Bash Bish Falls State Park

About this park

Bash Bish Falls State Park, established in 1924, protects 424 acres in the extreme southwest corner of Massachusetts, right at the New York state line, centered on Bash Bish Falls, the highest single-drop waterfall anywhere in Massachusetts at about 60 feet. Bash Bish Brook tumbles through a dramatic series of gorges and a hemlock-hardwood ravine forest before the falls themselves split around a massive boulder and drop into a sparkling pool below. The falls have made this one of the most photographed natural landmarks in the Berkshires, and the park sits immediately adjacent to the much larger, 4,169-acre Mount Washington State Forest, which offers more than 30 miles of additional trails, including a section of the South Taconic Trail and opportunities for wilderness camping beyond the falls themselves. The surrounding Taconic Mountains give the whole area a rugged, remote character distinct from the gentler terrain found in much of the rest of the state. Scenic overlooks and forested picnic areas near the falls make the park a popular stop for short visits and nature photography rather than extended stays, and its location in the far southern Berkshires, reachable from Great Barrington via Route 23 and Falls Road, places it within a cluster of other dramatic western Massachusetts state parks known for spectacular scenery and sweeping views.