Ahhhh.. Umpachene - how do I bottle you and bring you home?…read more Delightful 18 minute ride from where we were staying in Sheffield. Suggest loading GPS or navigation app before losing signal in the mountains. Of note, and quite a surprise after a score of years closed, the bridge on Umpachene Falls Road has been rebuilt and is open. Yesterday, the falls were rushing abs bracingly cold! While I didn't fully submerge or hide behind the water curtain, I sat in the flow and was transfixed and refreshed for an hour. Remains a Berkshire treasure!

Beautiful place. Nice picnic area. Very relaxing. Great place to go to unwind and enjoy nature…read more Highly recommended!

Beautiful trails and an amazing view from the top. We arrived around 11AM on a fall Saturday and…read morethere were only a few spots left in the parking area. There is a $6 fee for parking, and the machine takes credit cards. We hiked up to the summit on the Blue trail which connected to the red trail. Trails were clearly marked and not too difficult. We even found a few geocaches along the way. Be sure to take the short spur trail to Devil's Pulpit for a spectacular view. Even though the parking lot was nearly full, there are enough trails to that we never felt crowded. It took us about 2 hours total for our climb up and down the mountain, with some time spent enjoying the view from the summit.

Finally came here after having it bookmarked for years. Medium lot fills up quick. Paid parking. 9…read morebucks. There was a DCR worker there helping people figure out which trail was better for them. He was very polite. There are 2 trails to get to the top. You can take the steep shorter trail or a longer trail that wasn't as steep. I opted for the steep one. Definitely a good little hike. I was out of breath. The top has a phenomenal view. Absolutely breathtaking. Definitely a place you need to put on your list of things to do.

It took me three attempts over three days to make it all the way to the waterfall, but it was so…read moreworth it! I took this journey at the start of February, and there was tons of snow on the ground. On the first day, I arrived at the Massachusetts parking lot around 3 PM I figured I had a good two hours before sundown. I turned back after walking a short way down the trail because it was so steep, I thought I was going to tumble into the river. When I got back, I watched a video of someone hiking on the Massachusetts side, and I realized that the trail is normally full of stairs This makes sense because it's very steep and that's why it's so short but because of the snow, the stairs are covered up I would definitely not recommend using the Massachusetts side in the winter On the second day, I got to the New York parking lot around 2 PM. I made it about halfway down the much more gradual and scenic trail before I turned back. I turned back because the sun disappeared behind the mountain, and it was dark and windy On the third day, I got to the New York side at 11 AM. This time I realized that the top of the trail is just always dark and windy because it's in a corridor between two mountain peaks. So I pressed on. It took me about one hour to get to the end of the trail. I walked pretty slowly and stopped to look at nature a lot. If you are not someone who is super confident staying on the path in the forest, these are fairly easy trails because it's just a straight line the whole way there and you are following the river the whole time. I'm so glad I didn't give up because the falls are one of the most beautiful magical things I've ever seen Instead of water flowing down through the ice, it was snow and slush bursting through the sections of the frozen waterfall the water exploding into 1 million tiny snowflakes from the top to the bottom I plan to come back here in the summer with my kids and I think they will really love it.

Must see if you are in the area! Two parking lots -- one in NY and one in MA. We did the NY one…read morewhich leads up up a gradual, pretty easy hill about 20min until you reach the falls. Looks like the MA lot -- you go down a steep, shorter hill to reach the falls. Along the way you'll pass by a stream and an array of Fall leaves. When you reach the falls, there were many people who climbed the little railing and took the rocky steps down to the falls. It's worth it -- as it's beautiful and a great picture spot. Dog friendly too!

Amazing easy/moderate hike in. No idea it existed and not that far away from Troy/Albany…read more Surprisingly big waterfalls and rock formations. Was told cause of all the rain it was not normally as high. Really peaceful. Thankfully no trash or other distractions from people. Will be back many times I'm sure.

I almost don't want to write a review for this conservation area because then it could become…read moreinundated with people. Simply put, you don't have to walk very far for some incredible views. We visited right after a heavy summer rainstorm so the trail right down to the falls was a bit hard to traverse (high water, slippery rocks, etc) but it was worth the treachery. But you don't have to hitch yourself down to get the full magic of these falls, you can also go for a slightly longer walk to see them at eye level. If you're visiting close to the Hudson area, a visit to the High Falls Conservation Area should be on your list! Then grab a drink in town.

This was the second falls visited by our gang of three adventurers last Wednesday. Both Bash Bish…read moreFalls and Campbell Falls were uniquely picturesque. While the trek to BBF was 3/4 mi from the NY parking lot, the jaunt to Campbell Falls was much closer from our dirt parking area. Both falls were similar heights. I inclined to say that BBF was a little higher. Intrepid Paul ventured into the deep pool at the bottom. He looked refreshed. Mountain goat Jamie climbed up the steep terrain to the right of the Falls, and appeared to be standing right in the middle of it at the top. In reality, there is also an opening in the paved road at the top that allows one to get close. Be careful if you do this !!!!!. All-in-all, worth the trip.

