They take over every square inch and spend the day. Explore the neighboring wilderness at Mt. In a few minutes, youll arrive at the top of a big staircase that leads down to the falls. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 1 h 8 min to complete. That way, morons like me who didnt read the map at the kiosk wont get lost.). Beyond Taconic State Park camping, there's a lot to do in the oldest state park in the Taconic region. I'm not sure if they'll be adding them back this summer. I believe it was fairly flat from the NY trailhead to the overlook where you could see the falls. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Advanced features of this website require that you enable JavaScript in your browser. Sadly, Bash Bish Falls is known for being dangerous in that respect, so do mind the railings and edges if you venture down to the mouth of the falls, and remember that swimming is NOT allowed for a reason. 41 south, then take immediate right, Mount Washington Road; continue for 7.5 miles (becomes East St.). These hikes look amazing! Mentions The Berkshires Waterfall Guide Did you know the Berkshires is home to a dozen beautiful waterfalls? There is a majestic overlook view that you can enjoy the falls without going down to the base of the falls. This picturesque park also features steep, wooded hills and a mountain stream. Description. The trail is easy to follow and one mile from NY parking lot and 0.5 from the parking lot. I imagine it must get crowded in the warmer months but there were only a few others on the trail and it was very peaceful. If you need assistance, please Learn About DCR| Mass.gov. (A sign pointing the way to the falls which Im guessing 95% of people at this junction are looking for might be a nice addition here. A destination like this deserves to draw a crowd. 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. Located here is Bash Bish Falls, one of Massachusetts' most dramatic and its highest single-drop waterfall. I imagine this is because people were breaking the the rules that this became a safety issue. Theres rocks and lots of uneven terrain. Catamount Ski Area 3.5 km. There are very clean(when we went) porta potties by the waterfall. I bet the Parks Service could be of assistance, though theyre right next to the falls. 6. Taconic State Park (Copake Falls), New York - Cabin Site 01 , Loop Bash Bish Cabins Cabin Find First Available Date Arrival Date Departure Date Dec 08 2022 - Dec 21 2022 Not Available Selected Book Now Activities & Amenities Site Details Site Reserve Type Site-Specific Site Access Drive-In Checkin Time 3:00 PM Checkout Time 11:00 AM If not, does it seem like a place youd like to visit? 42.11478, -73.491805 This hike begins at Bash Bish Falls - the highest waterfall in Massachusetts, and a very popular destination for non-hikers - so you might want to start your hike early in the day to enjoy the falls before the crowds arrive. Is the NY trail relatively flat and WheelChair friendly? Take a hike and enjoy a picnic on the rocks. Washington State Park, or cross the border into New York's Taconic State Park. Therefore I vowed in 2022 to finally go and do the New York side from Taconic State Park with my kids to fully compare. 518-329-3993. You can't beat the sound of the water when your relaxing by the fire. We did the 3/4 mile hike from the NY Side. No alcohol, or glass containers. Trails and rocks may be slippery, wear sturdy shoes. Recent pic, as others have commented, nice having it private. View campsite map, availability, and reserve online with ReserveAmerica. OK, awesome beauty in the winter - I snapped my pics and headed back to the car. Most visitors to Bash Bish Park access the park not from the Mount Washington side but from Copake Falls, New York, where there is a much larger parking lot in the Taconic State Park. Turn right onto NY 344 (one of several roads also marked as Old Rt. GH1,GH2,GH3 and GH4 ,GH6 and GH7 are reservable year-round. A minor bummer, but not a showstopper. Taconsic State Park in New York is located on a river near the waterfalls and just a few miles south of Bashishes Falls. 