Want to take your Berkshires leaf peeping getaway to the next level? Up the excitement and fun with fall foliage train rides through the Hoosac Valley on the Berkshire Scenic Railway!
Fall foliage season is upon us. As autumn works its magic, the Berkshires’ bountiful bright greens begin their seasonal shift to that welcome rainbow of warm colors. Bright reds and golds, browns, yellows, oranges, tans, and everything in between conspire to delight our eyes as fall’s lush palette spreads its seasonal hues across the landscape. Leaf-peeping season here in the Berkshires typically begins mid-to-late September and peaks early-to-mid October.
There are so many ways to get out and enjoy nature’s spectacular autumn show. Fall foliage drives, hikes, bike rides, paddling trips, and more. For those looking for something even more fantastic, however, it’s hard to beat a fall foliage train ride aboard the Berkshire Scenic Railway. In fact, Yankee Magazine ranked it as one of the “Top 10 foliage train rides in New England!”
Hoosac Valley Fall Foliage Train Rides
Berkshire Scenic Railway offers a variety of Hoosac Valley train rides throughout their season, including fall foliage train rides every fall.
Hoosac Valley fall foliage train rides are an 8-mile, 70-minute, round trip excursion offering non-stop, autumn scenes of the Hoosac and Greylock mountain ranges. The journey is fully narrated and your ride is a beautifully restored and comfortable, 100 year old train car.
Passengers board the Hoosac Valley Train at Adams Station. Parking is available just across the street at the Adams Visitor Center, located at 3 Hoosac Street in Adams, MA. The station is about 40 minutes north of our Berkshires bed and breakfast, The Inn at Stockbridge. The drive is so beautiful this time of year, however, that it always seems far shorter.
Fall foliage train rides are available Saturdays and Sundays at 11:30, 1:30, and 3:30pm. Tickets must be purchased in advance and you should plan to arrive no later than 10 minutes prior to the train’s departure.
Visit the Berkshire Scenic Railway website for more information and to reserve your tickets. You can also find Hoosac Valley Train Rides on Facebook.
Berkshire Scenic Railway Museum
Though the Berkshire Scenic Railway Museum is currently closed for the season, we didn’t feel like we could skip mentioning it.
Berkshire Scenic Railway Museum is just ten minutes from the inn at 10 Willow Creek Road in Lenox, MA. The museum is open seasonally on Saturdays, 10am to 2pm, from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend.
You’ll find the museum inside the restored, 1903 Lenox Train Station. The Lenox Station was a stop on the Stockbridge & Pittsfield Railroad until the 1950’s. It became the Berkshire Scenic Railway Museum and Station in 1986.
Visitors to the museum will find interactive exhibits on local railroad history and a fascinatingly detailed O-gauge model train display. You’ll also see the museum’s collection of historic rolling stock and engines. These include passenger cars, freight cars, and others, along with several restored, diesel locomotives.
You can also climb aboard the museum’s Yard Jitney for a short rail tour of the equipment collection in the rail yard. Fun!
Visit the museum online at www.berkshiretrains.org. You can also find the museum on Facebook.