Everyone In Massachusetts Should Take This Under-appreciated Scenic Drive
The Central Hills Loop in Massachusetts offers a scenic 57-mile drive through picturesque towns and natural landscapes, especially stunning in the fall.
Massachusetts is full of winding streets and beautiful country roads. It’s pretty much the perfect state for a road trip in any season, especially if you opt to take this under-appreciated scenic drive. Here’s all you need to know about traveling the Central Hills Loop.
The Central Hills Loop will take you from New Salem through some of the most glorious scenery in the state.
If you’re looking for the perfect Sunday drive, this may be it. The Central Hills Loop will take you through the towns of Pelham, Belchertown, Ware, Hardwick, Nichewaug, and Petersham before depositing you back in New Salem. Along the way, you’ll be able to enjoy some truly stunning natural scenery. You need to get out and try the Central Hills Loop.
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It’s a 57-mile journey that can be completed in any season, but is at its most beautiful in the fall.
Prepare to be entranced by the sparkling waters of the beautiful Quabbin Reservoir as you make your way through the rolling hills of Central Massachusetts. You’ll also catch glimpses of interesting rock formations along the side of the road, not to mention spectacular foliage and greenery in the fall and spring. Enjoy this scenic loop drive.
New Salem Preserves & Heritage Cider is a great spot to take a break and indulge in some seasonal treats.
If you’re taking this drive in the spring, summer, or fall, stop by New Salem Preserves & Heritage Cider in New Salem at the end or beginning of your trip. It offers fresh apples in season from an heirloom apple farm dating from 1750, doughnuts, and even specialty cheeses! You won’t want to miss one of the best scenic drives in Massachusetts.
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Don’t forget to pull over and enjoy the charming covered bridge in Hardwick.
This perfect little covered bridge in Hardwick is the ultimate spot for a mid-drive pit stop. You can pack a few snacks to enjoy by the water or simply walk across the bridge and admire the natural splendor of the area.
Take this drive when you can. It’s one of the most beautiful scenic byways in MA. Tap or click on this interactive map for driving directions along your route.
It's not always about the destination. In fact, sometimes it's the drive to get somewhere that's just as memorable or even more memorable. This is certainly the case with taking the Mohawk Trail. This scenic drive is just as beautiful as the glacial potholes in Massachusetts in Shelburne Falls that it leads to. If you have been searching "glacial potholes MA photos," you've found the right article! They are even more mesmerizing than you might expect! Understanding the natural history behind their formation makes this trip even more rewarding.
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The Mohawk Trail in Western Massachusetts is 63 miles long and leads travelers on a journey through some of the state's most resplendent beauty. You'll be in awe of all that you see along the way.
Shelburne Falls is a historic village that sits along the Deerfield River. While it's best known for the Bridge of Flowers, it's also home to a remarkable natural wonder.
Formed by glacial water retreating over 14,000 years ago, the glacial potholes in Shelburne Falls are otherworldly, to say the least. This natural wonder is found below the village's Salmon Falls.
The glacial potholes in Massachusetts are breathtaking and unlike anything you've seen before. Their sizes range between six inches and 39 feet and are absolutely awe-inspiring.
Have you ever taken this scenic drive to see the glacial potholes in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts ? Is the Mohawk Trail your favorite scenic drive in the state? Let us know in the comments section! We're always glad to hear about your trips.
Want to explore some more of the state's most breathtaking scenery? Check out these scenic drives in Massachusetts for your next adventure. You won't believe your eyes when you see what gorgeous views these roads have to offer. You will surely want to pull over and take some photos along the way! And if you're ready for an especially fun road trip, take a look at our Ultimate Road Trip Packing guide. You'll be properly prepared for anything!
Massachusetts has a long and storied history, and it has its fair share of fascinating ruins to prove it. While not all of the state's abandoned spots are accessible, there are some that allow you to drive or hike right up. This road trip will take you across the state to some of the most interesting and easy-to-reach abandoned places in Massachusetts you can visit.
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Check out this interactive map for addresses and directions. Please note: Some of these places have interiors or areas that are off-limits to the public. Please obey all trespassing laws and be respectful of others’ property when exploring.
The woods of Becket are hiding a park unlike any other in the world. This nature preserve is filled with the abandoned ruins of 200-year-old mining equipment, vehicles, and buildings. The ruins are left from the time when the area was an active quarry, and visitors can climb and investigate all of the abandoned sites. This park is open to the public for exploration. Come and see why this is one of the most interesting abandoned places in Western Massachusetts.
2. Belchertown State School for the Feeble Minded, Belchertown
This abandoned state school was built in 1922 to care for and to educate people with mental disabilities or psychological conditions. By the 1970s, it had become notorious for its inhumane treatment of patients and terrible sanitary conditions. The school has been closed for about 40 years, but many of the old buildings remain standing. This is one of the scariest abandoned places in Western Massachusetts.
This abandoned Massachusetts prison camp can be found in the woods of a state park in Rutland. The complex was built in 1903 to house minor offenders like drunkards and petty thieves. Instead of being confined in a cell all day, the prisoners were expected to work the land and cultivate potatoes, as well as tend cows and chickens. In 1907, a tuberculosis hospital was added to the prison. It was finally abandoned in 1934, but the ruins are still standing and fully open to the public.
The Clinton Railroad Tunnel has a spooky history. Built in the late 1800s, over 4,000 bodies from a local burial ground had to be unearthed and moved to construct this tunnel and the neighboring Wachusett Dam. Since then, people have reported all manner of ghostly phenomena near this abandoned site. The railroad tunnel is completely open for public exploration. This is certainly one creepy place in Massachusetts.
This spooky-looking state hospital opened in 1930, and it bears a particularly macabre nickname – the Hospital of the Seven Teeth. In 1978, Melvin Wilson killed fellow patient Anne Marie Davee and buried her remains in three different locations around the hospital grounds. However, he kept seven of her teeth for trophies. Today, most of the buildings have been demolished. However, a quick trip down the Western Greenway Trail will lead you to the hospital's old burial ground, Metfern Cemetery. You can still see the simple graves. You will love exploring the hospital which is one of the most interesting abandoned places in Massachusetts you can visit.
You might recognize this abandoned zoo from the 2003 film Mystic River. Set away from the main area of the Franklin Park Zoo, this strange enclosure was built in 1912 and served to house a number of large bears. The public loved to come and watch the bears roam around their stone home, but the intricately carved enclosure is now abandoned and slowly being overtaken by nature. This area is open to the public for exploration.
Visiting Fort Revere is a great way to pack a beach day and a bit of ruin exploration into one trip. Located in the scenic village of Hull, this decommissioned military fort was in use from the Revolutionary War all the way until World War II. It was taken out of active service in 1947, and the public is welcome to explore its abandoned halls and stone rooms. It's one of the most fascinating creepy places in Massachusetts you can visit.
This is a bona fide Massachusetts ghost town. Its history includes everything from rumors of witchcraft to packs of roving dogs, and the town is even studded with peculiar boulders bearing inspirational or reprimanding messages. While there aren't any standing homes left, it's fun to explore the old foundations and try to find all of the bizarre boulders. But of all the creepy places in Massachusetts, Dogtown comes out on top.
What are your favorite abandoned places in Massachusetts you can visit? Mine happens to be the Franklin Park Zoo Bear Cages. Let us know in the comments! If spooky and scary are more your style, check out these 15 terrifying places across Massachusetts that will send shivers up your spine.
