Mohawk Trail State Forest History and Information

A clear, cold river cascades through Mohawk Trail State Forest along a rocky streambed. One of the most scenic woodland areas in Massachusetts, the state forest offers visitors a taste of real wilderness in a rustic setting. Over 6,000 acres of mountain ridges, deep gorges and tall old-growth trees support a diversity of plant and animal life. 56 wooded campsites are available seasonally, and six overnight log cabins are available year-round. Discover miles of rivers and streams for excellent trout fishing, a swimming area, and a day-use picnic area. The state forest is located along and named for the Mohawk Trail a historic Native American foot path that connected the Connecticut and Hudson River Valleys. Sections of this route are open for hiking today as the Mahican-Mohawk Trail.

Mohawk Trail State Forest is specifically known for its trees. A total of 612 acres (248 ha) of the state forest is classified as pre-settlement old growth by researchers. Trees approaching 500 years in age have been confirmed. Most of the extremely old trees are Eastern hemlock. Other species reaching significant age include yellow and black birch, sugar maple, red spruce, and northern red oak. Specimens of examples of all these species exceed 300 years in age and numerous trees of a dozen species surpass 200 years.

Trees over 150 years old in Mohawk are very common. In addition to the old growth, Mohawk Trail State Forest currently boasts 18 of the tall tree champions for Massachusetts state champions.

However, many of these champion trees are not conspicuously large in girth. They have grown exceptionally tall in the rich, moist, protected ravines of the central Berkshires. Note that what is being described are champion tall trees, which are not to be confused with official state champion trees. The latter are based on weighted measurements of girth, height, and crown spread to arrive at composite scores suggestive of overall size. Most of these tallest trees are between 100 and 200 years old and are properly classified as second growth. Among the tall tree species, the white pine stands supreme. As of the end of the 2006 growing season, at least 81 eastern white pines reach heights of 150 feet or more and 5 surpass 160 feet (49 m).

The Mahican-Mohawk Trail and the colonial Mohawk Trail road to the lower meadows both pass through some of the tallest of the pines. The Mahican-Mohawk Recreational Trail passes through some of the old growth as it climbs the Todd-Clark Ridge on the north side.

The tallest accurately measured SINGLE tree in the New England grows in Mohawk Trail State Forest and measured 168.5 feet (51.4 m) in height at the end of the 2006 growing season.
The tree is named for Mohawk dignitary Chief Jake Swamp.