Posted in Massachusetts October 28, 2019 by

The Beautiful Cascades Trail Is An Easy 2-Mile Hike In Massachusetts That’s Great For Beginners And Kids

When it comes to hiking trails, Massachusetts takes the lead. With our various terrain and rugged landscape, you can pretty much pick your ideal landscape and sure enough, there’s a trail for that. This particular trail is less than two miles, making it ideal for beginners and anyone looking to explore the great outdoors with the kids. Lace-up your boots and gas up the car, because today we’re headed to North Adams to check out this hidden gem of a trail that’s so easy practically anyone can do it.

We’re aware that these uncertain times are limiting many aspects of life as we all practice social and physical distancing. While we’re continuing to feature destinations that make our state wonderful, we don’t expect or encourage you to go check them out immediately. We believe that supporting local attractions is important now more than ever and we hope our articles inspire your future adventures! And on that note, please nominate your favorite local business that could use some love right now: https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/nominate/
Tucked away in the middle of the Berkshires, the Cascades Trail is a hidden trail that locals have known about for years.
boylessix/Google
The trailhead is located within a residential area, so you’ll want to make sure you're mindful of that. Park at the nearby YMCA and walk to the trailhead.
The out-and-back trail is just shy of two miles, and will take you on quite the adventure.
Robbie Shade/Google
The trail is beautiful year round, even when it’s blanketed in snow.
The trail follows Notch Brook and leads you through a forest of towering trees and some truly beautiful scenery.
Jackie Ann/Flickr
Depending on the time of day you go, you might just have the trail to yourself!
The entire hike will take about an hour, but you’ll want to stop off along the way to enjoy the views.
Brett Moen/All Trails
The trail is flat enough that even the most inexperienced of hikers and kids will be able to enjoy the hike with little to no problems.
When you start to get close to the waterfall, that’s when things get tricky.
Jackie Ann/Flickr
This part of the trail gets a little rocky, and to get closer to the waterfall you’ll need to traverse a fairly steep hill. But don’t worry, you can still see the waterfall in its entirety without the climb.
Try to time your hike after a rainfall, so you can see the waterfall in all its glory.
Jackie Ann/Flickr
The powerful cascade adds a symphony of sounds that’ll make you never want to leave.
Depending on the amount of rainfall, you may be able to get close to the waterfall.
Jackie Ann/Flickr
Keep that in mind for the summer. It's a great place to cool down after a long hike!

Have you ever hiked the Cascades Trail? What’s your favorite short and sweet hike in Massachusetts? Let us know in the comments below!

Address: 22 Brickyard Ct, North Adams, MA 01247, USA