Bash Bish Falls State Park is one of the most popular hiking destinations in The Berkshires, and for good reason. There you will find a path that winds and follows Bash Bish Brook through the tranquil forest from New York across the border to Massachusetts (that is if you park on the New York side). It’s an easy hike where as you continue down the path, the anticipation of reaching the waterfall builds. The waters of Bash Bish Falls begin at a spring in Mount Washington. Then, the twin falls fiercely cascade into a serene pool of water before continuing on and eventually joining with the Hudson River. Formed at the last ice age, the waterfall is located at the mouth of a gorge. It is the highest single-drop waterfall in the state of Massachusetts. The falls have received plenty of attention from travel websites and social media in the last several years. In fact, they were voted as one of the "Wonders of Berkshire County" in a 2007 Berkshire Eagle readers' poll. All of this attention has led to increasing numbers of visitors over the years. A lot of them are unaware that the waterfall also harbors a lot of darkness.

The Legend of Bash Bish Falls

According to local lore, Bash Bish Falls got its name from a beautiful Mohican woman named Bash Bish. Unfortunately, most of the details of her life have been obscured by time. The only thing legend tells us is that her tribe condemned her to death for committing adultery. The execution method was a unique one–she was to be strapped to a canoe and sent tumbling over the falls’ edge.

On the day of the execution, the tribe gathered to carry out their gruesome scheme. But, before they could strap her to the canoe, Bash Bish was suddenly surrounded by a mist and a ring of pure white butterflies. This peculiar spectacle transfixed everyone, and so with the rest of the tribe distracted, Bash Bish was able to break free from their grasp. Before she could be recaptured, Bash Bish ran and threw herself plunging from the top of the falls. They all watched in astonishment as she plummeted and disappeared beneath the depths of the water. They never recovered her body. Shortly after, the tribe pronounced Bash Bish a witch, as it was concluded she had used magic to escape her punishment. In another version of the legend, Bash Bish doesn’t hurl herself from the top of the falls. She is actually executed as planned, with white butterflies surrounding her as she plunged violently to her death. However, that’s not where the story ends.

After her death, Bash Bish’s daughter White Swan was adopted and raised by the tribe. Years later, the young girl was having trouble conceiving. Her husband was required to have an heir by tradition and therefore took a second wife. Naturally, White Swan was absolutely devastated. She would frequently visit the top of the falls to seek solace from her mother’s spirit. Then, one night White Swan had a dream that her mother was calling her to join her by following in her footsteps and jumping from the falls. The young girl believed dreams should be regarded as prophecy, so she waited to see if she received any further instruction.

One night, in an attempt to comfort his wife, White Swan's husband approached her on top of the waterfall with a gift: a white butterfly. When the girl saw the butterfly, she heard her mother's voice telling her it was time. This was the instruction she was waiting for. White Swan plunged herself over the treacherous falls. Distraught, her husband followed and leapt after her in an attempt to save her; but it was an exercise in futility. The next day, the husband’s body was found and pulled from the water. However, White Swan’s body, much like her mother’s, was never recovered.

Today, people who visit the falls claim that they hear the soft voices of women trying to lure them into jumping and joining them beneath the falls. Others have seen the falling water take on the shape of a woman, believed to be Bash Bish or White Swan. On a few occasions, people have even reported seeing the haunting image of a women’s face staring up at them from the water beneath the falls. ⁣

Modern Day Tragedies

A history of tragedy and darkness has continued to follow Bash Bish Falls through the years. You see, it’s a very dangerous place. In 2009 AOL Travel named the falls one of the “Most Dangerous Tourist Attractions” in the United States. The next year, another AOL article again named the falls one of “The Top Ten Most Dangerous Destinations” this time, in the world. It has been reported that more than 25 people have died in tragic accidents at Bash Bish Falls. At one point, steel cables were added to various walkways to try and reduce the dangers.

Most recently, in late July of 2017, a young man and former lifeguard from upstate New York was hiking with his girlfriend when he slipped and plummeted over the waterfall’s edge and into the waters below. Two days later, they found his body using an underwater camera but it was trapped in a crevice. Authorities reluctantly deemed his body unrecoverable because of the perilous conditions. More than a week later, his body was naturally dislodged and captured by netting that had been put in place for that eventuality. They were finally able to recover it a day later.

Bash Bish Falls has stood unrelenting against the mountains for thousands of years. It remains teeming with darkness and rife with casualties holding its secrets beneath the crashing water. Although, sometimes, it seems they may reach out from beneath its depths.

Author’s Note: To put it bluntly, if you visit Bash Bish Falls, don’t be an ass. Recently, there has been a trend of hordes of people visiting and leaving garbage and beer cans everywhere, blaring music, and being generally obnoxious. Don’t be that person.