Home > Massachusetts > Pittsfield State Forest

Pittsfield State Forest

Sunday, February 25, 2024

Trail Map

Other Names

Balance Rock State Park, Potter Mountain, Churchill Brook Trail, Skyline Trail, Taconic Skyline Trail, Snake Brook Trail

Last Known Status

Closed For Season

Pittsfield State Forest has about 16 miles of ATV trails that wind through a mixed hardwood forest. Most of the trails are fast and smooth and are marked with orange and yellow triangle blazes on the trees.

Free trail maps can be obtained by visiting the ranger station on Cascade Street and Shamrock Blvd but there is no access to the trails from this location since all of the trails here are for hiking or mountain bike use. Balance Rock and Potter Mountain Staging areas are the only two parking areas that provide direct access to the ATV trails (Balance Rock has plenty of parking for larger trailers while Potter Mountain is better suited for smaller vehicles).

The forest offers three campgrounds to choose from but there is no direct trail access, so machines must be hauled to and from the staging areas. The Lulu Brook Day Use Area has numerous BBQ grills and picnic tables. Forest hours are from sunrise to 8pm, year-round. Snowmobiles are permitted during winter months.

Trail Map... Nearby ATV Trails...

REGULATIONS

Permit Required	Yes	Massachusetts Registration Sticker
Dates Open	May through the last Sunday in November
Other ATV Stickers Accepted	No	ATVs and motorcycles must be registered in Massachusetts, no reciprocity with other states.
Spark Arrestor	Yes	A spark arresting exhaust silencer or end cap is required for all vehicles.
Noise Limit	Yes (96 dB)
Whip Flags	Not Required
Maximum Vehicle Width	Yes (50 inches)	has entrance gate or posts vehicles under 900lbs dry weight and 50 inches wide permitted
Motorcycles & Dirt Bikes	Permitted
ATVs	Permitted	(maximum width 50 inches)
UTV & SXS	Permitted	(maximum width 50 inches)
SUVs & Jeeps (registered)	Prohibited
Dune Buggy & Sand Rail 4x4 (unregistered)	Prohibited
2 Stroke Engines	No Restriction
MX Helmet Required	Yes	required by state law
Camping	Some Areas	(camp in developed sites only) permitted at Bishop Field, Parker Brook & Berry Pond Campgrounds
Campfires	Some Areas	(permitted in developed campsites only)
Night Riding	No
Trail Blazing	Prohibited	stay on trail
Alcohol	Prohibited
Rule Enforcement	Many	On-Site Office/Station Gate Inspection

TERRAIN

Approx Size	9,600 acres (15 sq mi)
Miles Of Trail	16
Climate Type	Forest
Elevation	1200 to 2000 ft.
Trail Maintenance	Marked, Not Rated, Lightly Maintained	Trails are marked with orange and yellow blazes.
Loose Dirt	Little
Hard Pack	Mostly
Sand	Little
Mud	Little
Dust	Little
Rocks	Some
Trees	All
Steep Hills	Few
Water Crossings	Few
Small Jumps	None
Large Jumps	None
Berms	Few
Sand/Gravel Pits	None
Intersections	Some
Rider Traffic	Few
Shade	Some
Ranges/Gunfire	Some	area open during hunting season
Hazards	Few	(hazards not marked)
Novice	Mostly
Amateur	Some
Expert	Little

TYPE OF AREA

Area	Motorized Trails

Land	State Forest, State Park

GPS POINTS

KEY SERVICES

Gasoline	1-5 Miles (SE)	Exxon/Mobil (413) 499-1416
Diesel	1-5 Miles (SE)	Exxon/Mobil (413) 499-1416
Water	1-5 Miles (SE)	Hidden Valley Campground (413) 447-9419 or (877) 392-2267
RV Hookup	1-5 Miles (SE)	Bonnie Brae Cabins & Campsites (413) 442-3754 or (413) 445-9358
RV Disposal	1-5 Miles (SE)	Bonnie Brae Cabins & Campsites (413) 442-3754 or (413) 445-9358
Campground	On Site	Berry Pond and Parker Brook Campground (413) 499-5112
Conv Store	1-5 Miles (SE)	Getty Food Mart (413) 499-9271

FEES & PASSES

Parking	Yes ($5.00) Pittsfield State Forest Day Use Fee - $5/day/residents; $20/day/non-residents. Residency determined by vehicle license plate.
Entry	(None)
Riding	(None)
Camping	Yes Tent: $17.00 RV: $17.00 Addtl. Vehicle: $0.00 Pittsfield State Forest Campground Fee - $17/night/residents; $54/night/non-residents. Residency determined by vehicle license plate.

RATINGS

Pros	scenic forest
Cons	small area, additional permit required to ride trails
Our Rating	Good
Recommended Stay	Half Day
Comments	(Scroll Down For Rider Reviews & Comments)

DRIVING DIRECTIONS

Nearest City

Pittsfield, MA

Address

Shamrock Blvd, Pittsfield, MA 01201

Trail Map

From: Pittsfield, MA
1) Head west on West Street about 2 miles
2) Turn right (north) on Churchill Street, continue 1.7 miles
3) Turn left (west) on Cascade Street, continue .7 miles
4) Turn right (north) on Shamrock Blvd, continue about .5 miles
5) Ranger station is on the left (west).*

*Note: The above directions are to the ranger station to obtain the daily riding permit. To access the ATV trails you must stage at either Balance Rock or Potter Mountain Road Staging Area.

For Potter Mountain Staging Area:
6) Leave ranger station by heading south on Shamrock Blvd about 1 mile
7) Turn left (east) on Cascade Street, continue .5 miles
8) Turn left (north) on Churchill Street, continue 2.1 miles
9) Turn left (west) on Potter Mountain Road, continue .4 miles

For Balance Rock Staging Area:
10) Turn right (east) on Potter Mountain Road, continue .4 miles
11) Look for gate and sign for Balance Rock State Park on the left (west), turn here.
12) Continue about .5 miles toward staging area.

OFFICIAL CONTACTS

Contact Info

Pittsfield State Forest
1041 Cascade Street
Pittsfield, MA 01201
(413) 442-8992
pittsfield.forest@state.ma.us
www.mass.gov

Contact Info	Massachusetts Environmental Police 251 Causeway Street, Suite 101 Boston, MA 02114 (617) 626-1610 www.mass.gov
Comment	ATV/Motorcycle Registration Info

Contact Info	Reserve America (877) 422-6762 (877) 620-2267 www.reserveamerica.com
Comment	Campground Reservations

Contact Info	Patriots All Terrain Club P.O. Box 2967 Pittsfield, MA 01201 patriotsatv@yahoo.com www.patriotsatv.org
Comment	Offroad club that does trail maintenance and group rides in Massachusetts and surrounding states.