Bash Bish Falls

Excellent public shower. Water pressure is fantastic.
Even more challenging than the hiking trails leading to summit of Mount Alander is remembering to pronounce the name Bash Bish. It is not, as your brain will insist on, Bish Bash.

OMG! Amazing.
1) The falls is one of the best I have seen in the Northeast.
2) The wind and water vapor hitting your face is so refreshing.
3) Visit Race Brook Falls nearby. It has two falls: Upper falls and Lower falls.
This place is a must visit.

What an amazing waterfall! If you get to the Massachusetts side of the falls, keep driving! You’ll be in New York in about 5 minutes. The New York side has parking & the short hike to the waterfall is enjoyable. From the Massachusetts side you won’t get to see anything extra, but the hike is dangerous (to put it lightly). Bash Bish Falls was 100% worth the trip & if you do your research there are a couple other waterfalls in the same vicinity.

I have been reading about this for several years and finally made the trip this year with my 9-​year old daughter and wife. We did the hike from «Massachusetts» parking lot to the falls, maybe 20 – 30 minutes each way. It was a bit steep but easily done by agile people. I ended up driving the car to the NY parking lot for a fun interstate hiking experience, in such a short time. The hike from the NY side is MUCH easier than MA.
We did this trip before a Tanglewood evening, and I am glad that we did this. Well worth the trip. The only disappointing thing was there was MA state trooper making sure nobody went swimming, I think that this is a Saturday afternoon thing.

Beautiful waterfall with a nice little hike to get to it. Not really much to say that hasn’t been said in the other reviews. I didn’t get to take a dip in the pool since the falls were pretty heavy that day. The trail’s not hard so everyone can take the hike and enjoy the view.

The name alone had me hooked.
So I thought as I went through a nearby list of attractions while visiting Stockbridge last weekend. Little did I know that the drive to the Falls would present some of the most breathtaking scenery of the whole trip.
I had no idea I was visiting, at least according to the esteemed news source AOL, one of the «world’s most dangerous tourist attractions». Apparently several people have perished here by drowning. (Enough to qualify for membership in that list? I can’t quite say.)
Winding roads marked by winter season potholes makes for a drive where caution should not be thrown to the wind. Fortunately I was the only car on the road for miles, at several points wondering where exactly I was being led. According to the god that is GPS I had already arrived at Bash Bish Falls minutes ago but there was absolutely nothing in sight. I continued on, encountering signs with arrows until finally arriving at a small parking lot. Right before that parking lot was an amazing view of a valley that made me feel like an early 17^th century explorer ready to declare this land for the Crown of England.
Exiting the car, I saw signs for trails but between the sign and my feet lay huge piles of snow and ice. Considering that the snow and ice also covered an increase in elevation, judgement and fear prevented me from further exploration. (Hey, it’s one of the world’s most dangerous attractions and that’s not factoring in a slippery surface!)
So while I did not see the Falls proper, I remain a fan of the Bash Bish experience. Ascending a mountain, parking the car and hearing absolutely no sign of civilization for minutes on end. I will of course return when the snow has melted and I can see the actual Falls.

Amazing and very beautiful waterfall, at the end of a groomed dirt trail with a comfortable, progressive decline.
The only thing that I would change are the angry New Yorkers who chose to visit and complain about having to «walk» ¼ mile.

Pretty much an amazing waterfall. My parents used to bring me here as a small child, and gasp, allowed us to swim. I’m not sure if swimming was actually allowed 80s, but it isn’t now.
We stopped by on the beginning of the July 4^th weekend, and it was packed. People everywhere. We illegally parked to run down quickly to show my son, but I would suggest parking in one the lots so you aren’t worried about getting your car towed or hit.
There were a bunch of people swimming and having picnics on the rocks. The falls are beautiful and an awesome place to take pictures. I would suggest trying a weekday that isn’t during a holiday weekend, at least if you want a more serene atmosphere. They really are worth the drive if you’re in the Berkshires, though.

This past Sunday I rode my motorcycle with a group and one stop was to Bish Bash Falls. Wish I brought my bathing suit to join the many people paddling around in the pool beneath the falls.
Not sure if you should plan to swim there given that there are many signs posted saying you can’t. While I was there the rangers did come by to throw people out of the water. As soon as the rangers left, everyone who moved to the edge of the pool slid back in to enjoy the cool waters.
Definitely worth the stop if you’re in the area. If you park in the upper parking lot the trail down is steep and takes 10 to 15 minutes to get down to the base. Coming up is a bit harder. The lower lot offers a longer level 20 to 25 minute hike to the pool that would be better suited for older folks and people with little ones.

The best waterfall in Massachusetts when the water is flowing real well (best in April & May and after a rainstorm)
Visit nearby Race Brook Falls and Campbell Falls to hit up 3 waterfalls in one day. And then eat lunch in nearby Great Barrington = perfect day trip.

