Veterans War Memorial Tower

The Veterans War Memorial Tower is the 92-foot granite tower on the summit of Mount Greylock, the highest point in Massachusetts. The state set aside money for it in 1931 to honor Massachusetts men and women who died in the World War, and it was dedicated in 1933. DCR opens it daily from Memorial Day weekend to Indigenous Peoples Day, weather permitting.

Here's how to visit, when it's open, and the story told on the marker beside it.

When the Tower Is Open

DCR lists the tower as open daily from Memorial Day weekend to Indigenous Peoples Day, weather permitting. In 2026 the tower and Bascom Lodge opened for the season on May 23, 2026. Outside that window the tower is closed. The auto roads to the summit have their own, slightly longer season: May 16 through October 30, 2026.

"Weather permitting" matters up here. The summit is colder than the valley. Check the summit forecast, not the one for Pittsfield or Adams.

The Story on the Summit Marker

An interpretive marker at the summit, titled "A Beacon Standing for Peace" (transcribed here), tells the tower's history. In 1931 the state set aside funds for a memorial to the Massachusetts men and women who died in the World War. The design started life as a lighthouse planned for the Charles River estuary in Boston.

Its beacon was meant to shine every night to honor the fallen and to guide pilots over the mountains. When it was built, the marker says, it was the most powerful light in Massachusetts and could be seen for 70 miles. The tower is 92 feet tall, and its largest granite blocks weigh eight tons.

Governor Joseph B. Ely dedicated the tower in 1933 in front of about 1,200 people. Today, the marker says, it stands as a memorial to casualties of all wars.

Part of a National Historic Landmark

The tower is one of the main buildings of the Mount Greylock Summit Historic District, which the National Park Service lists as a National Historic Landmark. The district also includes Bascom Lodge, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. More history is on our about the park page.

The View

DCR says you can see as far as 90 miles from the summit on a clear day. DCR lists the summit among its accessible scenic vistas. What you can see is on our summit page.

The War Memorial Park

DCR calls the land around the tower the War Memorial Park. It reaches 0.75 miles out from the tower in every direction, and hunting is banned inside it at any time of year. That's useful to know if you're hiking near the summit in November.

How to Get There

• Drive: Rockwell Road from Lanesborough or Notch Road from North Adams, both open in season. Vehicles over 22 feet are banned. Summit parking is limited; see parking.
• Hike: the Cheshire Harbor Trail from Adams is DCR's easiest route from base to summit, 3.3 miles each way.
• Walk the Appalachian Trail: it crosses the summit beside the tower.

Rules at the Summit

• No drones anywhere in the reservation.
• Dogs must be on a leash and attended.
• No skateboarding or longboarding on the parkway.

Good For / Maybe Skip If

• Good for: Memorial Day and Veterans Day visits, history buffs, and anyone who has driven up and wants the highest view in the state.
• Maybe skip if: you're visiting from mid October to late May. The tower is closed, and the summit road shuts at the end of October; try a year-round hike from our hiking guide instead.

Opening dates come from the DCR park page, the source of record.