The Berkshires (pronounced as "berk-shurs" or "berk-sheers") are a branch of the Appalachian Mountains, centered in Western Massachusetts (with portions located in the adjacent states of Vermont, New York, and Connecticut), often referred to as the "Berkshire Hills."

Geology

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Over half a billion years ago Africa collided with North America, pushing up the Appalachian Mountains and forming the Taconic bedrock of the Berkshires. Erosion over hundreds of millions of years wore these mountains down to the hills that we see today. See also: Taconic orogeny.

Ecology

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Today efforts are being made on behalf of many organizations to preserve these mountains for human enjoyment. The Housatonic River is a popular area for trout fishing, and the area's relative pristineness contributes to the popularity of nature walks in the region.

Sightseeing

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The Berkshires are a popular tourist attraction and vacation getaway, serving the same function in relation to Connecticut and Massachusetts that the Catskills do in New York and the Poconos for Pennsylvania. With numerous trails, including part of the Appalachian Trail, large tracts of wilderness, parks like Kent Falls and the non-profit Audubon Reserve of Sharon, Berkshire Botanical Garden and Hebert Arboretum the Berkshires are very popular with nature lovers. The range includes Bash Bish Falls, the tallest waterfall in Massachusetts.

Northwestern Connecticut features the covered bridges of Kent and West Cornwall, spectacular fall folliage along the Housatonic River valley and the quiet woods of the aforementioned Appalachian trail.

Tanglewood Music Center in Lenox is the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. The Chapin Library offers a wide selection of rare books and documents for display. The Norman Rockwell Museum, Clark Art Institute, Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MassMoCA), and Williams College Museum of Art (WCMA) comprise the region's diverse selection of art museums. The area is also home to numerous summer stock theatre festivals, such as the Williamstown Theatre Festival (Williamstown), Berkshire Theatre Festival (Stockbridge), Shakespeare and Company (Lenox), and plays host to America's first and longest-running dance festival, Jacob's Pillow.

External links

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• Berkshire Visitor's Bureau
• Berkshireweb
• Berkshire Eagle
• BerkshireRecordDotCom
• BerkshireEagleDotNetwork
• Berkshire Blog
• Berkshire Chamber of Commerce
• Hiking/outdoor activity information for Berkshire Mountains, Hudson Valley, and Litchfield Hills
• Article about the famous Joe's Diner in Lee, Massachusetts

Mountain ranges of Massachusetts | Mountain ranges of New York