Bish Bash Falls was worth a visit during a day trip to the area. The overlook from the top near the parking lot which extends out over a valley was quite impressive. Then my boyfriend and I took the incredibly steep and trecherous trail down next to the railing… perhaps you know the one. Not for the faint of heart! Definitely not for small children or people who are unaccustomed to hiking or afraid of climbing and/​or heights. We actually used the railing to help with the descent, and there were several spots where I sat down on the rocks and scooted down because it was that steep. However, we thought that was the best part! It was an extremely adventurous route to take for the descent. Just look for the railing and follow it down if you want an exciting trail.
We took an easier, though steeply sloping trail at some points, back up to the top. It was a nice loop. This trail was moderate to easy and could be navigated by most. There wasn’t any scrambling on rocks that needed to be partaken of in this area.
The falls themselves were average, nothing in comparison to Ithaca and dwarfed by Niagara, but still pretty. One side of the falls wasn’t even flowing when I was there, but it was still picturesque. Some guys jumped in and went swimming, though there were ‘No Swimming’ signs posted. I didn’t care because I had already gotten all the photos I wanted, sans swimmers. Just another thing to be advised about: it definitely has the element of a hang out area, so you may similarly witness people breaking the «rules».
Honestly, I probably won’t go back because once you’ve seen it, there isn’t much appeal to returning even though it was a pleasant destination.

To get to Bash Bish Falls, there is a nearby dedicated free parking lot that is only about a 15 – 20 minute hike generally downhill. The hike to get back to the parking lot will be slightly more difficult due to the upward incline. We went in late August so the falls might not have been flowing as much as it usually does after rainy season but there were still a bunch of people lounging around enjoying the clear cold water.
After getting to Bash Bish Falls, we ventured down a trail for about a mile that crosses the Massachusetts/​New York border and the same trail stretches parallel to the stream that Bash Bish Falls turns into. This trail is much more heavily traveled with visitors due to the well maintained trail characteristics. In general, a pretty decent place to spend some quality time outdoors in Mt. Washington State Forest (although I like the hiking trails near Hunts Pond better).

Q: What do summer sleepaway camp counselors do on their days off?
A: Pick up a case and head over to Bash Bish.
This place is gorgeous. We parked up the trail so we had to hike down to the falls. The hike back up isn’t fun when you’re buzzed. And it’s definitely quite a hike. There’s a trail but some of it entails climbing around huge rocks. I’d recommend parking in the lower lot if you want to get to the falls faster; in the upper lot if you’re more into hiking.
There are signs everywhere saying you can’t swim but from my experiences and what I’ve heard from others, people do it all the time. The key is to look out for the park ranger who, fortunately, didn’t catch us jumping from the cliffs into the deeper end. They say the water is very cold but I found it to be cool and refreshing, especially in the middle of July.
Best of all, it’s free. Definitely a great place to go when you want to slow down and relax for a bit.

Bash Bish was awesome! My girlfriend and I went out there on a lovely Sunday, not a cloud in the sky. We parked at the lower parking lot; the trail from there to the falls is longer, but the climb is less drastic than from the upper lot, where it’s ¼ mile to the falls, descending 300ft over the course of it. Not for the faint of heart by the looks of things. The long trail, by contrast, is uphill for ¾ miles, we were told. It wasn’t too bad a walk.
And the falls themselves are beautiful! On a nice day, wonderfully picturesque. Swimming is apparently not allowed, but you wouldn’t know it from looking around. The pool under the falls was off-​limits, but everywhere else in the river around it was full of happy people enjoying the cool, clear water and warm weather. So I’d say this is a great park to get away to and go for a dip in. Privacy is out of the question, and you’ll want to watch kids around the rocks; we saw one youngster slip and fall and nearly knock his head against one. Yikes.

I am ashamed to say that I had never been to Bash Bish before in all my years living in the area… well, that is no longer the case. The trail starts out in New York and you make your way to Massachusetts to see the falls… we went with friends and the dog, and it is a very modest and enjoyable hike along a running creek. They say you aren’t suppose to swim there, but everyone I know either has or still does swim there… they also have a kids water area nearby that I’m looking forward to visiting in the summer… great place to visit.

We tacked on a visit to Massachusett’s highest single-​drop waterfall (whatever that means) after a visit to MASS MoCA, so we didn’t get to explore the adjacent state parks and hiking trails. It was a very quick (less than 10 minutes) but steep descent from the parking lot to the viewing area.
The falls themselves were very pretty, as was the whole area in general. Just gorgeous in the summer — leafy, green, airy and unspoilt. These aren’t the most majestic falls you’ll ever see but it’s a very peaceful spot. Definitely worth a visit if you’re in the area.
The practicalities:
–There’s a designated parking lot; on-​street parking is not allowed
–There are no services — pee before you go and carry out all your trash
–Fishing and pets are allowed; swimming, diving and rock climbing are not