Bash Bish Falls State Park
Encyclopedia
Bash Bish Falls State Park is a Massachusetts
state park
located in Mount Washington
which is named after Bash Bish Falls
, Massachusetts' highest single-drop waterfall
(60 ft), which lies within its borders. The park is managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation
and provides scenic views and a number of recreational opportunities, including fishing and hiking – but swimming or climbing near the falls is prohibited.
Bash Bish State Park consists of numerous gorges
and an Eastern Hemlock
ravine forest. The slopes around the waterfall are covered by forests of trees such as maple
, oak
, and beech
. Wildlife includes the timber rattlesnake, the peregrine falcon
, bobcat
s, black bear
s, and porcupine
s.
The park is open from dawn to dusk. The falls are reached via a moderately strenuous uphill trail. No facilities are provided. Carry in – carry out all belongings.
The park is one of a cluster of nature preserves in the extreme southwestern corner of Massachusetts noted for their scenery. It is adjacent to the Mount Everett State Reservation
and the 4000 acres (16.2 km²) Mount Washington State Forest
, as well as New York's 5000 acres (20.2 km²) Taconic State Park
.
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
state park
State park
State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the federated state level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, or recreational...
located in Mount Washington
Mount Washington, Massachusetts
Mount Washington is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 130 at the 2000 census, making it the smallest town in Berkshire County and, after Gosnold and Monroe, the third smallest in...
which is named after Bash Bish Falls
Bash Bish Falls
Bash Bish Falls, a waterfall in Bash Bish Falls State Park in the Taconic Mountains of southwestern Massachusetts , is the highest waterfall in the state...
, Massachusetts' highest single-drop waterfall
Waterfall
A waterfall is a place where flowing water rapidly drops in elevation as it flows over a steep region or a cliff.-Formation:Waterfalls are commonly formed when a river is young. At these times the channel is often narrow and deep. When the river courses over resistant bedrock, erosion happens...
(60 ft), which lies within its borders. The park is managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation
Department of Conservation and Recreation (Massachusetts)
The Department of Conservation and Recreation is a state agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, situated in the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. It is best known for its parks and parkways. As of May 24, 2011 the Commissioner of the DCR is Edward M. Lambert, Jr...
and provides scenic views and a number of recreational opportunities, including fishing and hiking – but swimming or climbing near the falls is prohibited.
Bash Bish State Park consists of numerous gorges
Canyon
A canyon or gorge is a deep ravine between cliffs often carved from the landscape by a river. Rivers have a natural tendency to reach a baseline elevation, which is the same elevation as the body of water it will eventually drain into. This forms a canyon. Most canyons were formed by a process of...
and an Eastern Hemlock
Eastern Hemlock
Tsuga canadensis, also known as eastern or Canadian hemlock, and in the French-speaking regions of Canada as pruche du Canada, is a coniferous tree native to eastern North America. It ranges from northeastern Minnesota eastward through southern Quebec to Nova Scotia, and south in the Appalachian...
ravine forest. The slopes around the waterfall are covered by forests of trees such as maple
Maple
Acer is a genus of trees or shrubs commonly known as maple.Maples are variously classified in a family of their own, the Aceraceae, or together with the Hippocastanaceae included in the family Sapindaceae. Modern classifications, including the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group system, favour inclusion in...
, oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
, and beech
Beech
Beech is a genus of ten species of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia and North America.-Habit:...
. Wildlife includes the timber rattlesnake, the peregrine falcon
Peregrine Falcon
The Peregrine Falcon , also known as the Peregrine, and historically as the Duck Hawk in North America, is a widespread bird of prey in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-gray back, barred white underparts, and a black head and "moustache"...
, bobcat
Bobcat
The bobcat is a North American mammal of the cat family Felidae, appearing during the Irvingtonian stage of around 1.8 million years ago . With twelve recognized subspecies, it ranges from southern Canada to northern Mexico, including most of the continental United States...
s, black bear
American black bear
The American black bear is a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most common bear species. Black bears are omnivores, with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in...
s, and porcupine
Porcupine
Porcupines are rodents with a coat of sharp spines, or quills, that defend or camouflage them from predators. They are indigenous to the Americas, southern Asia, and Africa. Porcupines are the third largest of the rodents, behind the capybara and the beaver. Most porcupines are about long, with...
s.
The park is open from dawn to dusk. The falls are reached via a moderately strenuous uphill trail. No facilities are provided. Carry in – carry out all belongings.
The park is one of a cluster of nature preserves in the extreme southwestern corner of Massachusetts noted for their scenery. It is adjacent to the Mount Everett State Reservation
Mount Everett State Reservation
Mount Everett State Reservation is a state park located in the town of Mount Washington, Massachusetts, USA. The forest is managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation.-Description:...
and the 4000 acres (16.2 km²) Mount Washington State Forest
Mount Washington State Forest
Mount Washington State Forest is a scenic state forest in the southern Taconic Mountains of the southwestern Berkshire region of Massachusetts. It has 30 miles of trails for hiking, as well as offering wilderness camping, fishing, horseback riding trails, and cross-country skiing...
, as well as New York's 5000 acres (20.2 km²) Taconic State Park
Taconic State Park
Taconic State Park is located in Columbia and Dutchess County, New York abutting Massachusetts and Connecticut within the Taconic Mountains. The state park is located off New York State Route 344 south of Interstate 90 and north of New York City...
.