Rand’s View Also known as Raccoon Hill, Rand’s View is located along the Appalachian Trailnear Salisbury, Connecticut. Rather than a traditional mountain-top view, the trail emerges from dense woods into a wide-open meadow with a huge sweeping vista that looks north towards the southern Berkshires in Massachusetts. Difficulty & Trail Type: Hikes to Rand’s View range from approximately 2 miles to over 8 miles, accommodating all hiking levels. One common route features about 500 feet of elevation gain in the first half mile, followed by little elevation change over the next 1.3 miles. Key Scenery & Highlights: This section of the Appalachian Trail features one of the best viewpoints, with a panoramic vista of the Taconic range from Bear Mountain to Jug End; on clear days Mount Greylock can be seen in the distance. The trail also passes a notable rock formation called “Giant’s Thumb.”The nearby Limestone Spring Shelter is accessible via a steep 0.5 mile blue-blazed side trail and sleeps six.