Peaked Mountain (Massachusetts) facts for kids
Peaked Mountain (say "pea-kid") is a beautiful nature reserve found in Monson, Massachusetts. This special place covers about 2,000 acres (around 8 square kilometers). It's looked after by The Trustees of Reservations, which is a group that works to protect important natural areas.
For a long time, the main owners of the mountain's western side, Leonard and Roslyn Harrington and Richard Elliott, let people hike on their land to reach the top. They cared a lot about the mountain's future. They wanted to make sure it would always be protected and that people could still visit it, even after they were gone. So, they asked The Trustees of Reservations for help to keep the mountain safe forever.
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Exploring Peaked Mountain: Views and Nature
Peaked Mountain is the highest point on a long ridge that stretches all the way into Connecticut. It's in the middle of a large natural area that hasn't been changed much by buildings or towns.
The mountain and its surroundings have many different kinds of natural places. You can find various types of forests, rocky areas, ponds, streams, marshes, and even beaver swamps.
From the top of Peaked Mountain, which is 1,227 feet (374 meters) high, you can see amazing views all around! To the south, you might spot Connecticut's Shenipsit State Forest. To the north, you can see Mount Monadnock, and to the northeast, Mount Wachusett. In between, there's a wide view of the New England countryside with rolling hills, farms in valleys, and small villages. There's also a spot called the Valley View overlook where you can see Boulder Hill nearby and the city of Springfield, Massachusetts to the west.
A Look Back: Peaked Mountain's History
An old map from 1830 shows that most of this area was cleared back then, except for the very top of the mountain and its ridge. This means the highest parts of Peaked Mountain might have very old, "primary" forests that were never cut down.
Long ago, you could see all around from the mountain's summit. People used the top of the mountain to make charcoal, which is a type of fuel. This likely stopped around 1900. After 1900, the forests grew back, but they sometimes caught fire. The last big fire happened in 1984, burning about 200 acres (0.8 square kilometers). A smaller fire occurred on March 4, 2000, burning about 500 square feet (46 square meters).
Because Peaked Mountain has steep and rocky areas, farming or letting animals graze there was probably only done on the lower and middle parts of the slopes.
The pond you see today was first created by the Lunden family in 1918 when they built a dam.
Some parts of the mountain were planted with trees that are not native to the area, like certain types of pine.
People used to cut some trees for firewood and timber on the mountain. In 1986, a large amount of wood was taken from 70 acres (0.28 square kilometers) on the western side. More wood was removed from another area in 1996. Even today, the Harringtons and Elliots still remove small amounts of wood for firewood each year.
Peaked Mountain has been open for people to enjoy nature since 1984. A group called the Peaked Mt. Co-op was formed in 1984 because people were worried about forest fires.
In 1999, the Harrington, Elliott, and Miller families gave or sold parts of the mountain to The Trustees of Reservations, who now manage the land.
Road Names on Peaked Mountain
The roads on Peaked Mountain have special names that tell a story:
- Ruth's Mountain Road is named after Ruth Elliott, who was Dick's wife. She loved wildlife, protecting land, and country life.
- Bernie Avenue is named after Bernie Choiniere, Dick's nephew. He marked the trees to show where the road should go when it was being built.
- Roslyn's Turnpike is named for Roslyn Harrington. She came up with the idea for the Co-op and planned the route for this road, which was built in three parts.
- Kevin's Road is named after Bernie's son, who helped thin out some trees in the area.
- Skid Row was the path a special logging machine called a skidder used when trees were carefully harvested on the Harrington and Elliott land.
The Peaked Mountain Co-op: Working Together
The Peaked Mountain Co-op started after a big fire in 1984 that burned over 200 acres (0.8 square kilometers) on the mountain. Firefighters had a hard time getting their hoses and equipment up the steep trails. Roslyn Harrington suggested to her husband that they, along with some neighbors, should build better roads. This would help prevent future large fires.
This idea led to the creation of the Peaked Mt. Co-op. The members were Len Harrington, Dick Elliott (a neighbor and landowner), and Bernie Choiniere (Dick's nephew). Their main goal was to build a good system of access roads. They decided that the land itself should help pay for these roads.
So, they chose to cut down trees themselves and start a firewood business. The money they earned from selling the wood was used to pay for the roads and the equipment they needed.
Each year, the Peaked Mountain Co-op harvests about 40 cords (145 cubic meters) of firewood. Most of this wood is sold to regular customers, many of whom live near Boston. The wood is cut in the winter, stacked to dry, and then cut into different sizes for each customer. A few years ago, the Co-op also harvested a lot of saw timber. The trees they cut are mostly oak, black birch, and red maple. They carefully choose which trees to cut, leaving more space for the other trees to grow better.
Another important project by the Co-op is building a fire pond part way up the mountain. This pond makes sure that if there's ever another fire, firefighters will not only be able to get their equipment there, but they'll also have water nearby. In an area that was cleared for logging, the Co-op recently started an orchard with apple and pear trees.
Nature and Rocks: Ecology and Geology
Peaked Mountain has many different types of plants and animals because the land changes a lot. There are different kinds of soil and the land has been used in various ways over time.
You can find oak forests and rocky areas on the western side of the mountain and at the top. On the flatter, lower parts to the west of Butler Road, you'll see different pine and oak forests, as well as wetlands. The long ridge that runs north and south has many deciduous forests (trees that lose their leaves in the fall). The main type of forest on the upper slopes is a dry mixed oak forest, which has been affected by fires over the last 75 years. Near the summit, there are also rocky areas with scrub-oak plants.
On the lower parts of the mountain, the forest is more mixed. You'll find black birch, red maple, and sugar maple, and sometimes hemlock trees and non-native conifers. Near the bottom of the mountain, there's also a hay field.
Much of the area, especially the slopes, is covered with glacial till. This is rocky material left behind by glaciers. Underneath that is bedrock. In the lower areas, you'll find sand and gravel left by glaciers. The soils on the mountain are usually sandy and well-drained, except in wet areas where groundwater collects. The soil near the top of the mountain is thin.
Fun Things to Do at Peaked Mountain
Peaked Mountain has 3.5 miles (5.6 kilometers) of forest roads. The walk from the main entrance to the top is a gradual climb of 467 feet (142 meters). It can be a bit challenging in some spots and usually takes about 45 minutes. There's also an easy one-mile (1.6 km) woodland trail that loops around Lunden Pond.
Many people visit Peaked Mountain for different activities. You'll see local walkers and hikers, some with their dogs. People also enjoy horseback riding, mountain biking, bird watching, and simply enjoying nature. In the winter, you can go cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. The area is also a great place to learn about how land was used in the past, including old farms, millponds, and how charcoal was made for early iron factories.
Every October, The Trustees and the Peaked Mt. Property committee host a special Peaked Mountain Birthday Run/Walk to celebrate the property.
