Autumn Visit to Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts

The sun was just peeking over the hills as I headed south on Route 10 toward Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts, painting the landscape in hues of rust and burnt umber. The end of October is a bit late in the season to expect the fiery reds and yellows of peak foliage in the northern New England states, but there was plenty of richly colored scenery to behold as the road snaked through New Hampshire into Massachusetts.

Foliage in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts
Credit: Brenda Darroch The village of Shelburne Falls, on our list of the Prettiest Fall Foliage Villages in Massachusetts, is an anomaly in that it spans two towns – Shelburne and Buckland, both of which offer much to explore on a crisp fall day. Each year, sightseers looking flock to the The Bridge of Flowers, which stretches over the Deerfield River to connect Shelburne and Buckland. A former trolley track, this 400-foot arched bridge had fallen into disuse after the railway company that operated it went bankrupt. Enter the Shelburne Falls Women’s Club, who sponsored a project in 1928 that would take the bridge from visual blight to public garden. Today the community still works together to keep this popular perennial garden in bloom.

Shelburne Falls’ other claim to fame – and the one I was most interested in seeing – is its glacial potholes. They’re right downtown and easy to find – just let the giant arrow lead you down Deerfield Avenue to the scenic overlook to enjoy this spectacle of nature. At the foot of the falls, the combination of granite and water spinning around like whirlpools gouged more than 50 holes into the rock surface at the end of the glacial age. These potholes – also known as kettles – range in size from a few inches to several feet in diameter. The biggest one extends 39 feet, making it the largest natural pothole on record. Folks used to scramble down the rocks to lounge in these pools on hot summer days, but that’s no longer allowed due to risk of injury. So if you’re fascinated with the power of nature, this is a site worth visiting…from the safety of the viewing platform.