Massachusetts’ Oldest Living Tree Predates the Pilgrims

What we think of being old is relevant. I am 65 years old. To someone who is 10, I am older than dirt. To someone who is 75, I am still a kid.

Though there were earlier arrivals, the first white European colonists to actually settle in North America, "The New World," did so in the 17th Century.

That's a long time ago, some 400 years. Compare that to European and Asian societies that date back thousands of years, and we're the new kids on the block.

The Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock here in Massachusetts around 1620. A long time ago? Perhaps, unless you are the state's oldest living tree.

According to Onlyinyourstate.com, "The oldest tree in Massachusetts is located in the Cold River area of Mohawk State Park." The site says the tree is "nearly 500 years old." That's 1523! Long before the Pilgrims got here.

The tree is one of many Hemlocks in that area that are centuries old.

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Onlyinyourstate.com says, "Mohawk Trail State Forest is also home to the state's tallest tree - a 167.2-foot tall white pine." This tree, "known as Jake Swamp, can be found in the Trees of Peace Grove."

The Mohawk Trail State Forest, founded in 1921, spans 6,000 acres and is "home to some of the oldest things in America." The forest was named after the old Mohawk Trail, "a Native American pathway that connected the Hudson and Connecticut River Valleys."

Mohawk Trail State Forest is located in Charlemont, Massachusetts, about three hours by car from New Bedford.

For information about hiking, camping, swimming, and other activities, visit the Mohawk State Forest website.

Mohawk Trail State Forest is a great place to be during the fall.