Overview
Washington is small rural town in the east central Berkshire Hills of Massachusetts. Washington mostly offers outdoor wilderness activities, including at October Mountain State Forest. It also has several historic buildings.
9 sights · 5 things to do · 3 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Washington
Clark–Eames House
Likely built in 1790, it is one of the few surviving 18th-century houses in the town. It is an example of Federal architecture.
Lower Historic District
A National Register of Historic Places property. Consists of four homesteads dating from 1765 to 1803, built along a stretch of Washington Mountain Road near the border with Becket. It includes the town's oldest house, t…
Philip Eames House
An 1843 house built out of irregularly cut granite. It was built by Philip Eames, who owned several sawmills in the area. The National Register of Historic Places listing calls it "most imposing 19th century residence" o…
South Center School
An 1880 building and Washington's only extant district school building.
Saint Andrew's Chapel
Designed by Pittsfield architect George C. Harding and completed in 1899. Built for George Crane's adjacent summer estate. It only held services when Cranes were staying at the estate. Both the chapel and the Crane estat…
Sibley–Corcoran House
Dating around 1813, the building is a well-preserved example of a rural Federal style farmhouse, with later Greek Revival alterations. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: May–Oct. Summer highs reach about 84°F; winter lows dip to about 16°F. Cold months (Jan, Feb, Dec) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: Jul and Jun. (climate data from nearby Albany)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- BDL Bradley International Airport, Hartford — 37 mi away (major hub). Directions
- ALB Albany International Airport, Albany — 44 mi away (major hub). Directions
There are two main routes into Washington, both of which run north-south: MA Rt 8, from Hindsale to Becket, and Washington Mt Rd, from Dalton/Pittsfield to Becket. Washington Mt Rd begins on the Dalton/Pittsfield end at the corner junction of Williams St, and Dalton Division Rd, runs diagonally along the border of October Mountain State Forest, and turns into McNerny Rd in Becket. Washington Mt Rd can be difficult, even impassable, in bad winter conditions.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 3-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Lower Historic District, South Center School, Saint Andrew's Chapel
- Afternoon Upper Valley Historic District, Philip Eames House
Day 2
- Morning Sandwash Reservoir, Ashley Lake
- Afternoon Appalachian Trail, Farnham Reservoir
Day 3
- Morning Clark–Eames House, Coles Brook Preserve
- Afternoon Appalachian Trail at Blotz Rd Parking
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
The area that is now Washington is historically Mohican land, near the Pocumtuc. Europeans colonized the area in 1760 and the town was incorporated in 1777. The town went by various names, including Greenoch, Watsontown and Hartville, before being renamed for George Washington in 1784. The town has always been very rural and very small in population. Most of the town area is forest wilderness. Washington is bordered by Dalton and Hinsdale to the north, Peru to the northeast, Middlefield to the east, Becket to the south, Lee to the southwest, Lenox to the west, and Pittsfield to the northwest. The majority of the 16,500 acres of October Mountain State Forest is in Washington. The Appalachian Trail also passes through the town.
Get in
By car
There are two main routes into Washington, both of which run north-south: MA Rt 8, from Hindsale to Becket, and Washington Mt Rd, from Dalton/Pittsfield to Becket. Washington Mt Rd begins on the Dalton/Pittsfield end at the corner junction of Williams St, and Dalton Division Rd, runs diagonally along the border of October Mountain State Forest, and turns into McNerny Rd in Becket. Washington Mt Rd can be difficult, even impassable, in bad winter conditions.
On foot
Washington lies on the Appalachian Trail and can be entered by it via the trailheads at street intersections. Route 8 and Washington Mt Rd can be traversed by foot, but this is long and difficult.
Get around
Car is the feasible option to get around Washington. If you are a good hiker, you can traverse the town on foot. MA Rt 8 is fairly passable on bicycle.
See
See Clark–Eames House
Likely built in 1790, it is one of the few surviving 18th-century houses in the town. It is an example of Federal architecture.
See Lower Historic District
A National Register of Historic Places property. Consists of four homesteads dating from 1765 to 1803, built along a stretch of Washington Mountain Road near the border with Becket. It includes the town's oldest house, that of William Milliken. The specific houses and address are as follows: Richmond - Foster - Corey House, 1570 Washington Mt Rd; Clark - Strong - Abbott - Pomeroy Farm, 1648 Washington Mt Rd; Hiram Savery Farm, 1651 Washington Mt Rd; and William Millekean Farm, 1796 Washington Mt Rd.
See Philip Eames House
An 1843 house built out of irregularly cut granite. It was built by Philip Eames, who owned several sawmills in the area. The National Register of Historic Places listing calls it "most imposing 19th century residence" of the town. The building has Federal and Greek Revivalist stylings.
See Saint Andrew's Chapel
Designed by Pittsfield architect George C. Harding and completed in 1899. Built for George Crane's adjacent summer estate. It only held services when Cranes were staying at the estate. Both the chapel and the Crane estate were eventually transferred to the Episcopal diocese. The chapel is in Late Gothic Revivalist style and is on the National Register of Historic Places.
See Sibley–Corcoran House
Dating around 1813, the building is a well-preserved example of a rural Federal style farmhouse, with later Greek Revival alterations. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
See Upper Valley Historic District
A cluster of historic buildings in the area of the old town center, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Good examples of Federal and Greek Revival architecture. The 1783 animal pound, a rectangular stone building, is the oldest extant structure. The town's current cemetery on the east side of Washington Mountain Road dates from 1805 and contains a few burials moved from the town's nearby first burying ground. The town hall, next to the cemetery, is from 1848/49 and sees occasional use for civic events. The two oldest houses in this district are the Elijah Crane House, from c. 1785–89, and the Jasper Morgan Tavern, from c. 1810–11.
See Sandwash Reservoir
Reservoir owned by Pittsfield. Mostly surrounded by October Mountain State Forest.
See Farnham Reservoir
A 40-acre lake adjacent to October Mountain State Forest. The access road is in poor condition and is better traversed on foot, mountain bike, or off-road vehicle.
Do
Appalachian Trail
- Entry and exit points; for the portions of the trail in October Mountain State Forest, see that article.
Do Appalachian Trail
Do Appalachian Trail Parking at Washington Mt Rd
Trailhead and parking lot at Washington Mt Rd. Near the farm shop Blueberry Hill by the Appalachian Trail, which from mid-June through the summer gives free snacks to AT hikers,
Buy
Sleep
Go next
Go south to Becket or Torrington, Connecticut, north to Dalton and Pittsfield, or west to Lenox and Lee.
Nearby
Becket
City / town · 1 listings · 3 mi away
October Mountain State Forest
Park · 31 listings · 3 mi away
Hinsdale
City / town · 21 listings · 4 mi away
Dalton
City / town · 51 listings · 7 mi away
Lee
City / town · 3 listings · 8 mi away
Cummington
City / town · 5 listings · 9 mi away
Lenox
City / town · 53 listings · 9 mi away
Pittsfield
City / town · 39 listings · 9 mi away
My experience
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