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. Fees vary by location and season. I was in admiration of his good nature and natural disposition to be of help to others. Notify me of follow-up comments via e-mail. . 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. Ive been coming to the falls for over 50 years. From the lower car park there is an uphill path to follow that is quite rough in places. Really nice video, Eddie! MT. The area down by the falls are prohibited now. Mass.gov is a registered service mark of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The basin water was unfrozen and beautifully clear. Where is the handicap entrance to the falls and is there a bathroom next to the falls? He was also the first tightrope walker to make it across Niagara Falls. If you plan to meet someone at Bash Bish Falls, youd do well to choose which state youre going to meet in. Suggest edits to improve what we show. [1], The waters of Bash Bish Falls begin at a spring in Mount Washington and after the falls, Bash Bish Brook has cut a 1,000 -foot deep valley on its way westward to adjacent New York State. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. I have seen sheer stupidity of people swimming, and people climbing onto high rocks they shouldnt be on and jumping, but Ive never seen anything else that would put anyone in danger. Its a fond childhood memory for me.. No alcohol, or glass containers. Shorter, more rugged, and strenuous. The whole trail down to where it meets up with the NY trail is blue blazed. For more information see firewood restrictions. It is not steep but it gradually climbs in elevation. This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. Recommended. I appreciate your help in identifying a place to stay at. While Massachusetts officials have placed orange and white barricades at the top of the stairway that leads down to the falls and have posted patrols there to enforce the rules, the adjoining Taconic State Park in New York is mirroring its neighbors efforts and has law enforcement personnel patrolling along the brook, Mr. Rickard said. If youd like to descend and then climb back up a hill on your way to the falls, see the write-up below for the walk from the MA trailhead. One video, sent anonymously to The Edge, clearly shows a fire in a pit on July 14: Dorrance also advised parkgoers to consider leaving if the location is crowded, and either visiting a different location or returning at a later date or time. What You Need to Know About Bash Bish Falls. Deer and Bear regular season (rifle/shotgun): 11/21/20 to 12/13/20, Deer and Bear muzzle loading season: 12/14/20 to 12/22/20. Both trails from Massachusetts and New York are well-marked and easy to follow. This is a beautiful waterfall along the NY & NE border. Hooray! Swimming is not allowed. Subscribe:Notify me of follow-up comments via e-mail. Nice, mostly flat trail, icy in a few spots. Lower Bash Bish is closed, but for the short hike down it was worth it. There wasn't anybody else out today except for this one hardy young couple - we kept our distance, covid you know. Parking is free at the parking lot on Falls Road in Mount Washington, MA, limited to 24 cars. Once you reach the falls, you can walk down the stairs (which are steep and awkward) to get close, however, you do not have to walk down the stairs to see the falls. The closure is part of an effort to manage park capacity but the park itself remains open to visitors. Accessible portable toilets available at Massachusetts parking lot and at falls viewing deck. Purchase online or contact your favorite park for more information. With a fully-equipped canvas wall tent all set up and ready for you, it really is a better way to camp. The changes are permanent due to people leaving there trash and human waste. Access is open all the way down to the falls. From the upper parking area (on the Massachusetts side), the trail is shorter, but goes more steeply down to the falls. Thank you for posting this. Please advise regarding this matter. Boom. The falls are located in Southwestern Massachusetts in the Taconic Mountains of Berkshire County, which neighbors Mount Washington State Forest in Massachusetts and Taconic State Park in New York. Bash Bish Falls, Mount Washington: Address, Phone Number, Bash Bish Falls Reviews: 4.5/5. Bash Bish Falls. People travel from many places and have no respect. more. Phone. Jump to: Jump to: Comments and Reviews. Pets are not permitted in playgrounds, buildings, golf courses, boardwalks, pools and spray-grounds or guarded beaches (this does not apply to service animals). Last edited on 25 September 2022, at 