Monroe State Forest

Monroe State Forest
Massachusetts State Forest
Country United States
State Massachusetts
County Franklin
Town Monroe, Florida
Coordinates 42°43′16″N 72°59′41″W / 42.72111°N 72.99472°W / 42.72111; -72.99472Coordinates: 42°43′16″N 72°59′41″W / 42.72111°N 72.99472°W / 42.72111; -72.99472
Highest point Spruce Mountain (Massachusetts)
 - elevation 2,710 ft (826 m) [1]
 - coordinates 42°42′18″N 73°00′21″W / 42.70500°N 73.00583°W / 42.70500; -73.00583 [1]
Area 3,750 acres (1,518 ha) [2]
Established Unspecified
Management Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation
Location in Massachusetts
Website: Monroe State Forest

Monroe State Forest is a Massachusetts state forest located in the towns of Monroe and Florida.[3] The forest is managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR).

Description

The forest's rugged terrain is filled with deep valleys and steep mountains. As with much of the now-forest land in Massachusetts, the majority of land now part of the Monroe State Forest was farmland in the 19th-century. Cellar holes and stone walls throughout the forest serve as a reminder to these days gone by. A small portion of the forest borders Vermont.

Features of the park include Spruce Mountain and scenic views of the Hoosac Range, Green Mountains, and the Deerfield River from the Civilian Conservation Corps-built Raycroft Lookout. Dunbar Brook, which runs through the forest, drops 700 vertical feet in two miles, cascading over boulders and forming countless waterfalls, rapids, and pools.[3]

Old growth

Researchers have identified 273 acres (110 ha) of old-growth sites in the forest.[4] See the list of old growth forests in Massachusetts for specific locations. Species represented include eastern hemlock, white pine, red spruce, and hardwoods such as yellow birch, sweet birch, American beech, American basswood, and white ash.

Activities and amenities

The forest has trails for hiking, horseback riding, and cross-country skiing. Fishing and restricted hunting are also available.[3]

References

  1. 1 2 "Spruce Mountain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  2. "2012 Acreage Listing" (PDF). Department of Conservation and Recreation. April 2012. Retrieved February 7, 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 "Monroe State Forest". MassParks. Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. Retrieved August 28, 2013.
  4. Mary Byrd Davis (23 January 2008). "Old Growth in the East: A Survey". Archived from the original on February 17, 2012. Retrieved August 27, 2013.
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