New segment of Mahican-Mohawk Trail makes summit more accessible

12:00AM / Wednesday, May 03, 2000Print Story | Email Story

Â Â Â Â Members of the Mahican-Mohawk Trail committee, volunteers, and other interested people dedicated and hiked the first section in North Adams of the Mahican-Mohawk Trail on Saturday, April 29. Â Â Â Â This section of the trail runs from the Wigwam Western Summit at the top of the mountain and descends through scenic woods about three-quarters of a mile to the lower Mohawk Trail and the new trailhead. This new trailhead, complete with sign and parking area, sits about a quarter mile north of West Shaft Road on Route 2, on the right when heading toward the Hairpin Turn. Â Â Â Â The new trail makes it possible to walk from downtown North Adams to the Western Summit via East Main Street, said Lauren R. Stevens, environmental activist and writer. Stevens founded the Hoosic River Watershed Association (HooRWA), one of the groups involved with the project. He cautioned that walkers should be careful when crossing Route 2. Â Â Â Â On a warm, clear spring day, those present capped off the dedication by driving up around the Hairpin Turn to the Western Summit, parking, and hiking down the trail from the top. Â Â Â Â "Okay, let's do it," said Stevens, when everyone was assembled just north of the Wigwam, with North Adams in the valley stretching out below them. Â Â Â Â Not far down the trail, Stevens showed the other eight hikers where the original Mohawk Trail Highway had run. Those involved with the project had wanted the trail to follow the original course of this road, but this didn't work out. Â Â Â Â Leslie Reed-Evans, of the Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation, another group involved with the trail project, took time to note interesting natural features along the way, and found a no-longer-used nest of a red-eyed vireo. Â Â Â Â "It's a lot less spring-like here than it is down in the valley," she noted at the beginning of the descent. Â Â Â Â The Mahican-Mohawk Trail is an attempt to recreate a 100-mile-long, American Indian foot trail connecting the Hudson and Connecticut rivers, following the Hoosic and Deerfield rivers and climbing over the Hoosac plateau. Â Â Â Â Sections of the trail have been improved between Old Deerfield and Shelburne along the Deerfield River, and through the Mohawk Trail State Forest on The Old Indian Trail to South County Road and Strykers Road in Florida. Â Â Â Â The trail, which is marked with yellow circular trail markers picturing a maple leaf, will eventually follow through downtown North Adams, past the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, through Blackinton, Williamstown, and Pownal, Vt. The New York State section has not been laid out, but will follow the Hoosic River. Â Â Â Â As anyone standing in downtown North Adams and looking up at the Western Summit might guess, the trail down the mountain is rather steep in places, but nothing a moderately fit hiker could not handle. Â Â Â Â Stevens said the owners of the Wigwam have granted an easement for the very top part of this new segment of the Mahican-Mohawk Trail. The rest of this segment of trail lies on land owned by the city of North Adams, and was originally a logging road. Â Â Â Â Three participants in the hike were from the Manice Education Center, located in the town of Florida. This is an environmental education center for students from New York City, and volunteers from the center had worked on the trail. Â Â Â Â "Working here was really special for us because we felt we were giving back to our community," said Natasha Jones, an adult leader at the Center. Â Â Â Â For part of its upper length, the trail ran beside a babbling brook. The descent of the trail took just under half an hour. Stevens said it would take about an hour to hike back up, given the steepness of the trail. Â Â Â Â It's worth noting that in the valley the actual trail starts a few yards north of the small parking lot and sign beside Route 2. Â Â Â Â Funding for the project has come from the Massachusetts Greenway Program and the federal Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act. The Massachusetts Highway Department, including District 1 Highway Commissioner Ross Dindio, were most helpful in cutting red tape to get the project done, Stevens said. The next segment of the trail to be worked on will run from North Adams to Williamstown, he added. Â Â Â Â Maps of the trail can be found at the Western Summit and at the North Adams Chamber of Commerce visitor information center in front of the Windsor Mill on Union Street in North Adams, Stevens said. Â Â Â Â The Mahican-Mohawk Trail passes by numerous Indian sites. It was used for hunting, trade, and war. As Europeans entered the region, they widened it for horseback and carting. It was used to provision Fort Massachusetts, in what is now North Adams, during the Colonial period. Benedict Arnold used it in leading militia to rendezvous with Ethan Allen to take Fort Ticonderoga at the start of the American Revolution. The trail led troops to the Battle of Bennington, fought in North Hoosick, N.Y. Â Â Â Â The trail also displays the agricultural and industrial heritage of the area between the two rivers. An approximation of the trail becaome the Mohawk Trail highway. Â Â Â Â In addition to HooRWA and the Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation, groups supporting the project include the Appalachian Mountain Club, the Deerfield River Watershed Association, Friends of the Mohawk Trail State Forest, the Franklin County Land Trust, and Historic Deerfield Inc.

