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 closure sign located at the Gulf Road M & M trailhead due to landowner's request of the Berkshire Chapter AMC.
Crag Mountain
View from Crag Mountain; Northfield Mountain Reservoir in distance
Highest point
Elevation1,503 ft (458 m)
Parent peakBrush Mountain
Coordinates42°38′36″N 72°25′05″W / 42.64333°N 72.41806°W / 42.64333; -72.41806
Geography
Map
LocationNorthfield, Massachusetts
Geology
Age of rock400 million years
Mountain typeArête; quartzite
Climbing
Easiest routeMetacomet-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

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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. Wachusett, and what appears to be Stratton Mountain (VT) to the northwest.[citation needed]

References

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