page_title: Northfield Mountain
section_title: Recreation
hierarchical_section_title: Northfield Mountain / Recreation
caption_attribution_description: Rose_Ledge, Erving Massachusetts
context_page_description: Northfield Mountain, 1,206 feet, is a mountain ridge located in Erving and Northfield, Massachusetts. 2.5 miles long by 1.8 miles long, the mountain is composed of several distinct peaks and ledges, most notably Rattlesnake Mountain 1,067 feet, Rose Ledges 1,080 feet, and Hermit Mountain. A pumped-storage hydroelectric plant and reservoir occupies the top of the mountain west of the summit.
  The 114-mile Metacomet-Monadnock Trail crosses the summit ridge of Northfield Mountain; a series of shorter hiking trails, cross country ski trails, a cross country running course, and rock climbing routes are also located on the mountain and its ledges. Northfield Mountain is located at the confluence of the Connecticut River and Millers River. A waterfall, Briggs Brook Falls, plunges from its southeast side.
context_section_description: FirstLight Power Resources also manages recreational resources on the mountain as part of their agreement with the state of Massachusetts. A cross-country ski area is located on the mountain; it includes groomed trails, warming huts, and ski instruction. The 114 mile (183 km) Metacomet-Monadnock Trail traverses the mountain, as do a number of shorter trails. FirstLight also offers camping at nearby Barton Cove, environmental programs, and boat tours of the Connecticut River. 
  Rose Ledge and Farley Ledges are popular among rock climbers. Farley Ledge has been subject to recent conservation and climbing access initiatives. Hermit Mountain is the site of "Hermit's Castle," a state historic site where John Smith, a local recluse, made his home from 1857 to 1900.
caption: View from Rose Ledge
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