Mount Hitchcock facts for kids
Mount Hitchcock is a cool mountain located in Massachusetts, USA. It's found in two towns: South Hadley and Hadley, Massachusetts. The highest point of Mount Hitchcock reaches about 1,002 feet (305 meters) above sea level. This mountain is part of the Holyoke Range, a chain of mountains in the area.
Exploring Mount Hitchcock
Mount Hitchcock is a special place for hikers. A long walking path called the Metacomet-Monadnock Trail goes right through it. This trail connects many mountains in the Holyoke Range. To the west of Mount Hitchcock, you can find other famous peaks like Seven Sisters and Mount Holyoke. To its east is Bare Mountain.
How Tall Is It?
Even though Mount Hitchcock is tall, it's actually the second highest peak in South Hadley. Bare Mountain is the highest, being just 8 feet taller! For a long time, people thought Mount Hitchcock was the tallest. But after careful study of maps and town borders, experts found that Bare Mountain's peak is inside South Hadley and is slightly higher. The highest point in the town of Hadley is also found on the northern side of Mount Hitchcock.
Who Was Edward Hitchcock?
Mount Hitchcock is named after a very important person: Edward Hitchcock. He was a geology professor at Amherst College. Geology is the study of Earth's rocks and how our planet was formed. Edward Hitchcock studied the entire Holyoke Range, looking at its rocks and how people used the land.
Visiting the Mountain
Long ago, there was a special tower on top of Mount Hitchcock where people could enjoy the views. That tower is not there anymore. Mount Hitchcock can be a bit tricky to reach because it's quite far from any main roads. This makes it one of the more challenging peaks in the Holyoke Range to visit.
