Hinsdale — Although some hikers think nothing of the parking lot at Hinsdale’s Old Mill Trail, for those lacking mobility, the lot was a hindrance to their enjoyment of the trail, even with a portion of it deemed to be accessible. On a warm late-October afternoon, all of that changed.
The Berkshire Natural Resources Council (BNRC) hosted a ribbon-cutting on October 23 to celebrate recently completed renovations that allow for greater accessibility at the popular 127-acre site, including transforming the existing parking lot, adding an accessible bathroom, lowering the trail map kiosk, and improving the trail pathway to meet U.S. Forest Service Trail Accessibility standards. The BNRC—a land trust devoted to the protection and preservation of the Berkshires’ land, wildlife, and habitat—acquired the property in 2016, making the trail accessible. “But until this summer, the accessibility was in name only,” said BNRC President Jenny Hansell. “The parking lot was not accessible to mobility devices, and if you can’t get out of your car, you can’t go for a hike.”
The scenic tract is routed along the East Branch of the Housatonic River and was originally conserved by Crane & Company and MassWildlife, with the two entities collaborating with the Housatonic Valley Association to build the trail. According to the BNRC trail brochure, the waterway was originally harnessed to serve as a power source for area textile factories and Dalton’s Crane paper mill. The path includes interesting “surprises” such as the remains of a 1938 Oldsmobile and a native black cherry tree.
For its Old Mill Trail project, BNRC officials consulted with Unpaved Trails for All, an advocacy platform for trails to be made accessible to individuals using mobility devices or those having issues with balance or sight to experience nature. “To truly make it equitable for all, we had to make some upgrades,” said BNRC’s Community Conservation Senior Manager Taylor Staubach.
According to Hansell, the $90,000 parking lot project was funded by a bequest from the Estate of Helen Ladd Brackett. An additional $45,000 was expended from a Massachusetts Trail grant, allocated to the parking lot permitting process, design, and trail repairs, Director of Stewardship Doug Brown said. BNRC was required to provide a 22 percent match to those funds, he said.
The overall accessibility of the site has been a work in progress, Brown said, starting in 2021 with a grant-funded project allowing for a turnaround at the end of the accessible portion of the trail and adding a raised bench and retaining wall. In 2023, dips in the trail surface were repaired to make the ground more even, he said.
Citing the Greylock Glen Resort project, State Rep. John Barrett III (D – North Adams) touted his history of promoting outdoor recreation. “This trail is special in so many ways,” the former North Adams mayor said. “And the accessibility part of it is what I noticed when I saw the bills coming through that help any of this type of activity—making it available to everybody.”
He attributed the Old Mill Trail project as well as other accessible projects happening across Berkshire County to the Americans with Disabilities Act.
“Congratulations on your opening today, and you should be very proud of what you’ve accomplished,” Barrett said to the BNRC staffers in attendance.
For Maayan Nuri Hed, executive director and cofounder of trans-led arts foundation Seeing Rainbows, the day was a way to support BNRC as her group’s partner in a weekly hike program. “We’ve done a number of other programs here at Old Mill, specifically, so this trail is of particular significance to us,” she said.
Longtime BNRC member and Otis resident Diane Saunders joined the celebration after working on the Old Mill Trail, preparing it for use. “Every trail is important to every community,” she said.
The Old Mill Trail now marks the Berkshires’ third accessible trail, following Parsons Marsh in Lenox and Thomas and Palmer in Great Barrington, with the latter trails among BNRC’s most popular, Hansell said. “There hasn’t been a time when I’ve been out there and not seen someone using their walker or wheelchair to find their way into the peace and beauty of nature,” she said. “And when one person ventures forth, more will follow.”
Hansell noted that all three of her organization’s accessible trails are in the southern portion of Berkshire County, with more work needed for such projects in North County.