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Friday Front Porch Feature: A Charming House Like New

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
06:57PM / Friday, December 19, 2025

The home prior to renovations.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Are you looking for a newly renovated home with great space? Then this might be the perfect fit for you!

Our Friday Front Porch is a weekly feature spotlighting attractive homes for sale in Berkshire County. This week, we are showcasing 100 Autumn Drive.

This three-bedroom, two-bathroom split level was built in 1965 and is 1,396 square feet on 0.32 acres.

The house was completely renovated recently. It includes a one-car garage, and comes with appliances including a dishwasher and stove/oven, and other major appliances.

The house is listed for $359,500.

We spoke with owners Michael Zeppieri and Chris Andrews, who did the renovations. Zeppieri is an agent with Alton and Westall Real Estate Agency.

What was your first impression when you walked into the home?

Zeppieri: I purchased this home to do a full renovation flip and saw tremendous potential in this mid-century split level home that had not been updated since it was built in the 1960s, in a great North Adams neighborhood.

Andrews: The house was a much different house when we first purchased it in 2022 (photo attached is from about 2010.) The interior was painted all in dark colors and we brightened it up with neutral colors. The transformation makes you feel like you are in a totally different house.

What were the recent renovations, any standout design features?

Zeppieri: The house has had a complete reconfiguration including new kitchen with high-end appliances, ceramic tiled baths, hardwood floors, new windows and roof ... just to name a few. All a buyer has to do is move in and enjoy.

Andrews: Yes, we renovated the entire house. New windows, new roof, all new custom black gutter system, new blacktop driveway, hardwood floors were installed through out the house. New kitchen and bathrooms as well as painting the exterior and interior of the house. New paver patio in the back yard.

What kind of buyer would this home be ideal for?

Zeppieri: The buyer for this home could be a first-time homebuyer or a retiree ... the location is close to attractions in North Adams ... and the property is located in Autumn Heights, which is a very small residential development with several long-term owners.

Andrews: This home is truly ideal for a variety of buyers. Whether a first-time homebuyer, a small family or even someone looking to downsize from a larger home.

What do you think makes this property stand out in the current market?

Zeppieri: The location, price and move-in condition of this home make it a true market leader in the North Adams Market.

Andrews: This house is completely renovated and in a desirable location of North Adams. The natural light in the home really makes the interior pop. And with all the upgrades the home stays quite cool in the summer months.

Do you know any unique stories about the home or its history?

Zeppieri: This home was built for the Gould family in 1969 and they lived there till 2010. It was always a family home during that time in which the Goulds had two children ... and Virgina Gould managed Mohawk Forest Apartments and was a very active resident of North Adams.

Andrews: Built in about 1965.

What do the current owners love about this home?

Zeppieri: As the current owner it was a fun project to transform this home and get it ready for its next adventure with a new family to enjoy for many years.

Andrews: No one has lived in the house since we purchased the home. The new owners would be the first to live in the house since the renovations have been completed.

What would you say to a buyer trying to imagine their life in this space?

Andrews: I would suggest seeing the house either on a sunny day or at twilight to really get a vision of how special the home feels.

You can find out more about this house on its listing here.

*Front Porch Feature brings you an exclusive to some of the houses listed on our real estate page every week. Here we take a bit of a deeper dive into a certain house for sale and ask questions so you don't have to.

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