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Notchview, Windsor, MA. With more than 3,000 acres of rolling terrain and 25 miles of groomed ski trails, Notchview – a part of the Hoosac Range in the Berkshire Hills – offers an idyllic escape all year round, but especially in winter. Photo credit: Jeannette Pierce.

Wendell State Forest is 7,566 acres of rolling forested hills, streams, ponds, trails, a baseball diamond, and a picnic area. You can visit Wendell any time of year. Photo credit: Lani Giguere.

Ashley Reservoir is the secondary drinking supply for the city of Holyoke, MA. The impoundment was constructed in the 1890s and is home to robust populations of bears, deer, geese, ducks, beavers, and many other animal species. Photo credit: Jeannette Pierce.

Notchview, Windsor, MA. European settlers cleared this rugged upland to farm during the early 19th century. Rocky soils and a short growing season ultimately discouraged efforts to cultivate these lands, and by 1900, the farms within Notchview were consolidated into larger estates. Photo credit: Jeannette Pierce.

Mount Monadnock, NH. Located in Cheshire County, Mount Monadnock (elevation 3,165 feet) is surrounded by thousands of acres of protected highlands. Here, a Western MA hiker returns to tree line after ascending the mountain.

Bear Hole Reservoir, West Springfield, MA. The Town of West Springfield used the Bear Hole Reservoir as a source of drinking water for more than a century. The reservoir and surrounding area are now permanently protected from development by Mass Audubon and the Massachusetts Department of Conservation & Recreation. Photo credit: Jeannette Pierce.

Noble View Outdoor Center, Russell, MA. Originally purchased by AMC's Western MA Chapter in 1931, Noble View's peaceful, pristine mountaintop location overlooks the Connecticut River Valley and features 360 acres of woodlands, trails, and abandoned farm fields to explore. Photo credit: Jeannette Pierce.

View of Quabbin Reservoir from Rattlesnake Hill. Quabbin Reservoir is one of the largest unfiltered water supplies in the United States. Along with the Wachusett Reservoir and Ware River, it is the source of high quality water for the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority water supply system. Photo credit: Nancy Rapisarda.

Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort, Hancock, MA. Jiminy Peak is the largest ski and snowboard resort in southern New England and is the first mountain resort in North America to generate its own energy using alternative wind power. Photo credit: Jeannette Pierce.

Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort, Hancock, MA. This mid-sized alpine ski resort is located in the Taconic Mountains northwest of nearby Pittsfield. The summit of Jiminy Peak, which includes the Hendricks Summit Lodge, is located in Lanesborough. Photo credit: Jeannette Pierce.