Places to Explore — Berkshires & Connecticut River Valley

Not Ready for Visitors

Brush Valley Wildlife Sanctuary, Warwick

209 ACRES

This wildlife sanctuary lies in a hidden valley located in the secluded western Massachusetts town of Warwick.

Conservation Features: The lovely Gales Brook, strung with beaver ponds and an old mill pond, forms the heart of this forested wildlife sanctuary in Warwick. West of the brook, steep slopes with rocky outcroppings host a variety of forest types, while the gentler eastern slope joins with the Warwick State Forest. Along the banks of the brook an abundance of cardinal flower provides a striking contrast to the greens, browns, and greys of the surrounding landscape.

Cold Brook Wildlife Sanctuary, Sandisfield & Otis

770 ACRES

Cold Brook is located in the Lower Berkshire Hills ecoregion, and within an area of conserved land of approximately 2,000 acres or more, including the Granville, Tolland, Otis, Sandisfield, and Cookson State Forests.

Conservation Features: The great majority of the wildlife sanctuary is upland forest, spanning Miner Brook, a tributary to the West Branch of the Farmington River. Eastern hemlock is the dominant or co-dominant canopy tree, with eastern white pine and a variety of typical northern hardwood forest species covering approximately one-quarter of the sanctuary. Moose, black bear, beavers, and mink can all be found on this land.

West Branch Wildlife Sanctuary, Heath

50 ACRES

Located off Hosmer Road in Heath, this wildlife sanctuary is landlocked and not accessible from a public way. It's bounded on the north by the West Branch of the North River. 

Conservation Features: West Branch includes high-quality rich mesic forest community, which is among the best occurrences of this type of natural community within Mass Audubon’s wildlife sanctuary network. West Branch also includes a rugged, steep slope, carved by landslides, that rises above the southern bank of the river, an exemplary cold water stream.