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The story behind these colorful icicles in the Berkshires
Drivers encounter the icy scene on Route 2 along the famous Hairpin Turn.
A drive in the Berkshires looks like a scene out of the Disney movie “Frozen” this winter.
Motorists on Route 2 along the Hairpin Turn on the Mohawk Trail, which sits on the North Adams and Clarksburg town line, are treated to panoramic views of Hoosac Valley, Mount Greylock, Mount Prospect, and more. In the wintertime, they’re also treated to large, colorful icicles cascading down the rock.
The rainbow icicles are created by people adding food coloring to the ice, according to The Berkshire Eagle, which featured a photo of the icicles last month. It is a city tradition that began many decades ago, according to local residents.
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Several photos and videos of the icicles have been posted on social media this winter, including this shot of the Hairpin Turn on the Facebook page Photographers of New England. Curious folks have asked questions about their making, while others have shared stories about their childhood wonder over the scene.
“Beautiful. This reminds me of my childhood in North Adams,” wrote a commenter on a post on the North Adams Now Facebook page.
Reddit user loveofcairns wrote on a Reddit post, “can confirm it’s water balloons and food coloring … grew up on that mountaintop and this happens every year. I participated once, and it was thrilling.”
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“People have been coloring the ice for the 45 years I have lived here,” wrote Reddit user Fearless-Many8862. “The[y] use supersoakers or water balloons filled with colored water to color the ice.”
Another Reddit user from Massachusetts, Full_Rise_7759, wrote, “my mother told me stories about her and others doing this 60 years ago. Totally a thing!”
The Hairpin Turn was constructed in 1914 and is considered the gateway to North Adams, according to historicnorthadams.com. The scenic spot is 1,700 feet above sea level and its outlook is a popular place for viewing the area’s iconic fall foliage.
Road trippers can dine at The Golden Eagle Restaurant in Clarksburg, which is located right on the Hairpin Turn. One Tripadvisor user called it an “iconic location with a great view.”
The restaurant, originally built in 1914, was rebuilt in 1958 behind a recess in the mountain after two big rig trucks crashed into the building within 10 weeks of each other, according to historicnorthadams.com.
About 3 miles from the icicles, you’ll find MASS MoCA in North Adams, one of the largest contemporary art museums in the country. Nearby Mount Greylock, at 3,491 feet, is the highest point in Massachusetts, and winter activities there include hiking, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling.
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North Adams was named one of the most underrated towns in Massachusetts in 2025 by WorldAtlas.com.
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