York Lake and CCC Ceremony 90th Anniversary
December 15, 2024 @ 11:30 am - 4:00 pm
York Lake Hike and CCC Ceremony 90th Anniversary in Sandisfield 11:30 am December 15th
Parking: Sandisfield State Forest in the parking lot by York Lake at the intersection Route 183/New Marlborough-Sandisfield Road, and East Hill Road in Sandisfield, MA 01230 GOOGLE York Lake, Sandisfield, MA big York Lake sign right on Route 57 just over the Sandisfield Town Line.
Directions: from Northampton take Route 66 to Route 112 Huntington, take a left on Route 20 East to Russell take a right on Route 23 to Blandford after Otis Reservoir take a left on Route 8 and take Route 57 to Sandisfield
Hike Rating: Easy to Moderate, 2.2 mile loop around York Lake. We will then hike less than a quarter of a mile to the CCC Camp to take part in the DCR CCC Ceremony at 2:00. Come for the hike at 11:30 or come for the ceremony at 2:00, or stay for both.
Join us for a two part day at the Sandisfield State Forest, with 9,500 total acres of forest including York Lake a shallow 35 acre man-made lake. Elevation of the lake is 1,544 feet and is named after Samuel A. York, a farmer from Cummington who was DCR Commissioner in 1933. The trail is 2.2 miles long around the lake with bridges, wildlife, Norway Spruce and Scotch Pine plantations. Once flat farmland of Township Number three, Sandisfield was incorporated in 1762.
On December 16, 1934 five young men from 196 Company, Civilian Conservation Corps (this state forest) were killed in a truck accident on their way to church in Great Barrington. At 2:00 pm, DCR staff dressed in era uniforms, will hold a ceremony here including a wreath laying and taps as a 48 star flag is retired. CCC artifacts will be available for viewing. We will also visit the site of the old camp S-71 and its relics and learn about the Sandisfield “Beavers” who built York Lake. PLEASE NOTE: Registration not required for the DCR CCC Ceremony
Please Register per car load on https://westernmasshilltownhikers.ticketleap.com Maps and bottled water provided. Well behaved dogs allowed. Event is volunteer lead. Suggested donation is $15. More details are on www.hilltownhikers.com . Please email westernmasshilltownhikers@aol.com or call/text 413-302-0312 if you have any questions. As always be prepared for rocks, mud and roots, bring trekking poles!
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Mission Statement: Western Mass Hilltown Hikers, Inc. is organized exclusively for charitable and educational purposes to engage in all legal activities relating to the development, maintenance and operation of recreational hiking and outdoor adventure in Western Massachusetts. We are a non-profit 501C(3) organization incorporated in the State of Massachusetts. Tax ID #86-2532249
