Parker Brook Falls

From the junction of Routes 2 and 8 in North Adams, follow Route 2 east for just over 12 miles, then turn right (south) onto Black Brook Road. Proceed for 2.5 miles and then turn right onto Tannery Road and go another 3/4 mile to the parking area for the Tannery Falls Trail on the right (may not be signed). From the parking lot follow the trail downstream marked with blue blazes. The trail reaches the top of Tannery Falls in about a fifth of a mile and then descends a steep staircase to its base. Shortly before reaching the base of Tannery Falls, Parker Brook Falls will come into view to the right.Accompanying the impressive neighboring Tannery Falls, Parker Brook forms a significant set of falls and cascades as it drops into the valley along a parallel course. Emptying out of the pseudo-swamp that is Tannery Pond Parker Brook meanders through the woods and begins a stair-step cascade down a narrow gorge where the bedrock has been thrust up at an angle. The result is each tier of the falls sliding down in a diagonal direction both laterally and horizontally, giving the falls a distinct "zigzag" appearance when viewed from the bottom. This zigzag behavior accounts for the first five drops of the falls, which fall back-to-back. The sixth tier slides into a small pool and the seventh then splits into two channels and plunges over a rugged ledge to complete the series. The total drop of the formation is 83 feet, with the tallest individual drop being about 20 feet on its own. The base of the falls is just a few dozen yards away from Tannery Falls and the two falls can be seen in tandem from several places around the glen (though not necessarily clearly).This waterfall is not officially named but it has been colloquially known as such for as long as we've been able to find documentation. The USGS quadrangle labels the stream as Tannery Brook and the falls have occasionally been referred to as Tannery Brook Falls as a result. Russell Dunn's Berkshire Region Waterfall Guide makes clear that Tannery Brook begins at the confluence of Parker and Ross Brooks just downstream of the two waterfalls, and that Parker Brook is the proper name for both the stream and falls at this point.