Camping at Mt Greylock Mass

[R3awak3n]

I am working near the Massachusetts board and have yet to camp this year and next week looks like a nice week for a sub24 trip. I am about 2 hours from Mt Greylock so I was going to leave work at 4-5 and ride up mt greylock, camp up there and come back down next morning, back to work by 9am.

I was looking at it and it says its hike in camping only, thats great, I like the sounds of that. However I am not trying to hike with a loaded bike, specially at like 8pm. Are bikes allowed on that trail? if not how hard is the hike? If its easy walking, 1.5 miles its all good but crazy hiking with the bike, no thanks. I also saw that the park has 5 lean tos, I assume I can just set tent in those but has anyone done it? Is there a nice bike-able trail right into the lean to?

Thanks in advance

[merckx]

Ride up the auto road and book a room at the summit house. If you are two hours from the base, and are departing at 5:00 PM, I would suggest equipping your bike with lights. The climb will be over an hour if you are not going full gas and are carrying over night gear. Have fun!

[R3awak3n]

Ride up the auto road and book a room at the summit house. If you are two hours from the base, and are departing at 5:00 PM, I would suggest equipping your bike with lights. The climb will be over an hour if you are not going full gas and are carrying over night gear. Have fun!

thats a good point I did not consider, I will most definitely not be going full gas. I will probably start work earlier and leave at 4 but will also bring lights just in case because I have been known to get lost before.

[marciero]

Ride up the auto road and book a room at the summit house. If you are two hours from the base, and are departing at 5:00 PM, I would suggest equipping your bike with lights. The climb will be over an hour if you are not going full gas and are carrying over night gear. Have fun!

Second this. I've done Graylock a number of times but have yet to stay at the top. Bascomb Lodge I think it is. quite reasonable rates last I checked.

[R3awak3n]

thanks guys, I just checked that place. It looks awesome but I was really hoping to set up my tent and doing some camping action. I need this ahha, this summer has been pretty un-summery so far and will be excited to instead of an hour+ car commute I get to ride my bike to set up a tent and just relax for the night.


I found there are 2 primitive camping sites up there so may give the rangers a call and ask if I can just ride my bike all the way to the camp sites. Either that or I may just stay in one of those lean tos. I would be all about the lean tos but I am bujie and don't want to get there and be packed, I kind of want to get a spot of my own and the camp grounds seem pretty empty as of right now by looking at the reservation site.

[merckx]

I would budget an hour and a half for the ascent at leisure pace particularly if starting from North Adams. The tarmac is in great condition, and it is a rewarding effort.

[R3awak3n]

I would budget an hour and a half for the ascent at leisure pace particularly if starting from North Adams. The tarmac is in great condition, and it is a rewarding effort.

I will be coming from South. I am coming from New Lebanon, NY, right across from Pittsfield, MA. Need to find some nice roads to get there which will mean trip will take a little longer as well. There is some good gravel roads around where I am working, so going to try to hit a few on my way to Greylock.

I see that its the highest point in MA, well, that is cool.

[merckx]

The Lanesboro side (south) is an easier ascent than the North Adams (north) side. Most of the pitch is in the first third of the climb. Bring lights!

[jemdet]

It has an unfriendly opener from the south and an absolutely brutal opener from the north. Good climb. I seem to recall that "sanctioned" camping involves a hike from the roadway.

[R3awak3n]

The Lanesboro side (south) is an easier ascent than the North Adams (north) side. Most of the pitch is in the first third of the climb. Bring lights!


you guys are scaring me now ahha. I am def climbing from the south.

It has an unfriendly opener from the south and an absolutely brutal opener from the north. Good climb. I seem to recall that "sanctioned" camping involves a hike from the roadway.

yeah that is what I read, I need to find out if my bike can go through that trail. I am bringing my OPEN on this so it can handle some rough trail but they might not want any bikes in there and after climbing that I am not sure I want to walk 2 miles of rough trail.


I also don't think the camping is near the summit so its not as bad as a climb it doesn't seem. I think about 1600ft instead of 2k+