Thank you for your website feedback! Trails and rocks may be slippery, wear sturdy shoes. Excellent Trail thoroughly marked! Bash Bish Falls, Mount Washington: Address, Phone Number, Bash Bish Falls Reviews: 4.5/5. Parking is free at the parking lot on Falls Road in Mount Washington, MA, limited to 24 cars. There is a majestic overlook view that you can enjoy the falls without going down to the base of the falls. Some icy spots but overall good condition. The current message on the phone for the Mount Washington State Forest, of which Bash Bish Falls State Park is a part, says, Bash Bish Falls has a new policy this year where no one is allowed down on the stairs [to the falls] or on the waters edge.. Nov 2022. Bash Bish Falls is a natural area with inherent dangers. Washington State Forest, Mount Washington, MA 01258, $ Specialty Food Market American Deli. Required fields are marked *. AOL Travel named Bash Bish Falls as one of the most dangerous tourist destinations in Massachusetts. I would not have noticed the overlook if you hadnt mentioned it. Beautiful fall day. W hile Bash Bish Falls is located in the Berkshires of Massachusetts, the parking area for the lower portion of the falls is located in New York State. You can choose to start from the New York side and cross the state line into Massachusetts or start at either of the two Massachusetts trailheads. Jeff was coming from Massachusetts, I was coming from New York, and we were going to meet at Bash Bish Falls on the state line before tackling nearby Mt. Pavilion Information Copake Falls has one pavilion. You can find more details in this Berkshire Eagle article:State blocks swimming access at Bash Bish Falls in Mt Washington. Parking is also available at Taconic State Park, off NY Route 344 in Copake Falls, NY. Ill follow suit and remove the warning above. During the summer, the no swimming rule IS enforced by park rangers and police. Mon. Please remove any contact information or personal data from your feedback. Bash Bish Trailhead & Parking. It started snowing heavily. Falls Rd. Theres a wide trail with a huge informational display and map kiosk marking the trailhead. Jug End State Reservation & Wildlife Management Area. Moderate to difficult ability. No coolers. NY side is longer but relatively flat. Lower Bash Bish is closed, but for the short hike down it was worth it. Pets are not permitted in playgrounds, buildings, golf courses, boardwalks, pools and spray-grounds or guarded beaches (this does not apply to service animals). Respect the dangers without taking risks. Background you can feel free to skip: Dude, youre supposed to be at the Bash Bish parking lot. This was not the case when we . Thank you for doing this!!! Its a fond childhood memory for me.. Be content to simply enjoy the beauty of the falls. The closure is part of an effort to manage park capacity but the park itself remains open to visitors, added Dorrance, who said she wanted to remind visitors of the park rules, which include: These rules have been flouted in recent days. There are rules that help to keep it safe and pristine for all but particularly nature. MOUNT WASHINGTON, Mass. Download a trail map Recommended hikes Visit Massachusetts State Parks. [2], Bash Bish Falls State Park is located next to both Massachusetts' 4,000-acre (16km2) Mount Washington State Forest and New York's 5,000-acre (20km2) Taconic State Park. We visit many waterfalls and I would definitely recommend this one. more. To contact Diane Valden email document.getElementById("wpmt-671600-62565").innerHTML = eval(decodeURIComponent("%27%64%76%61%6c%64%65%6e%40%63%6f%6c%75%6d%62%69%61%70%61%70%65%72%2e%63%6f%6d%27"))*protected email*, Rasmussen returns to New Lebanon Town Board, Hearing helps pick what rises when Bliss falls, www.mass.gov/locations/bash-bish-falls-state-park. Guide wires keep you from tumbling off the edge of the trail. I hadnt heard that info about Columbus Day thank you for sharing. People will be allowed down to Bash Bish Falls in October and throughout the winter months. According to Daves comment below, the barricades may be removed after Columbus Day. I saw some people managed to dip in the stream, but the rangers will find you eventually and ask you to leave the water. From the New York parking lot, the walk is an easy, flatter 1.5-mile roundtrip stroll. **UPDATE posted August 2022**The stairs to the falls have been barricaded to keep people out of the water at Bash Bish Falls. Get the latest news and happenings delivered straight to your inbox. Join us safely this year to celebrate a legacy of park support and beautification thanks to the generosity of volunteers like YOU. (And heres a quick primer on Leave No Trace, too, to help us keep the trails nice and fresh for each other.). Based on careful research, I approached the falls from the New York side, and the 3/4-mile hike, featuring riveting views of Bash Bish Brook and the deep canyon it has cut over the millennia, was . Funny. Leaves heavily covering the trail right now which cause steep decline from MA parking lot to be VERY slippery. After another difficult hike, I took off to go to NY but turned the wrong way and was actually heading back to Great Barrington. 