        
| Property Description |
173 acres | Established 1964 |
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At the core of Chapel Brook is Pony Mountain, whose nearly vertical 100-foot rock face (called Chapel Ledge) offers a challenge to very skilled, technical rock climbers. A gentle, half-mile trail leads around the western side of Pony Mountain to its summit. A grove of trees gives way to white granite ledges that drop off precipitously, offering unobstructed views south toward the Berkshire foothills.
Chapel Brook is also popular for its sometimes-torrential Chapel Falls. Just below Pony Mountain, Chapel Brook, a tributary of the South River, meanders through dense hardwood forest before cascading over a series of three bedrock ledges. A steady trickle becomes a deluge in spring, but, come summer, the pools that form under the falls offer a cool, welcome dip.
After incorporation in 1765, settlers moved to Ashfield and cleared the forest for pasture. By 1831, Ashfield farmers boasted more than 8,000 sheep, many of which probably grazed at the base of Pony Mountain. Around the same time, Chapel Falls became the site of at least two gristmills. A two-room school was built above Chapel Falls to support the families in this growing community; the school doubled as a Methodist Chapel on Sundays, when the folding doors separating the two rooms were swung open. |
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| Trails |
| A one-mile trail climbs to the top of Pony Mountain. Moderate hiking, though strenuous in places. |
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| Property Acquisition History |
| Original acreage a gift, with endowment, of Mrs. Henry T. Curtiss in 1964 in memory of her husband. Additional land purchased in 1981 and 1989 with funds given by Mrs. Curtiss. Additional land given in 1992 by Edward Preissler and Deborah Thomas, and by Michael and Jane McCusker. |
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Telephone:
413-684-0148
E-mail:
pvregion@ttor.org
When to Visit:
Open year-round, daily, sunrise to sunset. Allow a minimum of 1.5 hours.
Admission Fees & Permits:
Free to all. On-site donation welcome from nonmembers.
Regulations / Advisories:
Dogs must be kept on a leash at all times.
How to Get There:
From Ashfield center, take Route 116 South for 2.5 miles to South Ashfield. Where Route 116 turns left, continue straight ahead on Williamsburg Road (follow Williamsburg Route 9 signs) and follow for 2.2 mi. Entrance is on the right just before bridge over Chapel Brook. Trail to Pony Mountain is accessed through the main entrance; the falls of Chapel Brook are accessed from across the road. Designated parking areas on both sides of road (12 cars).
Road Map:
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