This is a nice place for a pretty easy family hike. From the parking lot it is less than a mile to…read morethe falls. Good path with built in steps and little wooden bridges to make the hike easier and safer. The falls are about 50 feet high and worth the trip.

No climb to Squaw Peak at Monument Mountain Reservation should by-pass the stairs up to the view of…read moreDevil's Pulpit! Take strenuous Hickey Trail up and continue after Squaw Peak to the marker!

The falls are truly incredible…read more The trail down to the bottom of the falls, is a bit tricky. But so incredibly worth it. I would suggest not to believe the sign saying 189 steps.... it is definitely more! Take drinking water because you'll need that for sure. We went back in August and the heat was definitely there. The parking lot was pretty packed but throughout the trails people were pretty evenly spaced out. Not so much at the base of the falls themselves but there was still plenty of room to move around freely.

One of the tallest waterfall in NY, similar height to Taughannock Falls. Physical requirement is…read moredifferent tho, Kaaterskill Falls has about 500foot of elevation change and a lot of slippery stone steps at the end, if you come here when the weather is still cold. Parking: most people park at the Laurel-House Road parking area, because it is the closest. Or you can park at Mountain Top Historical Society, the old train station, which an extra mile. Starting from the old railroad station is nice, you can still see some old tracks on the ground. Walk to the overlook is fairly easy, once you get to the start point of Lower falls junction, it is where you need to be prepared. I recommend hiking shoe, especially in colder months where the ground is wet and iced. When you reach to the stone steps, they can get slippery. I am surprised no one fell in late March. Half of the steps were cover in ice and people were wearing regular sneakers. Once you reach the base of the two tier falls, the view is tremendous. If water levels are high, you can feel the energy of the water. There is a lot of spray from the falls when you get close. There is short trail to the middle tier pool. It was iced up during winter, spikes will definitely be useful. The end was amazing too. So close to the lead of the waterfall. You can keep going and follow Escarpment trail and follow the edge of the valley. There is monument for fireman Frank Layman who died during firefighting in 1900, at his monument, you can see route 23A bend around mountain. And if you keep going, there are a couple viewpoint to overlook the valley. Nice break points to enjoy the view and rest your legs.

I hiked this mountain on October 18, 2024. I hiked Bear Mountain trail. Bear mountain did not…read moredisappoint. The fall foliage was beautiful. So many yellows and oranges. The was one little fly that we seem to make friends with. The scrabbles were good and a nice mix up to the trail. The trail was well marked and maintained. We were able to stand on the CT/MA line. The trail was about 6.5 miles long.

As the tallest peak in Connecticut (2,300 ft.) Bear Mountain has to be one of my favorite CT hikes…read more There are several ways up to the summit, all of which are steep, long, and strenuous. On our most recent visit, we used Lion's Head. Although it's a bit longer than the Undermountain Trail, it's less vigorous and I think it has some really spectacular views. This is the perfect spot if you love panoramic overviews. From several lookouts, you can actually take in some great long-distance views. The southern part of Connecticut spreads out in front of you with the rolling Litchfield Hills to the south, Twin Lakes east, Massachusetts north-northeast, and surrounding mountainsides, farmland, woodlands, and small towns fill in the pieces of this picturesque puzzle (no western views). If you use Lion's head to reach the summit of Bear Mountain, it's a 6-mile round trip. As you near the top, the Appalachian Trail appears and is marked with white hash marks whereas the Lion's Head trail is marked by blue hash marks. Keep this in mind for your return trip or you be going off course! FYI: Park at the dirt parking lot on Bunker Hill Rd on the labeled "hiker parking" lot. All in all, the hike(s) up to Bear Mountain are tough and challenging even for the average day-hiker. With some patience, plenty of water and snacks, some determination and good company, Bear Mountain will be a great day-hike for any level. If you're feeling fancy, bring a bottle of wine and actual food and have a picnic at the summit. And if that still isn't enough, don't forget the journey's reward -- great overviews, Appalachian Trail access, title of hiking Connecticut's highest peaks, waterfalls, and woodlands.

Great little hike to the cascades which were beautiful. At the peak the pools are deep enough to go…read morein about knee deep. Water is cool and refreshing.

It was a bit difficult to find accurate directions to arrive at the trailhead, which is located at…read morethe end of a residential road. Online sources say to park at the YMCA nearby. The YMCA is permanently closed, and instead we found an elementary school where you can park, alongside which you begin through a short woodsy path and then must walk maybe 1/4 mile through the neighborhood before discovering the trail. The hike is a beautiful gentle up and down through the woods and along a river. It's only about 2 miles in-and-back, mostly very easy, but has a few tricky but fun spots where you may have to navigate over a tree trunk or carefully walk over rocks/uneven terrain at the edge of a shallow point in the river . The waterfall is a nice feature where you can sit and enjoy the sound and vibe before you turn around to head back.