Hiking Massachusetts Peaks

A guide to exploring some of the best hills and mountains of the Bay State

Massachusetts Highest 50 Public Peaks Challenge

Todd Mountain in Charlemont, #46

I’ve spent years carefully curating a list of the 50 highest peaks in Massachusetts that are on public land and have good trail access to each summit. With so many of the state’s summits located on private property, and others lacking a reliable trail network, it can be challenging to determine which are off-limits and which offer a rewarding hike. I’ve done the scouting for you. The following peaks provide hikers the chance to explore the Bay State’s highest and best peaks without the need to trespass or bushwhack through miles of dense laurel thickets. (For more details on the criteria and how this list was created, see below).

Reach out using the Contact page if you decide to pursue this list or have questions. I’d be happy to hear about your experiences hiking Massachusetts!

RankNameElevationProm.TownCounty
1.Mount Greylock34922468AdamsBerkshire
2.Saddle Ball Mountain3248208New AshfordBerkshire
3.Mount Williams2965191North AdamsBerkshire
4.Spruce Mountain2717321MonroeFranklin
5.Misery Mountain2694557WilliamstownBerkshire
6.Mount Prospect2689379WilliamstownBerkshire
7.Mount Everett26091664Mount WashingtonBerkshire
8.Spruce Hill North Peak2587569North AdamsBerkshire
9.Rounds Rock2585244CheshireBerkshire
10.Stony Ledge2584228WilliamstownBerkshire
11.Misery Mountain North Peak2556241WilliamstownBerkshire
12.Ragged Mountain2538339AdamsBerkshire
13.Borden Mountain2517441SavoyBerkshire
14.Mount Frissell2452791Mount WashingtonBerkshire
15.Widow White’s Peak2434787LanesboroughBerkshire
16.Mount Race2370442Mount WashingtonBerkshire
17.Honwee Mountain2307367LanesboroughBerkshire
18.Poppy Mountain2299199HancockBerkshire
19.Judges Hill2298322WindsorBerkshire
20.Alander Mountain2240270Mount WashingtonBerkshire
21.Walling Mountain2216273BecketBerkshire
22.North Mountain2214290LanesboroughBerkshire
23.Pine Mountain2210206HancockBerkshire
24.Berry Mountain2205186HancockBerkshire
25.Smith Mountain2177251HancockBerkshire
26.Lenox Mountain2126986LenoxBerkshire
27.Mount Wilcox2109746MontereyBerkshire
28.Adams Mountain2096499RoweFranklin
29.Tully Mountain2084258HinsdaleBerkshire
30.Perry Peak2072559RichmondBerkshire
31.Warner Hill2055208HinsdaleBerkshire
32.Mount Darby2035220Mount WashingtonBerkshire
33.Wachusett Mountain2008932PrincetonWorcester
34.Benedict Pond Peak1966204Great BarringtonBerkshire
35.Holy Mount1932209HancockBerkshire
36.Clark Mountain1923275FloridaBerkshire
37.Todd Mountain (Rowe)1922226RoweFranklin
38.Prospect Hill1898212Mount WashingtonBerkshire
39.Lenox Mountain South Peak1847217LenoxBerkshire
40.Shaker Mountain1843233HancockBerkshire
41.Peter Hill1843171AshfieldFranklin
42.Mount Watatic1838509AshburnhamWorcester
43.Hunger Mountain1826340MontereyBerkshire
44.Round Top Hill1793413ChesterHampden
45.Negus Mountain1774286RoweFranklin
46.Todd Mountain (Charlemont)1698237CharlemontFranklin
47.Gobble Mountain1686407ChesterHampden
48.Peeskawso Peak1622200Great BarringtonBerkshire
49.Mount Grace1619684WarwickFranklin
50.Massaemett Mountain1593580ShelburneFranklin

This list was assembled based on the following criteria:

  1. Located on public land with public access (This was the primary factor driving this concept–to stay off private property and develop a list of the highest Massachusetts peaks attainable without trespassing).
  2. Good trail access to the summit (Getting trapped in an endless laurel thicket is no fun. Plus, bushwhacking is disruptive to vegetation and wildlife. These peaks have good trails either directly to or very near their true summits).
  3. Prominence of at least 200′ (This gets a bit arbitrary but generally, in southern New England, a peak with 200+ feet of prominence can be considered “independent” rather than a “subpeak” of a nearby mountain. A small number of exceptions have been made here. A few just under 200′ in prominence have been included because they solidly meet the other criteria.)