Q-MoB LGBTQ History Eco-Hike: Keystone Arch Bridges (Westfield, MA)

Q-MoB (Queer Men of the Berkshires)

See Largest Stone arch RR bridges ever built in US on 1st US Wild & Scenic River in the largest  MA roadless wilderness

chester elementary school

Berkshire LGBTQ Events

These events are open to all LGBTQ+ Berkshire residents and visitors.  Because many of these events are hosted by organizations other than Q-MoB you should contact the hosting organization if you have questions about the event.

Q-MoB Central Berkshires Activities

This is a list of Q-MoB activities in or near the Central Berkshires or Hill Towns.

Q-MoB Elder Activities

These events are less physically strenuous and cater to men who may be retired or have more mature tastes, like walks & easy hikes, potlucks, game nights, card games, arts & culture outings, restaurant & bar/pub outings, & coffee klatches.

Q-MoB Newcomer Events

We’d like to invite you to the following events especially for newcomers because they don’t require a big investment of time, money, or preparation, and because they are particularly easy ways to meet diverse queer men of all ages from all over the region

Q-MoB Queer Men's Hiking Group

Q-MoB offers at least 2 easy hikes & several walks in nature every month for rural queer men all over the Greater Berkshire Region led by volunteers like you.

Q-MoB Recreation/Wellness Activities

This is a list of Q-MoB's recreation, fitness and healing activities designed to help men enjoy moving their bodies in fun, creative, & community building ways.

Q-MoB Western Mass/Valley Activities

Q-MoB newly offers regular social, recreation/wellness, & arts/culture activities in Western Mass (AKA Pioneer Valley or Connecticut River Valley) in rural towns of Franklin, Hampshire, & Hampden Counties

Western Mass LGBTQ Recreation Events Calendar

Learn about LGBTQ+ Pride Recreation Activities throughout the year in the Greater Berkshire Region: Berkshire County; Western Franklin, Hampshire, & Hampden Counties; Bennington County (VT); Rensselaer & Columbia Counties (NY); & Litchfield County (CT).

