Petticoat Hill is one in a grouping of three hills that rise more than 1,000 feet above South Williamsburg. According to legend, the reservation got its name because the daughters of a family who farmed the hill generations ago hung their washed petticoats to dry outside—the garments could be seen for miles. Today, a 100-year-old forest crisscrossed by old stone walls covers a hillside dotted with cellar holes and foundations of early farmsteads. Where the valley meets the highlands, the reservation has a beautiful transition forest with specimen trees from both northern and southern climates. Some trees are more than 110 feet high, among the tallest in the region.

Petticoat Hill Summit is owned by the Williamsburg Water District; The Trustees owns Scott Hill Summit on its slope. Locke’s Loop, a trail constructed by the Williamsburg Woodland Trails Committee, begins at the Scott Hill Summit.

Along a mile and a half of occasionally strenuous trails, you’ll be captivated by the sheer diversity of specimen trees, including hemlock and white pine, red and black oak, yellow and black birch, shagbark hickory, and sugar and red maple.

FREE to all. Open sunrise to sunset.

Please note that the roadside parking area is not plowed in the winter.

Petticoat Hill Road
Williamsburg, MA 01096

Email:  info@thetrustees.org

Get driving directions on Google Maps.

From Pittsfield: Follow Rt. 9 East approx. 28 mi. into Williamsburg Center. Turn right onto Petticoat Hill Rd. and follow for 0.2 mi. to entrance and parking on left.

From Northampton: Follow Rt. 9 West approx. 4 mi. into Williamsburg Center. Turn left onto Petticoat Hill Rd. and follow for 0.2 mi. to entrance and parking (2 cars) on left.

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 visit.

• Mountain biking is not allowed.
• Dogs must be kept on leash at all times.
• Seasonal hunting is permitted at this property subject to all state and town laws. Wear bright colors when hiking in the November to December deer hunting season; avoid wearing or carrying anything that is white. Hunting is not allowed on Sundays. Learn more about hunting on Trustees’ properties.
• While the property is open in the winter, note that we do not plow the parking lot.
• PHOTOGRAPHY: We ask that photographers or their clients become Contributing Level Members before conducting portrait sessions at this property.  Click here for more information, and to request permission for any portrait sessions. The Trustees of Reservations reserves the right, and may give permission to its designated photographers and videographers, or to outside media, to photograph or video visitors and program participants at all its facilities and properties.