The Western MA Exchange

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• Unlimited outdoor adventures. Join thousands of free member-led hikes, paddles, climbs, and community events all year long.
• Discounts. Up to 20% off AMC lodging, merchandise, AMC guides and maps.
• Your voice in conservation. Take action to protect the mountains, rivers, forests, and trails of our region.
• Skills and leadership training. Access expert-led classes in outdoor safety, navigation, trail stewardship, and more.
• AMC Outdoors magazine. Enjoy a free subscription to AMC Outdoors, featuring trip ideas, conservation updates, inspiring essays, and more.
• Stay in the loop. Receive monthly e-newsletters, event invites, and stories that celebrate our community and mission.
• A membership that gives back. As a nonprofit, 100% of your dues and donations are tax-deductible and go toward fostering the enjoyment, protection, and understanding of the outdoors.

Join today! Your dollars will be put to work to protect the outdoors for generations to come.

Looking to join us on future rides? Here are all of the rides with the Western MA Chapter that have been posted to date. MORE PHOTOS »

We have 14 more chapter-led AMC 150 relay activities before our friends in the AMC Worcester chapter are handed the baton on AMC's journey to ME. Join us on this epic adventure! MORE PHOTOS »

MORE PHOTOS »

AMC RESOURCES »

Are you a new member of the AMC Western MA Chapter? This hands-on stewardship day at Noble View Outdoor Center is a great way to get started. Designed with our first-year members in mind, this event offers a welcoming introduction to the community while giving you a chance to get outside, meet fellow members, and make a direct impact on the trails you'll come back to again and again. Spending time supporting our trails will give you a clear sense of what AMC is all about. If you're a first-year While this is designed to introduce new members to trail stewardship, everyone is welcome to attend. When: Sunday, June 7, 2026 from 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM. Where: Noble View Outdoor Center, Russell, MA What to bring: For working a day in the field, please bring along: long pants and work boots/sturdy footwear, a day pack with ~2L water, snacks, and lunch, insect repellent and sunscreen. Tools and PPE will be provided, although you are welcome to bring along personal work gear if so desired. What to expect: We will meet in the field in front of Double Cottage at 9:00 AM to convene and distribute tools and PPE. We will go over safety and the overall plans for the day. From there, we will make our way towards the Border Trail. Our efforts will prioritize re-grading and constructing the trail to improve tread sustainability and safety for recreation users. We will have lunch out on the trail, so please bring everything you need with you before we head out. If at any point participants need to leave before the day is done, we can direct them back to their vehicles via the quickest trail route. If we finish our route early, we may continue our hike to enjoy the beautiful trails that Noble View has to offer. Register Now!

Since this is National Bike Month, we want to make sure everyone is aware of one of the most scenic bike paths in MA - the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail. This 14-mile bike path connects Pittsfield to Adams and passes along the Cheshire Reservoir with gorgeous views of Mt Greylock, the reservoir, wildflower fields and the Hoosic River. You can stop by an ice cream shop in Cheshire or, when you get to Adams, the Adams Visitor Center that has bathrooms, picnic tables and a ski museum. There's even a restaurant if you want to get some refreshments before continuing on your ride. There are many access parking lots along the bike path. View more information including a trail map at Mass.gov. This bike path is a must-do for your spring, summer, or fall adventure list! View more photos on our Facebook page.

Trail maintenance includes checking on trail conditions, clearing drainage structures, cutting back vegetation, and digging into projects to protect and restore your designated section. Your commitment for trail stewardship can range from fostering a trail to checking signs to hiking and giving feedback. The adoption program is designed with the volunteer in mind. In addition to improving the trails, your stewardship assists the AMC's Trails department in project planning, needs, and issues. Training is available to help you get started. For questions or to express an interest, reach out to Craig Heinselman at cheinselman@outdoors.org. LEARN MORE »

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AMC staff members Audrey Fatone and Connor Piechota guided volunteers through Section 2 of the NET in Southwick, MA, where they demonstrated the function and proper handling of trail tools. Volunteers learned the basics of drainage building and management, corridor clearing, removal of fallen trees and what features make a trail sustainable. Open discussion allowed volunteers to give their insight on trail maintenance. Thank you to all staff and volunteers for their participation! MORE PHOTOS »

During National Wildflower Week, we want to let you know about an exciting opportunity to help AMC with research about wildflower distribution and the effects of climate change on wildflowers. All you have to do is download the iNaturalist app on your phone and start uploading photos of wildflowers on your outdoor adventures. iNaturalist is an online social network of people sharing biodiversity information to help each other learn about nature. You create an account, upload images of species you see, and identify those species with the help of machine learning and other users. AMC's Research Department uses iNaturalist to collect data about plants and animals. These data contribute to AMC's scientific papers about the timing of ecological events like flowering and spring leaf out. With this information, AMC and other scientists can understand how climate change is affecting species and which areas will be most vulnerable in the future.