9. Both trails to the falls are not wheelchair accessible. Access is open all the way down to the falls. I visited on 18 Oct 2014 and went from the MA side. The stone stairs down to the falls are barricade as well with park rangers stationed there, so you cant swim but you can put your feet in close to the beginning of the NYS trail head. They change diapers and just throw them in the stream. The falls are beautiful, well worth this short little walk in to see them. The haunting of Bash Bish Falls comes from the tale of a young Mohican woman named Bash Bish. So sad to hear about the trash. Thanks, this is very useful, as I couldnt find a trail guide at the Bash Bish Falls State Park site. There are pics of a swimming beach at Rudd Pond. and which is the best side to go in for the easiest hike? From the lower car park there is an uphill path to follow that is quite rough in places. From the lower parking area (the New York side of the state border), there is a .75 mile gentle uphill trail to the falls. Lately Ive visited on weekends and was absolutely appalled by the garbage strewn across the parking lots and grounds. The falls are right on the MA and NY border. All rights reserved. Well marked throughout and easy to follow paths. Ive just come up here for day hikes, never stayed over. No access to the upper gorge from the Massachusetts parking lotit is dangerous. Nice trail. [6], In 2020, fueled by social media photographs and the COVID-19 pandemic (which increased use of outdoor spaces, especially those close to metropolitan areas), visitation to the falls increased exponentially, with published reports and photographs of crowds numbering an estimated 1000 to 1500 people at a time. Awareness and common sense go a long way to keep people safe while hiking but sadly common sense is like deodorant and those who need it the most dont use it. to me and many locals, its very special to us for its sheer beauty and majestic presence. Each I know of were because of human judgment or lack there of. Practice social distancing of at least 6 feet between individuals and wear a facial mask or covering in public, participate in only noncontact recreational activities, and practice healthy personal hygiene, such as handwashing, for at least 20 seconds. Too muddy around this time since we didn't have much snow and we just had rain. With no signage indicating which way to the falls, we guessed that we should stay on the Blue Trail (as did some other hikers there that day), and we were all wrong. A story about the situation that appeared in the August 27, 2020 issue of The Columbia Paper, reported that officials received complaints from Copake Falls residents because when park visitors could no longer find a parking spot in a parking lot, they parked along State Route 344 and secondary roads on property that belonged to residents. We drove here on a beautiful but cold day, continuing our COVID Thursday Excursions to see natural beauty in CT,MA, NY area. Turkey, archery and shotgun: Fall season: 10/17 to 11/1 Spring season: 5/1 to 5/31. safety first. Would like to take my dog on this hike. A maximum of two pets are allowed in campsites and day use areas unless prohibited by sign or directive. I wonder if it would be as beautiful as it is in the winter. [3], Although Bash Bish Falls are located in Mt. The falls themselves are in the town of Mount Washington but much of the surrounding area is in New York. We visited Bash Bish Falls in May. Although Bash Bish Falls are located in Mt. Falls Rd. I don't even know how to describe it. There were small patches of mud on the trail but otherwise in very good condition. If you hike from the MA side with your less hikey friends/family, whatever you doDONT point out that you could have hiked in on a flat road from the NY side. [10] This is a very dangerous area as rocks are slick, the gorge is deep, and pools are shallow. Out is up hill and back down hill. Enchanted seems like a better adjective, and it wouldn't be surprising to see fairies or nymphs lounging on the mossy rocks jutting out below it. I appreciate your help in identifying a place to stay at. Pets are to be supervised at all times and either be crated or on a leash not more than 6-feet in length. This is one of the most beautiful spots in the Berkshires. DEC rules and regs apply. Really appreciate your help to keep this trail guide as accurate as possible! My wife and I drove from a local mountain top hike to Bash Bish Falls - via Taconic State Park. Fresh water fishing enthusiasts will delight in hooking brown trout and other fish in the Bash Bish Brook or rainbow trout in the old iron ore mine pit. The closure took effect May 29, the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend, and will be permanent. Out and back. The walk from the Massachusetts parking lot is much shorter and steeper, and its the one Ill write up below. 92% of travelers recommend this experience. 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