March 13, 2016

Bash Bish Falls (Mount Washington, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date Visited: March 12, 2016

Hours: Open everyday from sunrise to half an hour after sunset.

Cost: access to the trails and waterfalls is free. It may cost if you rent one of the Bash Bish cabins at nearby  Taconic Falls.

Bash Bish Falls

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Located in the most southwestern part of Massachusetts, Bash Bish Falls is considered one of the most dangerous waterfalls in not only Massachusetts but the entire United States.  It is also one of the most beautiful.

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According to legend, Bash Bish was the name of a Mohican Native American woman who was accused of adultery which was punishable by death..  Bash Bish was pushed over the falls while tied up in a canoe.

The shape of the falls is said to resemble a woman falling to her death. Another theory claims the segmented characteristic of the falls resembled the reuniting of Bash Bish and her daughter White Swan who had also disappeared over the falls according to the Mohican legend.  If the rapids of the stream leading from the waterfall and the speed of the water falling from the waterfall are any indication, the restless spirits may still be there.  It is also a good reason why swimming is not allowed as the rapids can be very strong and it is easy to hit a rock.

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Bash Bish Falls is located in Massachusetts, just past New York/Massachusetts border.

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There are several entrances for Bash Bish.  One of the entrances, at the top of the hill from the Massachusetts entrance on Falls Rd, gives ample evidence as to why Bash Bish may be considered such a dangerous waterfall.  The stairs, which are a generous description, and walkway, also a generous description, are rocky and treacherous.  There is a railing to hold on to.  But, it’s still a tricky path.

I would recommend using the first parking spot on Falls Rd, if you’re traveling from Massachusetts.  The trails are easy to moderate with a few slight inclines from the first parking lot.  It is a 3/4 mile walk to the waterfall from the parking area.

There are many interesting rock formations along the trail. Little known factoid: I learned a new word recently for the strange piles of rocks stacked creatively that we often see along trails and at beaches like the rocks in the first two photos in the top row of photos below.  They are called cairns, unless you ask a conservationist or geologist in which case they will condescendingly call them just rock piles since real cairns are nature made and not man made.

Bash Bish Falls is a popular spot for dog walkers.  I met the following dogs during my hike.

Charlie

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Juno, a Rottweiler and Shepherd mix

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Cassie, a Bernese Mountain Dog.

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Murphy, a beautiful Golden retriever

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To get a better perspective of the waterfall and the stream leading from the waterfall, I have attached the following videos.

About New England Nomad

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
This entry was posted on Sunday, March 13th, 2016 at 4:22 am and tagged with , , , , , , , , and posted in attractions, dogs, massachusetts, New England, photographs, photography, photos, Uncategorized, views, waterfalls, western massachusetts. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

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