344 east, past Taconic State Park, into Massachusetts (becomes Falls Rd.) Hudson River Sightseeing Cruise from Kingston, Hudson Valley Fall Foliage Wine and Local Cheese Tour, Museum of the City of New York General Admission Ticket, Albany Scavenger Hunt: Empire State Of Mind, Hartford Scavenger Hunt: The Riches Of Hartford, Woodstock NY Rock n' Roll Tour (Rock Junket Tours), Private sailing trips in the Thimble Islands, Branford, CT, Adventurous Scavenger Hunt in Hartford by Operation City Quest, Copake Iron Works Historic Site at Taconic State Park. As it turned out, Bash Bish has two parking lots, one in Massachusetts and one in New York, separated by about a mile. Beautiful falls! On your road map, locate New York State route 22 (It will be just north of where the New York, Massachusetts and Connecticut borders come together). Mish mash. It is not steep but it gradually climbs in elevation. Nearby? The New York trail to Bash Bish from Taconic State Park is flat, wide, and smooth, except for a few rocks and roots. What restaurants are near Bash Bish Falls? I hadnt heard that info about Columbus Day thank you for sharing. Great photo ops at the falls. A nature trail meanders through the forest and past Pixley Falls. If you plan to meet someone at Bash Bish Falls, youd do well to choose which state youre going to meet in. The phone number for Bashbish Falls State Forest is (413) 528-0330. Wow! From the New York parking lot, the walk is an easy, flatter 1.5-mile roundtrip stroll. In its entirely, the Bash Bish water chute stretches nearly180 feet tall. She launched Around the World L Travel and Life Blog in 2009, and over 4.2 million readers have now visited this site. There were quite a few other people there when I went and I went mid-day on a Friday so I imagine thats its pretty packed on a weekend, but totally worth it. Splish, Splash! Dorrance also advised those who are ill, over 70 or are part of a vulnerable population to stay home. Bring hydration regardless of what time of year it is. Its a great looking waterfall. I live locally, it was in the paper. Pretty amazing to see a mostly completely frozen over waterfall. I cant wait to visit the Bash Bish Falls. I am interested in coming up for a weekend with my family. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. then right onto West St. and continue for 1 mile. Luckily this plow truck with a mountain of man operator came by. If ProfessorMcWhorter can weigh in on this, my husband will squeal with fan awe! ), GPS coordinates of NY parking area: 42.11711, -73.50776 (Clicking will open in Google Maps or the Apple Maps app, depending on your browser/device.). Be content to simply enjoy the beauty of the falls. State blocks swimming access at Bash Bish Falls in Mt Washington, New York-New Jersey Trail Conference homepage, http://nysparks.com/parks/83/details.aspx, http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/2013/09/24/hiking-hunting-season-safety-tips/2854437/. The falls are beautiful and well worth the walk. Please PLEASE if you go here obey ALL SIGNS. It took us about an hour to do the whole third of a mile, as crazy as that sounds. The upper trail down to the falls involves a steep stairway that is roughly the equivalent of a three story building. The snow on the trail was mostly packed down from hikers and footing was good. Hiking is risky, life is risky, accidents happen, awareness reduces the risk. Just because its a waterfall doesnt automatically make it unsafe. Thanks for being awesome! Click. Feel free to use this easy affiliate link toVrbo (formerly called VRBO) Western MA rentals to support this site at no extra cost to you. Sure, we reasoned, it says on the official website that its a steep descent of 300 feet, but at only a third of a mile, how hard can that be? Your email address will not be published. I stopped and talked with him for a little while. Bash Bish Falls State Park is actually located within the Mount Washington State Forest, a 4,169-acre forest preserve operated by the Massachusetts Department of Energy and Environmental Affairs. Jean Gazis / Flickr Our family loves to hike and this spot looks amazing! Thanks for the nice pic and the update, Dave! 9. (My guess is that the barricades will appear whenever the weather is warm enough for swimming, since people seem to have a hard time obeying the No Swimming signs here. We print the highest quality bash bish falls state park stickers on the internet Its pools have held a romantic sway over South County residents for generations. A 12.4-mile hiking trail. The closure is part of an effort to manage park capacity but the park itself remains open to visitors. Mount Washington, Massachusetts. This is a beautiful waterfall along the NY & NE border. Is playing in the water allowed anywhere in the park? Typically only on weekends though. We visit many waterfalls and I would definitely recommend this one. Thank you for the info. Over the weekend, Massachusetts State Police patrolled the park. Thanks for the GPS location info on this post. Thank goodness the rangers and police are taking control. Bash Bish Falls is the highest waterfall in MA! We did the whole hike in a relaxed and happy hour, and emerged with smiles on our faces! Mt. The area is posted No Swimming, which is universally ignored. This is one of the most beautiful spots in the Berkshires. It will reopen when the lot has 10 available spaces. Jug End State Reservatio 4.3 km. I dont remember how wheelchair friendly the trail was, whether it was paved or rocky. The lower trail is wheelchair accessible. . It