Mount Holyoke Range State Park

Mount Holyoke Range State Park is a state-owned, public recreation area encompassing the eastern half of the Holyoke Range in the Pioneer Valley region of Massachusetts. The state park is adjacent to J. A. Skinner State Park, which occupies the western half of the Holyoke Range. Both are managed by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation.[4]

Mount Holyoke Range State Park
Mount Norwottuck viewed from Bare Mountain
Location in Massachusetts
LocationAmherst, Granby, Hampshire, Massachusetts, United States
Coordinates42°18′21″N 72°32′43″W[1]
Area3,729 acres (15.09 km2)[2]
Elevation965 ft (294 m)[1]
EstablishedIndeterminate[3]
Visitors36,420 (in 2012)[3]
OperatorMassachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation
WebsiteMount Holyoke Range State Park

History

"No single event, such as a land acquisition, dedication ceremony, or Act of the Legislature signaled [Mount Holyoke Range State Park's] establishment. Rather, creation of the park built upon a long-standing desire by the public and the Commonwealth to protect the range. The DCR’s predecessor agencies had been acquiring land in the region since the acquisition of Skinner state park in 1940.... However, the focused acquisition of land in fee or easements that began in 1975 marked a turning point for land protection on the range."[3]

Resource Management Plan: Mount Holyoke Range Planning Unit, Department of Conservation and Recreation, July 2013, p. 16

Activities and amenities

Park trails are used for hiking, horseback riding, and cross-country skiing. Trails include sections of the long-distance Metacomet-Monadnock and Robert Frost trails. A visitors center is located near "The Notch" on Route 116 in Amherst. Picnicking and restricted hunting are also offered.[4]

References
  1. "Mount Holyoke Range". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  2. "2012 Acreage Listing" (PDF). Department of Conservation and Recreation. April 2012. Retrieved January 19, 2014.
  3. "Resource Management Plan: Mount Holyoke Range Planning Unit" (PDF). Department of Conservation and Recreation. July 2013. Retrieved September 10, 2015.
  4. "Mount Holyoke Range State Park". MassParks. Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. Retrieved January 24, 2014.
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