Bartholomew’s Cobble in Sheffield, Managed by The Trustees of Reservations, has five miles of trails.  Amazing sights to see here are a giant Tulip Tree and a State Champion Cottonwood Tree.  There are over 50 varieties of fern, hiking along the Housatonic River and more!  It is known for twin rocky knolls that give this unusual geologic phenomenon its intriguing name, which was probably derived from the German word kobel (meaning “rocks”). The Cobble originated from coral, sea shells and sand in the inland sea that covered the area 500 million years ago. The area was subsequently pushed upward upward and flipped over, leaving the rough and rugged underbelly exposed for millennia. The cobbles consist mostly of quartzite and marble, whose alkaline soil supports an unusual array of flora. The high point at Bartholomew’s Cobble, Hurlburt’s Hill, rises 1,000 feet to a 20-acre upland field on the Massachusetts-Connecticut border that offers panoramic views up the Housatonic River Valley. Junipers are on the trail to the old Bailey Building, a former museum. From the kiosk, walk left and follow Eaton Trail up the rocky slope under junipers (a.k.a. eastern red cedars). You are ascending the smaller of two  cobbles ( “cobble’ is a New England word for hill), composed primarily of  erosion-resistant quartzite. The Spero loop includes a flood plain rehabilitation forest area where we saw bear and deer tracks. There are several loops here, enough to spend the day and always a pleasure, a must go!

@followers
#hikethehilltownhistory
#hikethehilltowns with the #westernmasshilltownhikers  #discoverthehilltowns #visitthehills  #hilltownhistory  #flashhike  #intheberkshires #nature #adventure #history #hiking #outdooradventures #visittheberkshires #mylocalMA #visitma #hilltownhikers #westernmass #hikingwithdogs
Visit our blog for all of our adventures! want to come along on these hikes? Become a member at www.hilltownhikers.com
Help conserve the Chester Granite Saw, our newest property! https://www.pledge.to/help-conserve-the-chester-granite-saw
Text HILLTOWNHIKERS to 707070 to donate.
www.hilltownhikers.com
You can mail your tax-deductible donation to Western Mass Hilltown Hikers, PO Box 3, Chester, MA  01011
Venmo @hilltownhikers
Stay informed – join our mailing list https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/5O0RYN5/hilltownhikeremail