Leaf Peeping In Our Backyard

(The following information was obtained with some assistance from New England Foliage and CBS 6 weekend anchor-reporter, Heather Kovar's Twitter page) 

Fall is in the air as you can plan a perfect day trip on a LOCAL level. The beautiful Berkshires are blooming with beautiful colors throughout our listening area and here are a few places where the flora is at it's peak. Five out of the 10 areas recently polled are found in OUR neck of the woods and without further ado, here are some suggestions:

NEW MARLBOROUGH: Located southeast of Great Barrington, rural farmlands and surrounding hills enhance a vicinity of 5 different villages accessible via state routes 57 and 183. Suggested stops include a hike on one of their easy trails to the 40 foot waterfalls and pay a visit to Umpachene Falls Park, a tributary located adjacent to The Housatonic River. For more information on fall events in New Marlborough, log on here.

WEST STOCKBRIDGE: An ideal trek on route 41, the town's ponds, streams, open fields and fields are a perfect locate to enjoy the colorful displays of the autumnal season. Park your car as you can explore local shops and take in the beauty of the picturesque Williams River. Log on here for more information on other happenings in the vicinity located just 4 miles north of Stockbridge and remember to obey the posted speed limit of 25 miles per hour upon arrival and departure.

RICHMOND: Also located on route 41, this area also offers places to do some apple picking and don't forget to sample a glass of vino at one of their wineries as this scenic area straddles the New York border with traverse tree-lined roads, open fields and rolling hills located between Pittsfield and West Stockbridge. For more details, head over to the town's web site

WILLIAMSTOWN: This vibrant town in Berkshire county's northwest corner is accessible via route 7 which also borders The Empire & Green Mountain states as you can sample terrific views of the Taconic Range, Brodie Mountain, the Green Mountain National Forest and Mount Greylock as this area is home base to Williams College and The Clark Institute. Log on here for more information on local happenings from our neighbors up north.

MOUNT GREYLOCK STATE RESERVATION: This summit is the highest point in our Bay state at 3,491 feet and is deemed as a mandatory stop to check out the foliage. This destination also offers 70 miles of designated trails for hiking and mountain biking which also includes an 11 and a half mile section of The Appalachian National Scenic Trail as an adventurous day awaits you right here in our backyard.

Don't forget to bring your camera and take some memorable photos in the process. Feel free to share them with us as well.