Sages Ravine and Mt. Race

As soon as you reach Massachusetts on the Appalachian Trail, the trail goes into Sages Ravine. This is about a mile of trail that walks alongside Sawmill Brook through a beautiful, old growth hemlock forest. The brook has numerous small cascades and large pools of water. Sages Ravine is very popular with day hikers and backpackers. The easy ravine trail soon ends and the trail starts its climb up Mount Race, the first mountain in Massachusetts on the AT. As you get near the summit, the Mount Race Ledges open up and for a good quarter mile, the trail has excellent views. The summit of Mount Race is mostly rocky and somewhat tree covered. Views from the summit include a close view of Mount Everett to the north and the valley of Twin Lakes to the southeast. Mount Frissell and Alander Mountain to the west form a close ridge, but beyond them you can see the Catskills. On a clear day, you can even see Mount Greylock to the north, at the far northern end of the state.