How to Get Started

Researchers use data that have been compiled into collections, known as projects. Once you create your iNaturalist account, you can join any or all of AMC's projects. After you join a project, you can add your observations directly to that project, making it easy for our researchers to access the data you've collected. There will be a series of questions about the observation you uploaded. AMC's projects are: (1) Flowers and Fauna along the Appalachian Trail Corridor, (2) AMC Maine Woods, (3) Northeast Alpine Flower Watch, (4) New England Trail Nature Watch, and (5) Flowers and Fauna in Harriman State Park, NY. To join one of AMC's projects, log onto iNaturalist, find the Projects page, and enter the name of the project you'd like to join in the search bar. That project should pop up, and you will then be able to click on the project and select Join.

The AMC 150 iNaturalist Challenge

Challenge yourself to earn a limited-edition patch by registering and adding 150 observations to the iNaturalist app in 2026! From there, we'll be reaching out to request your iNaturalist username so we can stay up to date on your progress. For help with the app, here are some resources from iNaturalist.

AMC TIMELINE »

Here are some recent photos of wildflowers from hikes in the Connecticut River Valley - mostly Westfield, Easthampton, and Holyoke. Got any wildflower photos to share? Drop your pics into our Facebook post and be sure to include flower names and locations. FACEBOOK »

MASS.GOV »

Under the leadership of Chair Robyn Maislin, the Committee plans a variety of rides from April through October. They've recently trained five new leaders and are offering everything from gravel rides and social time to challenging rides in the Berkshires. For more information, go the Bicycling Committee page which has lots of information about joining a guided bike ride and a list of upcoming rides.

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AMC RESOURCES »

I must have packed and repacked my backpack a million times this spring... one day it's cold, the next it's hot, then it snows just to keep things interesting! But don't despair! Warmer weather is coming, and summer officially isn't far behind. Things are really starting to pick up across the Western MA Chapter, and it's such a fun time to be part of it. Our calendar is filled with hikes, trail work, bicycling, climbing, paddles, and special events — and the energy is building as the AMC 150 Relay makes its way closer to us. There are so many ways to get involved right now, whether you're looking to give back on Earth Day, explore a new trail, or join one of our many upcoming activities. It's a great time to get outside, connect, and enjoy whatever the weather decides to bring! We welcome our new members — so if you're just getting started, you're in great company. We have plenty of easier, first-time-friendly outings planned, so give one a try. No pressure, no expectations — just come out and have some fun. We all started somewhere... and who knows, you might just get hooked! Kathy Martin, Western MA Chapter Chair

Earth Day Actions

Earth Day is an annual celebration that honors the achievements of the environmental movement and raises awareness of the need to protect Earth's natural resources for future generations. Held on April 22nd, Earth Day was begun by U.S. Senator Gaylork Nelson (WI) to raise national awareness of deteriorating environmental conditions across the country. The first Earth Day on April 22, 1970 achieved a rare political alignment between Republicans and Democrats, rich and poor, urban dwellers and farmers, and business and labor leaders, and united individual activists in their fight against pollution. This led to the consolidation of environmental responsibilities under one federal government agency, the Environmental Protection Agency, and decades of regulations to curb ecological damage. Now more than ever, your help is needed to protect our natural spaces. So what can you do? Conservation is woven into all we do in the Western Massachusetts Chapter. There are many opportunities for you to join in our conservation efforts. Consider joining a wildlife transect, an invasive species removal, or trail maintenance activity. View our activities mosaic and select the Conservation button to find an outing. Or, visit AMC's website and learn how to support legislation for the environment, join the Conservation Action Network, and stay informed about initiatives and actions. Or, even simply, take a trash bag with you on your adventures and pick up rubbish along the way. Mother Earth, and all who enjoy her gifts, thank you!

Committee Highlight - Hiking

Under the leadership of Mike April, the Hiking Committee plans a variety of hiking opportunities throughout the year. There are about forty trained and experienced hiking leaders in the Western MA Chapter offering all kinds of hikes from relaxed, easy walks to vigorous hikes on challenging trails. The Committee currently has 47 posted upcoming hikes including:

• Wildflower and Journaling Hike Series
• Appalachian Trail Massachusetts Hike Series
• AMC 150th Relay Hikes
• Historic Canal Walks
• Nice and Easy Trail Walks
• Family Hikes
• Hikes for Younger Members
• Gear Swap Social

Come and explore new places, meet new folks, and experience the joy of outdoor adventures with others! Go to the Chapter Activities page and click on the Hiking button. We also want to invite you to join us for our National Trails Day celebration on Saturday, June 6th. We'ree offering hikes, trail maintenance and paddling outings, and bike rides.

The AMC 150 Relay is Heading to Western MA!

The AMC 150 Relay event celebrating the 150^th anniversary of AMC started on March 14^th in VA and is currently in PA. It will reach western MA on May 17^th, winding its way across MA on the Appalachian Trail, the New England Trail, and on roads and waterways as it makes its way to NH. There are lots of opportunities to join a hike, bike ride, or paddling outing as part of the relay. View our interactive map to track the relay that also provides links to register for all the AMC Relay activities. We'd also like to invite you to join in the AMC 150 Celebration at Noble View Outdoor Center in Russell, MA with a day of history, trails, and community. Enjoy guided walks, trail work, demonstrations, hikes, family activities, and a free BBQ as we explore Noble View's past, present, and future. The morning will consist of trail work and hikes to explore the Noble View property. From 1:00 to 4:30 PM we will have demonstrations, a presentation about the history of Noble View, a free BBQ, and cake! Please register soon as space is limited.