Bear Hole is not just a name give to the much traveled reservoir in West Springfield.
Tales of bear, deer and other animals have been told from many visitors at the park.
I didn’t see any bear, though. I only met the occasional dog (from top left to right Figueroa, Lily, Jyp, bottom from left to right Oreo and Connor)
and owl
The main attraction at Bear Hole is the waterfall.
and the pond it flows to
The trails are clearly defined (unless you go off trail to get a closer look at the waterfall and pond as I did from time to time). And runners and cyclists use the trails frequently.
Click below to view the video of the waterfall in all its splendor.
Hi I'm Wayne. Welcome to my blog.
I am a true New Englander through and through. I love everything about New England. I especially love discovering new places in New England and sharing my experiences with everyone. I tend to focus on the more unique and lesser known places and things in New England on my blog.
Oh yeah, and I love dogs. I always try to include at least one dog in each of my blog posts.
I discovered my love of photography a couple of years ago. I know, I got a late start. Now, I photograph anything that seems out of the ordinary, interesting, beautiful and/or unique. And I have noticed how every person, place or thing I photograph has a story behind it or him or her. I don't just photograph things or people or animals. I try to get their background, history or as much information as possible to give the subject more context and meaning. It's interesting how one simple photograph can evoke so much.
I am currently using a Nikon D3200 "beginner's camera." Even though there are better cameras on the market, and I will upgrade some time, I love how it functions (usually) and it has served me well.
The great thing about my blog is you don't have to be from New England, or even like New England to like my blog (although I've never met anyone who doesn't). All you have to like is to see and read about new or interesting places and things.
Hopefully, you'll join me on my many adventures in New England!
View all posts by New England Nomad
These pics are great! I live right around the corner from West Springfield and I’ve never been here. Adding this location to my adventure list right now!
Thank you, Rebecca! There are so many beautiful places to photograph in Western MA. My sister lives out there and my niece told me about the place. It is kind of a hidden jewel. If you didn’t know where it was you could easily drive right by it. I definitely recommend it!
The owl was a welcome surprise. I was on my way to leave when I took that photo. I didn’t want to use the flash because I thought it may scare him/her. So, the photo was a little dark. Great find, though.
good to know there is someone on the east coast doing what I do on the left coast! Thanks for the views. And I like th eowl too. We don’t see so many out here in the daytime.
I attended a talk there a few years ago and the woman had old black and white photos of the building, but I am not able to find anything on the web at all. Only about the trails.
That’s really interesting. I have family out that way. So maybe I can ask at the local library or somewhere about the historical background of the area. You’ve peaked my interest!
New England Nomad 
November 28th, 2015 at 1:53 am
Seems like a nice play to visit.
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November 28th, 2015 at 1:57 am
It was. It’s good for a quiet stroll or quick run. I think the main trail loop is 5 miles.
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November 28th, 2015 at 2:01 am
I’m pleased you enjoyed your outing. Be well
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November 29th, 2015 at 5:07 pm
These pics are great! I live right around the corner from West Springfield and I’ve never been here. Adding this location to my adventure list right now!
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November 29th, 2015 at 8:25 pm
Thank you, Rebecca! There are so many beautiful places to photograph in Western MA. My sister lives out there and my niece told me about the place. It is kind of a hidden jewel. If you didn’t know where it was you could easily drive right by it. I definitely recommend it!
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November 30th, 2015 at 12:39 am
Beautiful!
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November 30th, 2015 at 12:47 am
Thank you! It was a very pretty waterfall.
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November 30th, 2015 at 1:08 am
I especially love the owl.
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November 30th, 2015 at 11:54 am
The owl was a welcome surprise. I was on my way to leave when I took that photo. I didn’t want to use the flash because I thought it may scare him/her. So, the photo was a little dark. Great find, though.
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November 30th, 2015 at 2:00 am
Beautiful photos! You are a talented photographer!
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November 30th, 2015 at 11:50 am
Thank you very much! Your comment just made my day!
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December 1st, 2015 at 2:00 am
Happy new month
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December 2nd, 2015 at 6:53 pm
Thank you! Same to you!
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December 1st, 2015 at 10:38 pm
Wow, looks like a magical little area, thanks for sharing!
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December 2nd, 2015 at 2:07 am
It is! Thank you for reading and commenting.
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December 2nd, 2015 at 6:41 am
It was a lovely trip with You, my Dear NEN! Regards. 🙂
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December 2nd, 2015 at 3:22 pm
Thank you for coming along with me!
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December 2nd, 2015 at 7:21 pm
Lovely photos….I hope to see some bears.
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December 2nd, 2015 at 7:47 pm
Thank you. Yes, I was hoping to see some bears as well. Maybe I’ll see them next time!
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December 2nd, 2015 at 8:03 pm
Yipeee. Cheerio. You most welcome.
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December 3rd, 2015 at 3:48 am
Beautiful! Meeting the dogs is always the best part of a hike.
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December 3rd, 2015 at 3:48 am
Thank you and I agree!
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December 5th, 2015 at 4:52 pm
Dog pics always warm my heart:) I would love to hike in a place like that!
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December 6th, 2015 at 5:53 am
Yes, those dogs were especially friendly, too. I know at the least I will have some cute puppies to share with everyone whenever I go to a park!
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December 6th, 2015 at 5:58 am
Something to look forward to each time:)
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December 8th, 2015 at 4:58 pm
good to know there is someone on the east coast doing what I do on the left coast! Thanks for the views. And I like th eowl too. We don’t see so many out here in the daytime.
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December 8th, 2015 at 11:47 pm
Yes between the two of us we got both of the coasts covered! I lucked out getting the owl! Thanks for stopping by.
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December 22nd, 2015 at 4:24 pm
We love Western MA. We visit every year. We lived there for many years. Great photos. Thanks. 🙂
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December 22nd, 2015 at 4:31 pm
Thank you. Yes it is beautiful out there!
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July 7th, 2018 at 4:18 pm
You need to go downstream 50 more meters from where you recorded to see the actual bear hole falls. You recorded the rapids above it.
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July 7th, 2018 at 4:35 pm
Thank you Mike! I will make sure to go to the actual falls during my next visit
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June 24th, 2019 at 7:57 am
does anyone know the history of the hotel that was at the waterfall back at the turn of the century? What is the history of the Fireplace there?
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June 25th, 2019 at 6:14 am
I don’t know. But, you’ve given me some things to look into!
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June 25th, 2019 at 7:09 pm
I attended a talk there a few years ago and the woman had old black and white photos of the building, but I am not able to find anything on the web at all. Only about the trails.
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June 25th, 2019 at 7:34 pm
That’s really interesting. I have family out that way. So maybe I can ask at the local library or somewhere about the historical background of the area. You’ve peaked my interest!
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