Crag Mountain (Massachusetts)
Crag Mountain, 1,503 feet (458 m), of the Bald Hills region of east Franklin County, Massachusetts is the southern and most apparent summit of Brush Mountain, 1,507 feet (459 m). Narrow and precipitous, the mountain offers expansive views from its open, knife-edge summit. Crag Mountain is composed of quartzite, a weather-resistant metamorphic rock. The 114 mile (183 km) Metacomet-Monadnock Trail traverses its summit ridge. Crag Mountain is located within the town of Northfield, Massachusetts.
| Crag Mountain | |
|---|---|
 View from Crag Mountain; Northfield Mountain Reservoir in distance | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 1,503 ft (458 m) |
| Parent peak | Brush Mountain |
| Coordinates | 42°38′36″N 72°25′05″W |
| Geography | |
| Location | Northfield, Massachusetts |
| Geology | |
| Age of rock | 400 million years |
| Mountain type | Arête; quartzite |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | Metacomet-Monadnock Trail |
The west side of Crag Mountain flows into Fourmile Brook, then into the Connecticut River, which flows into Long Island Sound. The east side flows into Jack's Brook and Keyup Brook, then into the Millers River, thence the Connecticut River and Long Island Sound.
Recreation
Currently (August 2018), the Crag Mountain summit is closed to thru hikers on the M & M Trail at the request of the landowner. The trail remains blazed with white blazes from Gulf Road in a southerly direction to within a half mile of the summit (marked with three USGS benchmarks). Orange blazes and a well-marked trail continue southerly to the open summit, which affords views of Mt. Monadnock, Mt. Wachusetts, and what appears to be Stratton Mountain (VT) to the northwest.
References
- The Metacomet-Monadnock Trail Guide 10th edition, (2005). Amherst, Massachusetts: Appalachian Mountain Club.