State guide

Massachusetts Nature Guide

Massachusetts packs an extraordinary range of nature into a small state, from the cold, rocky Atlantic and the sandy hook of Cape Cod to the rolling hardwood hills of the Berkshires. The coast draws nesting terns and plovers, wintering eiders and Harlequin Ducks, gray seals, and migrating whales offshore, while inland the Quabbin Reservoir, the Connecticut River valley, and the western highlands hold breeding warblers, spring ephemerals, and brilliant fall color. Across USDA zones 5a in the Berkshire cold pockets to 7a on the Cape and Islands, the state runs a full four-season calendar, with Mount Auburn Cemetery and Plum Island ranking among the Northeast's most celebrated migration traps.