Bartholomew’s Cobble

In the southwest corner of Massachusetts near the town of Sheffield sits Bartholomew’s Cobble, an open space preserve featuring twin rocky knolls, a floodplain along the Konkapot and Housatonic Rivers, working hayfields, meadows and a hill that rises to 1,000 feet offering panoramic views of the area. In 1946, the nonprofit conservation organization The Trustees of Reservations purchased an initial twenty acres of this unique natural area. The Worcester Garden Club’s Founders Fund Award supported The Trustees initial purchase and when the award money was added, the future of Bartholomew’s Cobble was ensured.

The land began over 500 million years ago as reefs, shells and sand when it was inland sea. As the Taconic and Berkshire mountains were formed, geologic upheavals created this rugged terrain. In the late 19th century it was owned by George Bartholomew, a farmer for whom the land was named. Now Bartholomew’s Cobble is home to North America’s greatest diversity of ferns and the greatest overall biodiversity in Berkshire County, MA containing over 800 plant species.

Presently, Bartholomew’s Cobble continues to be a hikers paradise where five miles of well maintained trails allow visitors a variety of experiences while hiking: wild flower walks, caves for exploring, freshwater marshes with beaver ponds and panoramic views of the Housatonic River Valley. It was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1971.