was awesome! The park consists of more than 5,000 acres of land along an 11 mile border separating New York from Massachusetts and Connecticut. Unforrrrrtunately, a descent of 300 feet over 1/3 a mile of slippery rocks looks like this: In short, to safely do the Bash Bish Falls State Park hike from the MA side, my son and mother spent half of their time scooting down slowly and steadily on their bottoms (as pictured above), and I did the whole thing while CARRYING my two year old daughter, because she got so scared of the loose rocks making her slip. If you wanted to play it safe and give your three-year-old more of a chance to roam, the New York trailhead would probably be a better bet. Enjoy a hike to experience the wonder and beauty of this deep, verdant gorge. for 2 miles. Do share! It does make for make nicer picture without all the people there. There wasn't anybody else out today except for this one hardy young couple - we kept our distance, covid you know. I think they may have changed the trail a bit leading from the MA parking lot to the falls. (See my big list of what to do in the Berkshires!) I dont recall of a death here ever, whereas there have been numerous deaths at Kaaterskill. Improve this listing All photos (240) We will return in late spring and repeat our walk to enjoy the flora. **UPDATE posted August 2022**The stairs to the falls have been barricaded to keep people out of the water at Bash Bish Falls. Turn left and then follow US-1 South on Route 1 until it turns left, then right onto USA - USA. The state Department of Conservation and Recreation has implemented a parking area closure until further notice at Bash Bish Falls State Park on Falls Road, said DCR spokesperson Olivia K. Dorrance. Bash Bish Falls - the most dramatic and highest single drop waterfall in Massachusetts. Really nice video, Eddie! We drove here on a beautiful but cold day, continuing our COVID Thursday Excursions to see natural beauty in CT,MA, NY area. You can do the round trip in about 30 minutes from the NY trail head, but youll want to spend some time at the falls. We could see footprints indicating people are using that trail. The article seems to suggest we have a lot of parking in NY. eventually this may lead to shutting down the grounds for us all,depending on the action of the state. Reservations can be made online or through the Reserve America Call Center: 1-800-456-2267. Ive been going here since I was a child. 42.11478, -73.491805 This hike begins at Bash Bish Falls - the highest waterfall in Massachusetts, and a very popular destination for non-hikers - so you might want to start your hike early in the day to enjoy the falls before the crowds arrive. We are in good shape but dont want to take risks TIA! To plan your hike refer to All Activities - Hiking below. Background you can feel free to skip: Dude, youre supposed to be at the Bash Bish parking lot. Landmarks and Outdoors, Campground 1.7 miles. Super-cool (and somewhat wriggly) Google Earth flyover of hike route: (Also somewhat wriggly) Google Terrain Map of hike route: Related resources: If youre looking for actual facts and/or useful information, visit these resources: Want to support trails in the Hudson Valley? There are rules that help to keep it safe and pristine for all but particularly nature. It is preferred that sites within designated pet loops are chosen when using Service Animals. Copake Falls has over 100 campsites for tents and trailers . You actually cross the MA/NY border on your hike to the main falls. IT SAVES TIME when checking in on the day of arrival. Mount Washington Visitors to Bash Bish Falls, a popular state park that has seen large unruly crowds in the last several weeks, will have to find some other place to park if they want to access the falls from the Massachusetts side. Bash Bish Falls is a Massachusetts park maintained by the state Department of Conservation and Recreation. Camping. This is a new adventure! Learn how your comment data is processed. Swimming cannot be a guaranteed activity, therefore we cannot offer refunds on camping stays. 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. Take the Virtual Tour! All sites have a picnic table and fireplace with cooking grate. If you make your reservation within 3 days of your arrival you can book a 1-night stay online or through the Call Center. You can also get directions by checking out the Bash Bish Falls (MA trailhead) entry on the HiketheHudsonValley.com Google map. A local man died here recently because he disobeyed the signs. My little Kia Forte (that I got cheap from Hertz when they were going bankrupt) with the crappy tires just couldn't make it up the gently sloped hills. The feedback will only be used for improving the website. Where you park determines your hike to the falls. 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