflora rose
• Purple loosestrife
• Spotted knapweed
• Norway maple
• Northern catalpa

Recreation at Little Tom Mountain

Right now, Little Tom Mountain is not fully open to the public. Access is limited to special programs and volunteer days. The preserve was formally opened in 2013.