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The 7 shortest mountain peaks in Massachusetts, mapped

Seize the cooler summer weather

By Tom Acitelli Updated
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By Tom Acitelli Updated

Editor's note: This map was updated from one originally published in September 2016.

The mountains of Massachusetts provide spectacular opportunities for outdoor activities and there is perhaps no better time of year to get out there than now: It's unseasonably cool, not too humid, and there's bright sunshine after 4 p.m.

These are the commonwealth's seven shortest peaks. They are tall enough to provide doses of challenging steepness as well as heaping quantities of nature and views. But they're not so high as to dissuade your inner hiker-slash-biker from hitting the trails.

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Great Blue Hill

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At 635 feet, Great Blue Hill is the tallest peak in Norfolk County, the area just to the south and the southwest of Boston. It is part of the Blue Hills Reservation, which provides plenty of opportunities for hiking and other outdoor activities.
MA-138 & Blue Hill River Rd, Canton, MA 02021

Mount Pisgah

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They say that you can see downtown Boston on a clear day from Mount Pisgah's 715-foot peak. First, you have to get there. Luckily, two laid-out trails, Tyler and Summit, intersect at the top.
19 Smith Rd, Northborough, MA 01532

Sugarloaf Mountain

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There are actually two peaks here: the 791-foot North Sugarloaf Mountan and the 625-foot South Sugarloaf Mountain. Both are part of the Mount Sugarloaf State Reservation and provide immense opportunities for hiking--including hikes that might turn into outright climbs (or feel like it!).
MA-116 & Sugarloaf St, South Deerfield, MA 01373
Ishwar via Flickr.

Tekoa Mountain

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The 1,121-foot summit is just northeast of where U.S. 20 meets the Massachusetts Turnpike. Tekoa lay within the Tekoa Mountain Wildlife Management Area, which provides several opportunities for hikes and other outdoor activities.
Montgomery, MA
John Phelan/Flickr.

Mount Tom

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The 1,202-foot Mount Tom overlooks the Connecticut River and is just to the northwest of downtown Holyoke. There are bountiful opportunities for hiking, mountain biking, and related sports. The 110-mile Metacomet-Monadnock Trail goes right over the summit. The whole shebang is part of the Mount Tom State Reservation.
US-5 & East St, Easthampton, MA 01027

Massaemett Mountain

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Just to the east of the Deerfield River in Shelburne, Massaemett River runs to 1,588 feet. At the summit is a stone fire tower. The tower's stairwell is open to the public and can enhance already pretty spectacular views. There are plenty of hiking trails to the top and thereabouts.
Shelburne, MA 01370

Mount Grace

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The 1,617-foot mountain is only two miles south of the New Hampshire border. It's part of a larger state forest and the possibilities are just about unlimited: hiking, climbing, biking (mountain and otherwise), camping, hunting, etc. That 110-mile Metacomet-Monadnock Trail passes through.
Warwick, MA 1378
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Great Blue Hill

MA-138 & Blue Hill River Rd, Canton, MA 02021
At 635 feet, Great Blue Hill is the tallest peak in Norfolk County, the area just to the south and the southwest of Boston. It is part of the Blue Hills Reservation, which provides plenty of opportunities for hiking and other outdoor activities.
MA-138 & Blue Hill River Rd, Canton, MA 02021

Mount Pisgah

19 Smith Rd, Northborough, MA 01532
They say that you can see downtown Boston on a clear day from Mount Pisgah's 715-foot peak. First, you have to get there. Luckily, two laid-out trails, Tyler and Summit, intersect at the top.
19 Smith Rd, Northborough, MA 01532

Sugarloaf Mountain

MA-116 & Sugarloaf St, South Deerfield, MA 01373
There are actually two peaks here: the 791-foot North Sugarloaf Mountan and the 625-foot South Sugarloaf Mountain. Both are part of the Mount Sugarloaf State Reservation and provide immense opportunities for hiking--including hikes that might turn into outright climbs (or feel like it!).
MA-116 & Sugarloaf St, South Deerfield, MA 01373
Ishwar via Flickr.

Tekoa Mountain

Montgomery, MA
The 1,121-foot summit is just northeast of where U.S. 20 meets the Massachusetts Turnpike. Tekoa lay within the Tekoa Mountain Wildlife Management Area, which provides several opportunities for hikes and other outdoor activities.
Montgomery, MA
John Phelan/Flickr.

Mount Tom

US-5 & East St, Easthampton, MA 01027
The 1,202-foot Mount Tom overlooks the Connecticut River and is just to the northwest of downtown Holyoke. There are bountiful opportunities for hiking, mountain biking, and related sports. The 110-mile Metacomet-Monadnock Trail goes right over the summit. The whole shebang is part of the Mount Tom State Reservation.
US-5 & East St, Easthampton, MA 01027

Massaemett Mountain

Shelburne, MA 01370
Just to the east of the Deerfield River in Shelburne, Massaemett River runs to 1,588 feet. At the summit is a stone fire tower. The tower's stairwell is open to the public and can enhance already pretty spectacular views. There are plenty of hiking trails to the top and thereabouts.
Shelburne, MA 01370

Mount Grace

Warwick, MA 1378
The 1,617-foot mountain is only two miles south of the New Hampshire border. It's part of a larger state forest and the possibilities are just about unlimited: hiking, climbing, biking (mountain and otherwise), camping, hunting, etc. That 110-mile Metacomet-Monadnock Trail passes through.
Warwick, MA 1378