Waterfalls in Massachusetts

Overview of waterfalls in Massachusetts

Bash Bish Falls in Mount Washington has a final drop of about 60 feet, per the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). Wikipedia calls it the highest waterfall in the state, though it cites no source for that. Wahconah Falls in Dalton is a 40-foot falls, says DCR.

Doane's Falls in Royalston is a chain of five falls on Lawrence Brook, per Wikipedia. The Trustees manage it, not DCR. NewEnglandWaterfalls.com estimates the combined drop at about 175 feet, a guidebook figure rather than an official one.

The three falls differ in the walk, the size of the lot and how much of the trail is accessible. Wahconah Falls has a half-mile loop, and Bash Bish Falls is about 0.6 mile round trip from its Massachusetts lot. Doane's Falls has a half-mile trail, about 1 mile round trip if you return the same way, plus a 0.15-mile accessible path.

Fees, parking and hours at waterfalls in Massachusetts

All three Massachusetts waterfalls on this site have free parking, and no permit or ticket is listed for any of them.

No permit or ticket is listed for any of the three. The one possible fee is on the New York approach to Bash Bish Falls. NY State Parks lists an $8 passenger-car day-use fee for Taconic State Park's Copake Falls Area. We could not confirm whether it applies at the separate Bash Bish trailhead lot.

Parking space is the real limit. Roadside parking is prohibited on Falls Road and NY Route 344 near Bash Bish. The main Doane's Falls entrance holds only 3 cars, according to The Trustees.

Swimming and dog rules at Massachusetts waterfalls

Swimming is banned at all three Massachusetts waterfalls, and dogs are allowed at all three, on a leash at Bash Bish and Doane's.

Bash Bish Falls: DCR prohibits swimming, diving and entering the water. More than 25 people have died at the falls in the past century, according to Wikipedia.

Wahconah Falls: DCR lists 'No swimming' under the park's restrictions.

Doane's Falls: The Trustees prohibit swimming, diving and wading, which they say 'have led to fatalities and serious injuries over the years.' Wikipedia dates that ban to 2002.

Dogs are allowed at all three. DCR's Wahconah page says 'DOGS ALLOWED,' DCR requires a leash at all times at Bash Bish, and The Trustees require a leash at all times at Doane's. DCR's general dog guidance lists a leash of 10 feet or less in its parks.

Our waterfall safety guide covers slippery rock, cold water and flash floods in more depth.

Hiking trails in Massachusetts with waterfalls

Massachusetts waterfall walks on this site run from about 0.15 mile at Doane's Falls to about 1.5 miles round trip on Bash Bish's New York side.

Wahconah Falls: DCR describes 'a half-mile loop along the upper falls' and gives no difficulty rating. Berkshires Outside found a steep entrance, with slopes up to 22%.

Bash Bish Falls: from the Massachusetts lot, DCR rates the trail difficult, about 0.6 mile round trip. From the New York lot in Taconic State Park, DCR rates it moderate, about 1.5 miles round trip, and suggests that side in winter.

Doane's Falls: The Trustees describe a half-mile trail down one side of the stream, 'Moderate walking, strenuous in places,' and suggest allowing at least 1 hour. A 0.15-mile accessible trail runs from the Doane Hill Road lot to the lower falls.

DCR says neither Bash Bish trail is wheelchair accessible, and we found no designated accessible trail at Wahconah.

Waterfalls you can see without a long hike

Doane's Falls has the shortest walk of the three. The Trustees list an accessible trail of about 0.15 mile from the Doane Hill Road lot to the lower falls.

Wahconah Falls: DCR describes a half-mile loop along the upper falls. Berkshires Outside found a steep entrance, with slopes up to 22%, and no formal accessible parking spaces.

Bash Bish Falls: the walk from the Massachusetts lot is short, about 0.6 mile round trip, but DCR rates it difficult. DCR says neither Bash Bish trail is wheelchair accessible.

Waterfalls in western Massachusetts

Both western Massachusetts falls on this site are in Berkshire County. Bash Bish Falls sits in Mount Washington, just inside Massachusetts near the New York line. A second trail reaches it from Taconic State Park in New York. Wahconah Falls is in Dalton, in a 48-acre state park, per Wikipedia.

DCR says Wahconah is 'especially impressive during the spring runoff.' For Bash Bish, we found no DCR guidance on a best season. DCR does suggest the New York lot in winter.

Massachusetts waterfall closures and conditions (as of Oct 2026)

All three falls are open as of Oct 2026. On October 29, 2026, DCR's Wahconah Falls State Park page showed no alert, and The Trustees' Doane's Falls page listed no closures. The Trustees do note that hunting is allowed on Doane's Coddings Meadow parcel, never on Sundays, and advise blaze orange in hunting season.

DCR's Bash Bish Falls page showed no alert on October 25, 2026, and our Bash Bish page, checked October 28, lists it open sunrise to sunset.

In spring 2026, DCR closed the Massachusetts trail and lot on some weekdays for erosion work. Those closures ended July 2, 2026. The New York trail stayed open, and we found no later closures.

Massachusetts waterfalls FAQ