<h3>4/18 Q-MoB LGBTQ History Eco-Hike: Keystone Arch Bridges (Westfield, MA)</h3>Saturday, 11am-2pmKeystone Arch Bridges Trailhead Chester, MA 01011Parking GPS <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&amp;query=42.312190,-72.992314" title="https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&amp;query=42.312190,-72.992314" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">42.312190,-72.992314</a>Google Map Link:<a href="https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&amp;query=42.312190,-72.992314" title="https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&amp;query=42.312190,-72.992314" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&amp;query=42.312190,-72.992314</a>IMPORTANT: Drive 1.5 miles beyond the Chester Elementary School to find the Trailhead which is at the intersection of Middlefield Road and Hebert Cross Road in Chester, MA, or just use the google map link above. Eventbrite requires a street address, but there is no street address for the trailhead, so drive 1.5 miles past the Chester Elementary School.Join LGBTQ people from all over the region in this history &amp; eco-hike where we will be learning about the largest stone arch railroad bridges ever built in the US, which happen to now be on the longest undamned stretch of the 1st Wild &amp; Scenic River in the US, which is in the largest stretch of unpaved wildnerness in the State of Massachusetts. This relatively easy hike takes you into the history of a railroad built over a mountain range in the Berkshires in the 1800s to connect Boston with Albany, but that has now become habitat for an incredible diversity of flora &amp; fauna that thrive in the relatively remote Hill Towns where Hampshire, Hampden, &amp; Berkshire Counties intersect in the historic towns of Chester, Middlefield, &amp; Becket.PARKING: Take Rte 20 to Town of Chester, MA. In center of town, turn onto Middlefield St &amp; drive 2.5 miles. Trail Head Kiosk will be on your left at the beginning of Herbert Cross Rd.Google Map Link:<a href="https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&amp;query=42.312190,-72.992314" title="https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&amp;query=42.312190,-72.992314" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&amp;query=42.312190,-72.992314</a>Eventbrite's mapping system requires a numbered street address, which this rural trailhead does not have! Please do not rely solely on the Eventbrite map.The trailhead parking area is located precisely at the intersection of Middlefield Road and Hebert Cross Road in Chester, MA.WHAT TO BRING: Regardless of the forecast, in the Berkshires in the Spring, please be prepared for rain, cold, wind, mud, mosquitos, ticks, &amp; even snow or ice, and specifcally consider bringing:<ul><li>Rain-gear, and layers like wool hat, gloves, fleece, sweater, puffy jacket in case it becomes wetter, colder, or windier than was forecast</li><li>Appropriate footwear for hiking in potentially wet, muddy portions of the trail</li><li>Water bottle</li><li>Picnic Lunch &amp; Snacks</li><li>Headlamp or flashlight</li><li>Mosquito/tick repellant and/or long sleeve light colored shirt &amp; light colored long pants tucked into your socks</li><li>Trekking poles or a walking stick (they make it safer in mud, or ascent or descent)</li><li>$10-$20 Tax-Deductible Donation<a href="https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/sqXpukhQeFaNTYPSNT4wXw" title="https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/sqXpukhQeFaNTYPSNT4wXw" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer"> Paid Online</a>, in cash, or check made out to "Q-MoB Inc" (Q-MoB is a 501(c)3 Non-Profit), or<a href="https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/mD2EE7hxeanQhXexvRAi2A" title="https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/mD2EE7hxeanQhXexvRAi2A" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer"> JOIN Q-MOB</a> so you never have to donate at any regular Q-MoB event, or just come for FREE if this is the very 1st Q-MoB event you have ever attended or you want a low-income work-exchange or scholarship.</li></ul>WEATHER: Before you leave home, please check the weather for the hike location so you will know current conditions and how to dress for them. Please let us know your cell phone number when you register so we can text you 1-2 hours before the event should an unexpected weather threat arise that causes us to have to cancel or postpone the activity.The Post-Hike Tick Prevention Protocol: Before getting back in your car, do a quick brush-down of your pants and boots. Once you get home, throw your hiking clothes directly into the dryer on high heat for 15 minutes (the dry heat kills ticks instantly, whereas the washing machine will not) and do a thorough full-body tick check in the shower.ABOUT THIS<a href="https://eventbrite.oldmanhustle.net/cc/berkshire-lgbtq-recreation-events-calendar-4763383?utm-campaign=social&amp;utm-content=creatorshare&amp;utm-medium=discovery&amp;utm-term=odclsxcollection&amp;utm-source=cp&amp;aff=escb" title="https://eventbrite.oldmanhustle.net/cc/berkshire-lgbtq-recreation-events-calendar-4763383?utm-campaign=social&amp;utm-content=creatorshare&amp;utm-medium=discovery&amp;utm-term=odclsxcollection&amp;utm-source=cp&amp;aff=escb" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer"> SERIES OF LGBTQ OUTDOOR RECREATION ACTIVIES</a>This hike is part of a series of Q-MoB LGBTQ outdoor recreation activities (hiking, biking, paddling, walking, swimming) funded by the<a href="https://www.mass.gov/info-details/the-massachusetts-office-of-outdoor-recreation-inclusive-and-accessible-events-grants-program" title="https://www.mass.gov/info-details/the-massachusetts-office-of-outdoor-recreation-inclusive-and-accessible-events-grants-program" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer"> Massachusetts