Nestled in the scenic Berkshires where Massachusetts meets New York, a new chapter in outdoor recreation is unfolding.

Thanks to an IMBA Trail Accelerator Grant, Purple Valley Trails, a dedicated chapter of the New England Mountain Bike Association (NEMBA), is turning a vision into reality: a purpose-built, multi-use trail system designed to connect people with nature and each other.

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Spark to Traction

The Williamstown area, home to Williams College, boasts a rich history of outdoor recreation, particularly hiking, with hundreds of miles of trails, including the famed Appalachian Trail. However, dedicated mountain biking opportunities were conspicuously absent. As IMBA Trail Solutions Project Manager Liz Grades observed, "it is pretty much a mountain bike trail desert in that area." This gap was also recognized by residents like Bill MacEwen, Purple Valley Trails' President, upon moving to Williamstown from British Columbia.

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Lewis Collins during the 2024 site visit.

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Ellie Wachtel in the field during the 2024 site visit.

The idea of purpose-built trails quickly gained traction from a combination of Bill’s enthusiasm, early community surveys revealing positive support, and alums of Williams College wanting to give back. Lewis Collins and Ellie Wachtel, both Purple Valley Trails board members, are Williams College alums and discovered mountain biking during their time there. “Getting deeply involved in this project has been a really fun way to give back to a place that I love,” said Wachtel. The community saw the potential benefits – improved health and wellness, attracting active professionals, fostering environmental stewardship, and encouraging youth to get outdoors.  "What's really been amazing is how mainstream the support has been," Lewis shares, “I just am amazed at how much momentum it's gathered and how many people, including people who are not mountain bikers have said 'This is a great idea.'"

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Traction to Momentum

The turning point came with the IMBA Trail Accelerator Grant. Collins remembers seeing the grant announcement with only days left before the deadline. Despite the tight timeline, they "threw in an application having zero expectations."  
Being selected as a finalist and ultimately an awardee was incredibly validating. "It was super legitimizing to know that we were worthy of being considered," Collins expresses. The grant didn't just provide funding for professional planning; it sparked a "virtuous circle" of momentum. Ellie Wachtel, Purple Valley Trails board member and trail planning committee member, adds that receiving the grant helped solidify partnerships.

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IMBA Trail Solutions Matt & Liz on the ground for the first site visit in 2024. 

The TAG enabled Purple Valley Trails to partner with IMBA Trail Solutions and develop a comprehensive trails master plan for the Berlin Mountain area, focusing initially on over 800 acres of college and city managed land. This professional planning was crucial. "I don't think we would have come up with something as thoughtful and as well designed without the IMBA plan," Collins emphasizes. The plan outlines roughly 25 miles of potential trails, with the first phase detailing nearly 8 miles.

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Momentum to Boots on the Ground

When first setting foot on the project site, Liz Grades dubbed the former Williams College ski area the "Berlin Bowl"—a "beautiful wooded bowl." Positioned at the end of a dead-end gravel road, this landscape offers a mix of steep, mountainous terrain for intermediate and advanced users and gentler slopes ideal for beginner-friendly experiences. "When we saw this, we were super excited," Grades recalls, "this is going to be great to plan some trails."

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Liz and Lewis survey a steep hillside of the 'Berlin Bowl.'

Those entry-level experiences speak to a core principle for Purple Valley Trails: accessibility. "We absolutely want to be able to accommodate every kind of rider that there is," says Collins. It was clear to the planning team that providing this range was essential. "It was really important for them to have that full range of ability levels," notes Grades, "because there isn't another place to go ride with kids and beginners." Wachtel, who comes from a trail planning background, was drawn to this focus of the project. "I was really excited to get involved in a project that was focused on strategically making mountain biking accessible and understanding the physical constraints of the topography and responding to that," she notes. This commitment is reflected in the phase 1 design, which prioritizes beginner and intermediate trails near the main trailhead. While optimized for mountain biking, the trails are envisioned as a four-season asset, welcoming trail runners, hikers, snowshoers, and backcountry skiers.

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Existing hiking trail in the area.

The momentum generated by the TAG award continues to have a ripple effect. Purple Valley Trails secured a subsequent grant from the Massachusetts Office of Outdoor Recreation, enabling them to hire Max Van Wie of Backslope Trail Building Inc. and begin construction this year. 

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Volunteers building some of the first mileage during a work day.
 

Legacy in the Making

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The energy surrounding the Purple Valley Trails initiative is building something truly special in Williamstown, and the community's enthusiasm is palpable, evidenced by the astounding 850 volunteer hours logged in 2024. What started as a desire for local riding has blossomed into a professionally planned project poised to deliver significant recreational, economic, and wellness benefits. By creating trails for every skill level, Purple Valley Trails is building more than a network; they're building a legacy that will welcome residents and visitors to connect with the outdoors for generations to come.

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