The lighthouse on top of a mountain

Almost 2000 miles long, the Appalachian Trail extends from Katahdin in Maine to Springer Mountain in Georgia. Those who hike the trail and who do the whole thing end-to-end normally take 4-6 months to do it.

The Massachusetts part of the Trail extends for about 90 miles. It passes through the Housatonic Valley, an area rich in history.

The Trail enters Massachusetts near Williamstown. It then winds through the Berkshires and then crosses the Hoosic and Housatonic rivers. One of the peaks it climbs is Mount Greylock (3491’), the highest point in the state.

Herman Melville (who wrote "Moby Dick"), set up an observation deck at his home at Arrowhead. According to legend, Melville thought Greylock looked like a whale and it was his inspiration for the great white whale in "Moby Dick". True or not, the summit of Greylock is reputed to be the scene of a party given by Melville when "Moby Dick" was published.

The nautical associations don’t end there; believe it or not there is a lighthouse on the top of the Greylock mountain. The light from this can be seen for 70 miles.

This lighthouse was originally destined for Boston's Charles River but it was diverted to the summit to be used as a war memorial. Its beacon according to the summit plaque would "guide aviators in their long night-time journeys over the treacherous mountain range." All strange stuff, but well worth seeing.  You can climb the 105-foot tower.  If the weather is good, you'll have not only a view of the Appalachian Trail from the top of Melville's whale, but you'll also have a panorama from New Hampshire to Connecticut.