Office of Outdoor Recreation (MOOR) Inclusive &amp; Accessible Events Grant Program</a> and several grants from the<a href="https://berkshiretaconic.org/" title="https://berkshiretaconic.org/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer"> Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation</a> (South Berkshire Fund, Central Berkshire Fund, Barrett Fund for North Berkshire) and is designed to:1) reduce isolation and build community connections between LGBTQ people in the Berkshires &amp; Western Mass; click<a href="https://eventbrite.oldmanhustle.net/cc/berkshire-lgbtq-recreation-events-calendar-4763383?utm-campaign=social&amp;utm-content=creatorshare&amp;utm-medium=discovery&amp;utm-term=odclsxcollection&amp;utm-source=cp&amp;aff=escb" title="https://eventbrite.oldmanhustle.net/cc/berkshire-lgbtq-recreation-events-calendar-4763383?utm-campaign=social&amp;utm-content=creatorshare&amp;utm-medium=discovery&amp;utm-term=odclsxcollection&amp;utm-source=cp&amp;aff=escb" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer"> LGBTQ OUTDOOR RECREATION CALENDAR</a> to learn about the many activities that have already been scheduled2) build a diverse capacity in the LGBTQ community to regularly lead &amp; offer outdoor recreation activities throughout the year; please<a href="https://queermenoftheberkshires.org/contact-us" title="https://queermenoftheberkshires.org/contact-us" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer"> SEND US A NOTE</a> if you'd like to learn how easy it is to help lead outdoor recreation activities for the LGBTQ community3) educate the community about the natural &amp; human history of important recreation sites, as well as how the native flora &amp; fauna are responding to climate change &amp; human use/restoration so the LGBTQ community will fall in love with those places and the organizations that maintain them and thereby participate in stewarding &amp; enjoying those sites. Please call us at 413-344-8162 if you know LGBTQ or allied outdoor experts who know the ecology and/or history of any of the amazing Berkshire recreation sites and might want to get paid a small stipend to co-lead.IMPORTANT: PLEASE<a href="https://queermenoftheberkshires.org/contact-us" title="https://queermenoftheberkshires.org/contact-us" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer"> SEND US A NOTE</a> if you would like to learn how you might volunteer or even get paid to help coordinate this series or co-lead a particular outdoor recreation activity, or just give us a call with your ideas and feedback: 413-344-8162.<a href="https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/sqXpukhQeFaNTYPSNT4wXw" title="https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/sqXpukhQeFaNTYPSNT4wXw" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">DONATE</a> OR<a href="https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/mD2EE7hxeanQhXexvRAi2A" title="https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/mD2EE7hxeanQhXexvRAi2A" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer"> BECOME A MONTHLY SUSTAINING MEMBER</a>: Please donate $10-$20 to help assure Q-MoB can continue to offer more than 20 activities &amp; multiple resources &amp; services to rural queer people all over the region. If you attend 2 or more Q-MoB events/month, please consider becoming a monthly sustaining donor member. By donating $25, $50, $75, or $100/month you can help to sustain the incredible variety of activities, services, and resources Q-MoB provides and assure all of these activities are accessible to men regardless of their age, income, or ability, and best of all you can avoid having to donate at each and every event you attend. Monthly Sustaining Members pay only once a month and then can attend all our activities with no further donation.ACCESSIBILITY: We design our recreation activities so they are relatively easy &amp; accessible to ambulatory adults with average strength, but if you have moblity challenges and want to know our capacity to support you, please<a href="" title="" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer"> SEND US A NOTE</a> or give us a call 413-344-8162. We are a very small non-profit with very limited access to outdoor recreation mobility devices and volunteers trained to provide accessibility assistance, but if we know about your needs, we will make our best effort to meet them, and we enjoy making our activities accessible to as broad a range of our community as possible.REACHING US DAY OF EVENT: If you have trouble finding us, are running late, or decide not to come, please text or call Bart at 413-344-8162 or your HIke Leader David Lindsey, who's phone number will be in your confirmation email.

Our {communityGuidelinesLink} describe the sort of content we prohibit on Eventbrite. If you suspect an event may be in violation, you can report it to us so we can investigate.

To report other categories of prohibited or illegal content, submit {link}

Q-MoB LGBTQ History Eco-Hike: Keystone Arch Bridges (Westfield, MA)

More events from Q-MoB (Queer Men of the Berkshires)

Discover more events from Q-MoB (Queer Men of the Berkshires), from Community to other experiences you might love.

Still looking for the right event?

Explore all events in Chester and filter by date, category, and more to find the perfect fit.

Q-MoB LGBTQ History Eco-Hike: Keystone Arch Bridges (Westfield, MA)

More events from Q-MoB (Queer Men of the Berkshires)

Discover more events from Q-MoB (Queer Men of the Berkshires), from Community to other experiences you might love.

You might also like...

Browse more events with different dates, prices, and formats to find your next great experience.

Still looking for the right event?

Explore all events in Chester and filter by date, category, and more to find the perfect fit.