Rounds Mountain
Encyclopedia
Rounds Mountain, 2257 feet (687.9 m), is a prominent peak in the Taconic Mountains
of western Massachusetts
and adjacent New York
. The west side of the mountain and summit are located in New York; the east side is located within Massachusetts. The summit a bald; the slopes are wooded with northern hardwood
tree species. It is notable for its views of the Hudson River Valley to the west and the Green River and Kinderhook Creek valleys of Hancock, Massachusetts
to the east. The 35 mi (56.3 km) Taconic Crest Trail
traverses the mountain. Much of the upper slopes and summit are within protected conservation land.
and Hancock, Massachusetts. It is flanked to the south across the Kinderhook Creek valley by Poppy Mountain
and to the southeast by Potter Mountain. The Taconic Ridge continues north from Rounds Mountain as Misery Mountain
. The west side of Rounds Mountain drains into East Brook, then Kinderhook Creek
, thence into the Hudson River
and Long Island Sound
. The east side drains into Kinderhook Creek.
Taconic Mountains
The Taconic Mountains or Taconic Range are a physiographic section of the larger New England province and part of the Appalachian Mountains, running along the eastern border of New York State and adjacent New England from northwest Connecticut to western Massachusetts, north to central western...
of western Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
and adjacent New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. The west side of the mountain and summit are located in New York; the east side is located within Massachusetts. The summit a bald; the slopes are wooded with northern hardwood
Northern hardwood forest
The northern hardwood forest is a general type of North American forest ecosystem found over much of southeastern and south central Canada, extending south into the United States in northern New England and New York, and west along the Great Lakes to Minnesota and western Ontario...
tree species. It is notable for its views of the Hudson River Valley to the west and the Green River and Kinderhook Creek valleys of Hancock, Massachusetts
Hancock, Massachusetts
Hancock is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 717 at the 2010 census.- History :...
to the east. The 35 mi (56.3 km) Taconic Crest Trail
Taconic Crest Trail
The Taconic Crest Trail is a hiking trail in the Taconic Mountains of the Berkshires. The trail extends from U.S. Route 20 in Hancock, Massachusetts, less than east of the New York border, north along the ridgecrest of the Taconic Range, first within Massachusetts, then weaving along the border...
traverses the mountain. Much of the upper slopes and summit are within protected conservation land.
Geography
Rounds Mountain is located within Stephentown, New YorkStephentown, New York
Stephentown is a town in Rensselaer County, New York, United States. The population was 2,873 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Stephen Van Rensselaer. The town is in the southeast corner of the county...
and Hancock, Massachusetts. It is flanked to the south across the Kinderhook Creek valley by Poppy Mountain
Poppy Mountain
Poppy Mountain, , sometimes identified as Pease Ridge, its northwest descending crest, is a prominent peak in the Taconic Mountains of western Massachusetts. The mountain is located in Pittsfield State Forest and is traversed by the Taconic Crest hiking trail...
and to the southeast by Potter Mountain. The Taconic Ridge continues north from Rounds Mountain as Misery Mountain
Misery Mountain (Taconic Mountains)
Misery Mountain, , with at least ten well-defined summits, is a prominent long rideline in the Taconic Mountains of western Massachusetts and adjacent New York. The west side of the mountain is located in New York; the east side and high point lie within Massachusetts. The summit ridge is part...
. The west side of Rounds Mountain drains into East Brook, then Kinderhook Creek
Kinderhook Creek
Kinderhook Creek is a tributary to Stockport Creek, an inlet of the Hudson River in the United States. From its source in Hancock, Massachusetts, the creek runs southwest through the Taconic Mountains into Rensselaer County, New York, and then into Columbia County...
, thence into the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
and Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound is an estuary of the Atlantic Ocean, located in the United States between Connecticut to the north and Long Island, New York to the south. The mouth of the Connecticut River at Old Saybrook, Connecticut, empties into the sound. On its western end the sound is bounded by the Bronx...
. The east side drains into Kinderhook Creek.