Berkshire East, Zoar Outdoor Offer Plenty of Thrills
When the weather warms up each spring, Berkshire East and Zoar Outdoor — two neighboring outdoor recreation facilities in Charlemont owned by the same company — roll out a raft (pun intended) of activities, from whitewater rafting and kayaking to ziplining and mountain biking.
Take the Thunder Mountain Bike Park at Berkshire East, where bikers take a lift to the top and can access downhill trails of all skill levels.
“We’ve got quite an assortment of summer racing for families, friends, even school groups. We get folks from all over New England and as far as away as Canada,” said Nathan Marr, director of Marketing. “If you’ve never done downhill mountain biking before, we have clinics and a rental bike shop. It also attracts professionals and experts from all over the world.”
The popular Eastern States Cup racing series comes to the mountain twice a year, in the summer and fall, and over the past three seasons, an event called Thunderstruck has drawn a host of women professional mountain bikers. “It’s not competitive, really,” Marr said. “It’s just a show of what they can do, to show the sport to young women and girls and say, ‘hey, you can compete with the boys, too.’”
Both Berkshire East and Zoar Outdoor also offer rafting trips along the Deerfield River for all ages and skill levels.
“We have a family float trip for kids as young as 5. It’s gentle, fun, and a pretty way to see the river and get outside. Young kids with families can gently float down the river,” Marr said.
“Then, our mid-level trip is class 1 and 2 whitewater, with one class 3 rapid. That’s good for kids who are a little bit older, or someone who may have never been whitewater rafting before.”
An advanced whitewater rafting trip, with a minimum age of 14, features class 3 and 4 rapids along the way, he added. “We see a lot of college students, a lot of adventure camps, bachelor parties, things like that.”
Then there’s the famous Thunderbolt mountain coaster at Berkshire East, which pulls riders up the mountain, and they can enjoy the scenic descent at whatever speed they choose.
“There’s a whole range of things to do,” Marr said. “For folks with a tighter budget, we’ll see families do the mountain coaster and pack a picnic lunch, spread out on the lawn under a tree, and just enjoy being outside the house at a low cost, which is nice.”
Visit www.berkshireeast.com and www.zoaroutdoor.com for updated activities and schedules.
—Joseph Bednar
