Visiting Mount Greylock with your Group

Planning your Group visit

Group Notification

For groups of less than 50 people, we ask that you first call the Mount Greylock Visitor Center (413) 499-4262 prior to scheduling transportation, and at least two weeks prior to date of visit to avoid scheduling conflicts with other events at the park.

For groups of 50 persons or more, a minimum of 45 days advance notice is needed, and a special use permit may be required. Please first call the park directly to determine if a permit is required. There is a $45 application fee for a special use permit. To access the SUP application visit: https://www.mass.gov/how-to/apply-for-a-state-parks-special-use-permit.

Transportation and Parking

NOTE - NEW VEHICLE RESTRICTION:

Vehicles greater than 22 feet in length are prohibited from travelling on the Mount Greylock Auto Roads and to the Summit. The Mount Greylock Visitor Center remains accessible to all vehicles free of charge. Mount Greylock State Reservation highly recommends the use of mini buses or passenger vans for transport on the Greylock road system.

The Mount Greylock Visitor Center remains accessible to ALL VEHICLES.

The Mount Greylock Scenic Byway is narrow, steep and winding. Please utilize mini-buses and passenger vans to transport your group.

• Free parking available at Visitor Center
• Parking limited at trailheads and on Summit (fee)

Weather and Safety

Be prepared for changing weather conditions and varying temperatures. The temperature on the summit is typically 5-10 degree cooler than the base of the mountain, and the wind can make it feel much colder. Be sure your participants dress appropriately for the weather

(Including sturdy footwear), and depending on the severity of the weather, modify, reschedule

or cancel the program. All visitors should come prepared with jackets, long pants, and hat. The summit and some areas along trails have limited to no cell service.  The recommended ratio of student / child to teacher / adult chaperone is 5 to 1.

Safety and Trail Etiquette

Because large groups can have negative impacts on other visitors and on the forest ecology, hiking groups should not exceed 25. Please have your students, teachers and chaperones follow some simple rules during your visit to ensure a safe, responsible, and fun time:

1.) Keep your group together: make sure your group hikes within the ability of the slowest person in the group. It is recommended one adult lead and one adult stay at the end of the line to sweep. Stop at each trail junction before continuing to ensure that no one takes the wrong trail.

2.) One adult per 10 student ratio: two adults are preferred.

3.) Take pictures, leave only footprints. To help lessen impacts from large groups on the environment, we ask that participants avoid taking anything they might find along the trail. Visitors are welcome to touch and examine objects, but please put it back where it was found.

4.) Keep a respectful distance from wildlife. Please don’t feed the critters, they can find adequate food on their own. Feeding wildlife increases their dependence on introduced food source and is not healthy for their digestive system.

5.) Carry in, Carry out. This means all materials, supplies and trash must be contained and picked up by the group, removed and returned or disposed of properly off site. Practice good stewardship! Please leave the park better than you found it.

Facilities and Programs

The Mount Greylock Visitor Center is located at 30 Rockwell Road in Lanesborough. The Visitor Center is open year-round from 9am-5pm daily from mid-May to mid-October, and open 9am-4:00pm from mid-October to mid-May. Please call (413)499-4262 before your visit for limited staffing and holiday hours. Accessible restrooms, recreational information, exhibits and orientation film are available at the Visitor Center. Park programming, educational resources and special events are available at the Visitor Center. Parking for all size buses is available at the Visitor Center free of charge. Staff-guided programs are scheduled on a first come, first-serve basis depending on staff availability. Please call the Visitor Center to talk to a park interpreter about special school programming and guided hikes.

Visiting the Summit

Parking is limited on the summit - fee charged. There are no trash receptacles at the summit. This park is a carry in, carry out facility.  A limited number of picnic tables are available on the summit. The open lawn on the east side of the tower can be used for picnicking. To protect endangered species on the summit, please stay on designated trails and pathways.

Portable toilets are open 24/7 on the summit. The War Memorial Tower is open Memorial Day to Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples Day 9am-5pm daily (weather permitting). The War Memorial Tower is a special place - dedicated to the men and women who lost their lives while fighting for our country. Special restrictions apply to groups entering the tower. Maximum number of children allowed into the tower at one time is ten. A teacher or adult chaperone must monitor the entrance and top observation room of the tower during group visits. No food or drink is allowed in tower, and students should use quiet voices so that others may enjoy this solemn place.

Bascom Lodge is operated separately from the park, and open to the general public 9am – 5pm Wednesday through Sunday (seasonally). Groups must call Bascom Lodge (413)743-1591 prior to visiting to arrange for access to the Lodge.