11:12, Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, List of old growth forests in Massachusetts, "Bash Bish Falls State Park, Mt. I am preparing for my first trip to The Berkshires in September 2016. The extensive campground at Copake Falls has sites to accommodate campers seeking a more rustic experience, as well as those seeking a more "home like" experience. We will stick with the lower trail. This is a short hike in and out area. Such a beautiful hike. We arrived and parked at the NY side of the park. Washington, theyve been having issues with people partying and leaving trash at the Falls. Pavilion Information Copake Falls has one pavilion. Stay within solitary or small groups, and avoid gatherings of 10 or more people. While he was making my BMT, I asked him what was the one thing he would see in this area if he had limited time, and he quickly replied Bash Bish Falls. Since youre hard core, youll just walk right past it. Map produced by NYSOPRHP GIS Bureau, April 03, 2020. Visit the expanded Copake Iron Works Museum (33 Valley View Road, Copake Falls, NY) in Taconic State Park, with tours on Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, Saturdays and Sundays, May 28 through September 4, 2-4 PM, and on Monday, September 5, from 2-4 PM. Really appreciate your help to keep this guide current! Want to report conditions for this trail? Someone on the trail told us that the New York trail to the falls was 3/4 mile each way but it was a much easier hike so we hiked back to our car & went just down the road to the NY parking lot. Nearby? An additional four walk-in sites can be accessed from the parking area at the Harlem Valley Rail Trail, a paved biking and hiking trail on an abandoned portion of the New York and Harlem Railroad that extends from the Hamlet of Wassaic to Copake Falls. You feel nestled in a cozy rock out cove and its quite beautiful there. eventually this may lead to shutting down the grounds for us all,depending on the action of the state. 3. . We both enjoyed the hike from that spot, so its the one Im recommending here, plus it has an extra little view that the New York lot doesnt have. Refer toAll Activities - Hikingbelow to park at the appropriate location for your hike. I usually climb Camel Back Mountain in Arizona, but wanted to do something different. The gorgeous sight hides in the Berkshire Hills' forest, near the state limit with New York. Dont know how. The easy-to-use Empire Pass card is $80- and your key to all-season enjoyment with unlimited day-use entry at most facilities operated by State Parks and the State Dept. We were only at Bash Bish falls. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. I was feeling a little less than hardcore (I worked the night before) so, I took the easy way from the New York parking lot, which is a pleasant walk through the woods right along the creek. Washington State Forest, Mt. Bash Bish Falls is operated as a Massachusetts (DCR) State Park with separate regulations. There are 45 tent sites, 25 tent platforms,36 trailer sites and three cabin areas for a total of 106 campsites and 18 cabins. Each one has been catalogued by the Friends of Taconic State Park's Historic Preservation Committee. Office hours vary - call ahead. It does make for make nicer picture without all the people there. Easy enough for my 2.5 year old to walk the full trail himself! Our dog, who can't read, took a dip anyway. Recent pic, as others have commented, nice having it private. The Great Blondin stated that because of the boulders in the chasm he found Bash Bish more frightening than Niagara. Thanks for the nice pic and the update, Dave! I saw rangers kicking people out of the streams as well. There are a few access points to the falls and more than one parking lot. On the way back there is what looks like a street sign post pointing up for the MA lot and to the left for the NY lot. All boundaries and trails are shown as approximate. Great photo ops at the falls. He plowed in front of me and laid some dirt or salt or something down and I was able to get out of there. No access to the upper gorge from the Massachusetts parking lotit is dangerous. night, US diplomatic convoy attacked in Sudan amid new truce. From Highway 344 in Copake Falls, Falls Road veers off, leading to the park's two parking areas. