Mohawk Trail III, In Search of the Tall Pines

Pines on the Thumper Mountain Trail

The meadow surrounded by tall pines

Red Pine Plantation

Read parts I and II here and here

Having survived the night without any encounters with black bears, the next morning Mr. Kitteh and I went out in search of the tallest pines in New England. On our hikes we saw a lot of  the thinner and the taller than average pines,  the supermodels of pines, if you will.  However since the arborists who measure the length of the pines keep the exact location of the tallest pines  a secret, I am not quite sure  whether we saw the tallest pines in New England.

First we climbed the Thumper Mountain which was a short and a pleasant hike.  Then we took the Nature trail which goes from the campground to the Deerfield river and then runs parallel to  it.   There are many river look outs throughout the trail.  On the other side is a meadow of tall grass bordered by tall pines.  The Nature trail continues through a  red pine plantation.   Throughout the day the sky overcast, thankfully for us it did not rain.

We had worked up quite an appetite by the time we got back, late in the afternoon.  Dinner was chipotle chicken hotdogs with a dash of green chutney,  grilled corn on the cob,  green salad with tomatoes and s’mores over the campfire for desert.  Perfect, except for the swarm of mosquitoes that decided to join us as it got darker. 

The next day we had planned to walk along the Mahican-Mohawk trail and stop at the Village of Shelburne Falls before heading back home. (to be continued)

Note: For more details on the hikes in the Mohawk Trail State forest, click here.