The Berkshires · Central Berkshires

Dalton

Crane Currency’s headquarters, the Appalachian Trail crossing, and a Pittsfield-adjacent town with the rare combination of paper-mill history and AT-thru-hiker traffic.

Dalton sits immediately east of Pittsfield, technically more central Berkshires than northern, with a distinctive mix of identities. Crane Currency — the company that has supplied the paper for US dollar bills since 1879 — is headquartered here, giving the town a quietly significant industrial history. The Appalachian Trail crosses through Dalton, and the town is one of the few full-service AT trail towns where thru-hikers stop to resupply, do laundry, and rest in the middle of the long Massachusetts stretch. The Wahconah Falls State Park sits a few miles east. The town itself is small with a Main Street commercial spine and a residential rhythm that runs more practical than tourist-facing. For visiting adults 21+, Dalton's cannabis retail presence is anchored along the Pittsfield-Dalton corridor — a short drive opens the broader supply. The town works for the visitor who wants the Berkshires without the resort-town bill.