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J.A. Skinner State Park is more than 400 acres of forest on Mount Holyoke, at the western end of the Holyoke Range. It offers breathtaking views of the Connecticut River Valley. The summit is accessible by road from April through November, and by hiking trails year-round. The Summit House, a popular mountaintop hotel in the 1800s, is open for tours and programs on weekends and holidays from Memorial Day through Columbus Day, offering historical displays and special events. The park is named after Joseph Allen Skinner, a wealthy businessman who donated the hotel and land to the state in 1940.

There are 20 picnic sites on the grounds, many with fine views and charcoal grills. Restrooms are available May through mid-October. Hawk watching is popular in spring and fall. Paths from the Summit House connect with marked trails that traverse the Holyoke Range. Fall foliage viewing is popular in the park, and the masses of flowering mountain laurel present a lovely spectacle in June. The park's Friends group offers hikes throughout the year and hosts a sunset concert series inside the Summit House each summer.