Mount Norwottuck, the highest point in western Massachusetts’s Holyoke Range, rises sharply above the Connecticut River Valley and is part of the larger Metacomet Ridge. Formerly called Hilliard Knob, it received its current name from Amherst College geologist Edward Hitchcock, who linked the range’s dramatic scenery to geology and is also known for his early interpretation of nearby dinosaur tracks. The mountain consists of basalt formed as North America began rifting from Africa and Eurasia near the end of the Triassic Period, then tilted into cliffs and ridges. Its varied microclimates, extensive trails, protected lands, and the Horse Caves associated with Shays’ Rebellion add to its significance.

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