Bartholomew’s Cobble

Specialties

Created by geologic upheavals when the Taconic and Berkshire ranges were formed, this hundred-​foot-​high bedrock outcropping introduces visitors to a rugged and exotic landscape that also supports 800 species of plants while offering terrific mountain vistas.

Trails: Five miles of trails, moderate hiking. Some may find the hike to the Hurlburt’s Hill summit strenuous.

When to Visit: Open year-​round, daily, sunrise to sunset. Museum and visitors center open year-​round, daily, 9AM — 4:30PM (closed Sundays and Mondays, December to March). Allow a minimum of 2 hours, 3 hours if also visiting the Ashley House. Spring wildflowers show best mid-​April through May. Spring bird migration at peak in May. Ferns best in June. Hawk migration from mid-​September through October.

Facilities: Visitors Center and natural history museum (handicapped-​accessible public restrooms). Private functions may be arranged for groups of up to 40 people; call or e-​mail for more information.

History

Established in 1891.

The reservation is named for George Bartholomew, a farmer who purchased the fields and uplands in the late 19^th Century. But more than a hundred years earlier, Col. John Ashley had gathered together a sprawling estate of which the current reservation was only a part. The Trustees acquired the Cobble in 1946; Ashley’s home, also owned by the Trustees, still stands on nearby Cooper Hill Rd.

Property Acquisition History: Original acreage purchased in 1946. Additional land purchased in 1963, 1968, and 1969, and in 1976 with a matching grant from the National Park Service and the Massachusetts Historical Commission. Additional land given by Ellen Spero Roman and James S. and Robert E. Spero in 1978; Antonio J., Gilbert F., and Vincent A. Malnati in 1981; Harry Kahn in 1982; Dr. Alan J. Frish in 1982; and Ann Z. Grumpelt in 1996 and 2000.