Wander the gentle slopes of this 500-ft hill overlooking the Connecticut River Valley and discover a variety of natural delights, from vernal pools to memorable views.
Old cart paths and woods roads reveal the farming and logging past of this sloping woodland that rises between the energetic college community of Amherst and the broad Connecticut River in the historic village of North Hadley. Admired and appreciated by locals and visitors alike, Mount Warner stands amid a 500-acre swath of protected land linking nearby Lake Warner to a range of conservation treasures.
Begin your visit by ascending through oak, beech, and other hardwoods, examining their trunks for the nesting cavities of birds and small mammals. Evergreen groves begin further upslope. Along the way, you’ll discover vernal pools that shelter and nurture an array of animal and plant species. Come spring, look and listen for frogs and salamanders that emerge to reproduce in these seasonal wetlands.
FREE to all
Year-round, daily, sunrise to sunset. Allow a minimum of 1-1/2 hours.
Please note that while the parking area is plowed in the winter, it may not be cleared immediately following a storm.
Mount Warner Road
North Hadley, MA 01035
E-mail: info@thetrustees.org
Get directions on Google Maps.
From Points North: Take I-91 South to Exit 35. Turn left onto Damon Road and follow for 1.0 miles. Turn left onto Route 9 (Russell Street) East and follow for approximately 2 miles. Turn left onto Route 47 North and follow for approximately 3 miles and turn sharply right onto Mt. Warner Road. Travel less than 1 mile to reservation on your left.
From Points South: Take I-91 North to Exit 25. Take Route 9 (Russell Street) East and follow for approximately 2 miles. Turn left onto Route 47 North and follow for approximately 3 miles and turn sharply right onto Stockwell Road, then right onto Mount Warner Road Travel. The parking lot is on your le
We recommend that you take a photo of the map on your phone so you can refer to it during your visit, or download a trail map before you head out.
A high point in the plain of the Connecticut River, Mount Warner was once an island in glacial Lake Hitchcock. Artifacts consisting of sharp points that would have been fastened to the ends of sticks to create hunting spears suggest the presence of the Abenaki tribe of Native Americans throughout much of the past eight thousand years. European settlement occurred in the mid-1600s, and there are signs of agricultural use over the past 200 years.
Property Acquisition History
Mount Warner was owned for generations by the Scott and Agassiz family. Lou and Jessie Agassiz’s daughter, Carolyn Hays, with community support, entrusted its care to The Trustees to preserve its beauty for everyone, forever.
This is a great place for a short hike.
– Robert Booth, Google Review
