Taconic Crest Trail (Hancock, Massachusetts, to Petersburgh, New York)

Pittsfield State Forest (MA), Hopkins Memorial Forest (MA), and Taconic Ridge State Forest (NY), along the Massachusetts-New York-Vermont border

The Taconic Crest Trail follows the ridge of the Taconic Range north from US 20 in Hancock, Massachusetts, weaving along the New York state line to end at NY Route 346 near the Vermont border. Wikipedia describes high, open summits and ridgelines with views west over the Hudson River Valley, and microclimate balds and red spruce and balsam fir stands on the higher summits.

It’s a three-state trip with a catch: most of the legal backcountry camping is on the New York side.

The hike

The southern end, a pullout off Route 20 just west of Hancock Shaker Village, sits less than a mile from the New York line. Hiking Project says the trail parallels the Taconic Skyline Trail through Pittsfield State Forest and switchbacks up toward the Berry Pond Campground. Wikipedia says Berry Pond, at 2,150 feet, is reputedly the highest pond in Massachusetts, and lists Doll, Smith, and Tower Mountains and Cranberry and Twin Ponds along this stretch.

Past Berry Pond, Hiking Project describes a road section past an overlook with a picnic table, then a descent to Potter Mountain Road and a crossing of Route 43 in Hancock village. A VFTT poster called the road walk “less than 2 miles.” From Hancock the trail climbs the second ridge over Rounds and Misery Mountains to Berlin Mountain, the trail’s high point at about 2,818 feet. Hiking Project calls Berlin a sunrise spot with a 360-degree view over three states. The VFTT poster had covered about 26 miles on reaching it.

Beyond Berlin Mountain, Hiking Project describes an old road along the ridgetop to the parking area off NY Route 2 at Petersburg Pass, which the Williams College report says has a large lot, trail accesses, and a kiosk. The northern section also passes through Williams College’s Hopkins Memorial Forest and over Mount Raimer and White Rock, and clips the corner of Pownal, Vermont, before returning to New York. Near the end is the Snow Hole, a crevice where NYSDEC says snow is often found even in summer; Hiking Project puts it about 0.2 mile round trip off the route. Hiking Project calls the final section “rough and little-used,” overgrown with beech and brush.

The NYSDEC says about 32 miles of trails, including the Taconic Crest Trail, run through Taconic Ridge State Forest. Wikipedia says the trail was originally 29 miles, was extended about 6 miles at its south end in the late 1990s, and had its northern end moved to Route 346 after a landowner closed the Vermont route.

Hiking Project warns about the many herd paths: follow the blazes, a blue square with a white diamond or just a white diamond. It also notes side trails that can get you off the ridge in a storm.

For a longer ridge in the same range, see the Appalachian Trail over Mount Greylock, visible from Berlin Mountain.

Tips

Fill up in Pittsfield State Forest. Hiking Project says water is nearly absent after Route 43.
Plan legal camps first. Use Berry Pond Campground in Massachusetts and the New York state forest farther north.
Follow the blazes, not the herd paths.
Check for ticks. Wikipedia lists deer ticks and poison ivy as hazards.
Go mid-May to early October, the best season per Wikipedia.

Camping

In New York’s Taconic Ridge State Forest, the NYSDEC says there are no designated campsites but primitive camping is allowed at least 150 feet from the nearest road, trail, or water. Camping for more than three nights or in groups of 10 or more needs a permit from a Forest Ranger (DEC Region 4, 518-357-2155).

In Massachusetts, DCR’s Pittsfield State Forest has the Berry Pond Campground (13 rustic sites atop Berry Mountain), Parker Brook, and Bishop Field, all booked through DCR’s reservation system. The DCR page doesn’t mention backcountry camping. Hiking Project’s statement that camping is allowed 150 feet off any trail matches New York’s rule but not anything found from DCR or Williams College, so don’t assume it applies in Massachusetts (see needs_review).

Inside Intel: No camper accounts recommending a specific campsite were found. A VFTT poster who hiked the whole trail found established campsites “virtually non-existent” and spent a night near the summit of Berlin Mountain, without saying who manages that spot.

Trail facts

Distance: About 35 to 38 miles by source
Route type: Point to point, US 20 (Hancock, MA) to NY 346 (Petersburgh, NY)
Difficulty: Strenuous
High point: Berlin Mountain, about 2,818 feet
Campsites: Berry Pond Campground (MA, reservations); primitive camping in Taconic Ridge State Forest (NY)
Water: Scarce; ponds and streams in the south, few sources north of Route 43
Permits: NY Forest Ranger permit for more than three nights or groups of 10+
Trailheads: US 20 near Hancock Shaker Village; Route 43 in Hancock; NY Route 2 at Petersburg Pass; NY 346
Last verified: October 8, 2026

The Lowdown

Few campsites on the Taconic Crest:

One hiker found established campsites virtually nonexistent and spent a night near Berlin Mountain's summit. Our tips cover choosing flat, soft ground and pads for side sleepers.

Read the fixes →

Where this comes from

This page draws on the sources below, along with other guides and trip reports. Links go to the original pages.

Before you go: This page is based on published trail guides, trip reports, and reviews, along with official park and agency information where we could find it. It’s meant to help backpackers discover new trails, not to replace current, official information. Conditions, closures, permits, campsites, and water sources change, and some details here may be out of date or wrong. Confirm everything with the managing agency and check current conditions before you head out, and don’t rely on this page alone for safety or navigation. Backcountry travel involves risk.