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. If you find this free trail guide useful, please provide payment by picking up at least one piece of litter on your hike. Bash Bish Falls is a great short hiking trail to the highest waterfall in the state of Massachusetts. Massachusetts bathrooms were definitely cleaner than the New York side. It was awesome! View From the summit atop Bash Bish Falls on the Mount Washington side. At the peak you will see the waterfalls and there are steps to descend to the bottom of the falls. No picnicking, grilling or fires. The hiking trails and parking lots are still open, you just cant get quite as close to the falls anymore. Your email address will not be published. Read our Terms of Use. 9. Bash Bish Falls is located in Bash Bish Falls State Park. With the snow and ice, the walk down to the falls from the MA side was just to treacherous to walk for us. 22), and follow signs to stay on 344, which becomes Falls Road as you get close to Massachusetts. A parks official in Copake told The Edge that the lot at the trailhead to Bash Bish remains open. Write a review. The only time Ive ever seen anyone slip was in the winter when the steps were icy. These are the two main access points for viewing Bash Bish Falls. That was still very refreshing on a hot June day. Hiking is risky, life is risky, accidents happen, awareness reduces the risk. It also involves clambering over some rocky places. It is not paved but flat with just a few places that are a little rough. People will be allowed down to. We are actually closing overflow parking lots due to the weekend overcrowding and have reduced parking. For fees not listed or to verify information, please contact the park directly. I ended up picking up a cool bash bish t-shirt.gotta support the little shops! The falls are beautiful, well worth this short little walk in to see them. Hope that helps! It is a very pretty hike with all the fall foliage around you. The charcoal blast furnace, blowing engine house, machine shop, office and powder storage building still remain and are open to the public during the spring, summer and fall . Perhaps it would all depend on our definition of unsafe, as there are quite a few rocks and cliffs here to fall from, beyond the falls themselves. [10] This is a very dangerous area as rocks are slick, the gorge is deep, and pools are shallow. 94% of travelers recommend this experience. There have been several deaths at this falls. Man, was it this steep on the way down? Hop on that trail, which will cost you perhaps 10-minutes for the roundtrip if you severely dilly dally. There is a good trail map near the parking lot to show you where you are headed. Note that the last bit of the trail is closed off. Sorta nearby address for your GPS: The Copake Falls Post Office is about two miles from the MA trailhead, and a mile from the NY trailhead. I live locally, it was in the paper. Very crowded trail unfortunately but gorgeous none the less. While the hike to the falls. The dramatic final pitch of Bash Bish Brook drops about 80 feet into an emerald plunge pool. Very easy and quick trail coming from NY Parking lot. can we manage to do the steeper one? Thank you for doing this!!! Turkey, archery and shotgun: Fall season: 10/17 to 11/1 Spring season: 5/1 to 5/31. I don't even know how to describe it. Longer and gradual, but rocky and uneven. I saw some people managed to dip in the stream, but the rangers will find you eventually and ask you to leave the water. They take over every square inch and spend the day. Bike or stroll along the Harlem Valley Rail Trail, hike to Bash Bish Falls, just over the Massachusetts border or up Brace Mountain, the highest point in Dutchess County. **UPDATE posted August 2022**The stairs to the falls have been barricaded to keep people out of the water at Bash Bish Falls. No waterfowl. Difficult ability, about 0.6 miles round-trip. Hope you had a great visit. Ive added a link to your comment in a new update at the top of this trail guide. Bash Bish Falls is a great short hiking trail to the highest waterfall in the state of Massachusetts. There are pics of a swimming beach at Rudd Pond. No conditions reported in the past 7 days. Google it. Thanks, this is very useful, as I couldnt find a trail guide at the Bash Bish Falls State Park site. This unique waterfall is split at the top by an enormous boulder . WASHINGTON, Mass. No rock climbing. 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? Taconic State Park is proud to host its 10th annual I Love My Park Day. I just put an update into Step 5 above, linking down to your comment (also put a small update into Step 9). NOTES & HIGHLIGHTS. 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. This is a very popular area for hiking, so you'll likely encounter other people while exploring. I believe it was fairly flat from the NY trailhead to the overlook where you could see the falls.
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