At 1,752 feet above sea level, Hawley, Massachusetts has the highest elevation of any Franklin County town, and with just over 300 residents, it is also the second smallest town in the county.

A very rural and mountainous town, Hawley has more than 8,000 acres of state forest.  The Kenneth Dubuque Memorial State Forest offers over 40 miles of mixed-use and hiking trails, while the Hawley Bog is within a deep glacial depression and consists of “a mat of consolidated peat 30 feet thick, [which] floats on the open water and supports an unusual community of plants.”  Lovers of the outdoors will find plenty to explore in Hawley, with access to fishing, hiking, and picnicking.

Hawley is also very popular with winter sports enthusiasts, as the town averages 100 to 110 inches of snow every year.  The Stump Sprouts Cross Country Ski Center and Guest Lodge caters to winter visitors offering more than 15 miles of trails for cross-country skiers and snowshoe aficionados of all abilities.

In the summer, Hawley is reported to attract a variety of artistic visitors and residents including composer Alice Parker and children’s book author and illustrator, Eric Carle.  Rumor has it that Leonard Bernstein also spent a summer in Hawley, creating portions of the famous score to West Side Story.

Like most Franklin County towns, Hawley uses an open town meeting form of government, which is led by a board of selectmen and an administrative assistant.  The town has a small police department and a volunteer fire department.  Because Hawley has so few residents, the town’s children attend class in the Mohawk Trail Regional School System, which has school buildings in nearby communities.

If you’re looking to experience rural mountain life, Hawley is the town for you!