Lower Bash Bish Falls

Bash Bish Falls is located in Mount Washington, Massachusetts but the most direct access is from Copake, New York. From the junction of Routes 23 and 22 in Hillsdale, New York, follow Route 22 south for four miles and turn left onto Route 344. After one-third of a mile, make a hard left following Route 344 east then stay left at the next fork, following signs pointing to Bash Bish Falls. There are two parking areas, the first in Taconic State Park about one half of a mile before crossing into Massachusetts, and the other about a mile further up the road near the top of the falls on the Mass side of the border. Both are connected to the same trail system. From the lower parking area, the hike to the falls is an easy three-quarters of a mile stroll along an old road bed. From the upper parking area, the hike is about half the distance, but is also much steeper as it loses over 300 feet in elevation descending to the base of the main falls. The lower falls are found just downstream from where the stairs lead to the bottom of Bash Bish Falls. Informal paths work downstream and descend (expect mud) to the brook at the pool below the falls.Lower Bash Bish Falls is a small cascading waterfall which rumbles through a narrow constriction in the streambed and tumbles 22 feet into a long pool occupying the bottom of the lower end of the gorge. The falls are located approximately 200 feet downstream from the base of Bash Bish Falls, but are separated enough both visually and in a linear sense that it should be considered an entirely separate waterfall rather than part of Bash Bish Falls itself. Visitors to Bash Bish Falls can look down over the top of the lower falls from the large boulders scattered around the basin below Bash Bish Falls, while the view from below is more obscured by the walls of the gorge when looking upstream.
Bash Bish Brook is a moderately large stream, draining a basin covering approximately 13 square miles. A handful of small ponds feed into the drainage, but the vast majority of the volume of the stream comes from ephemeral runoff and ground seep throughout the basin. Though the falls are occasionally known to be reduced to very low flow during periods of drought in the summer months, because New England commonly sees heavy precipitation through the summer and fall months, the falls are often flowing well, if not quite powerfully, and should be considered worthy of visitation during just about any time of year.