Peaked Mountain

Peaked Mountain is a nature reserve located in Monson, Massachusetts. The property is approximately 2000acre and is owned by The Trustees of Reservations, a non-profit conservation organization. The principal landowners of its western slope, Leonard and Roslyn Harrington and Richard Elliott, have long permitted the public to hike through their properties to the summit. Concerned about the mountain's future, they sought the assistance of The Trustees of Reservations in developing a long-term strategy for protecting the mountain and securing public access after their lifetimes.Site descriptionPeaked Mountain is the highest point on a north-south ridge extending well into Connecticut, and lies at the heart of an extensive natural area that has been only lightly touched by development. The mountain and its surroundings boast an impressive diversity of habitats, including forests of various deciduous/evergreen compositions, rocky outcrops, ponds, streams, marshes, and beaver swamps. From the 1227ft summit of Peaked Mountain, a panoramic view unfolds taking in Connecticut's Shenipsit State Forest to the south, Mount Monadnock to the north, and Mount Wachusett to the northeast. In between lies a sweep of rolling New England countryside with forested hills and ridges, valley farms, and small villages. The Valley view overlook provides views of nearby Boulder Hill and the City of Springfield, Massachusetts to the west.