Bash Bish Falls – Sunset Rock – Prospect Hill via the...

Taconic State Park

View from Sunset Rock - Photo by Daniel Chazin View from Sunset Rock - Photo by Daniel Chazin

A two-state hike from spectacular Bash Bish Falls in Massachusetts to the South Taconic Trail in New York with amazing western views from Sunset Rock and Prospect Hill

42.11478, -73.491805

This hike begins at Bash Bish Falls - the highest waterfall in Massachusetts, and a very popular destination for non-hikers - so you might want to start your hike early in the day to enjoy the falls before the crowds arrive. But while everyone else is at the waterfall, you can find solitude on the trails. There are two parking areas for the falls - the lower parking area in New York, which...

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Trip Reports

rate experience
April 06, 2012
0
Nice Hike
<p>This was a nice hike. &nbsp;Intended to use it to start getting into hiking shape for my hiking goals for this spring/summer/fall season which consists of 4+ high peaks in the adirondacks and doing devils path in the catskills.</p> <p>I loaded up a pack to give some weight to the hike to prepare for backpacking trips. &nbsp;I wrapped a 10lb dumbell in a towel and put that at the bottom. &nbsp;(not optimal weight distribution but it was the only realistic way to pack it) &nbsp;I had a full 2L water bladder wrapped as well as a 32oz gatoraid, a redbull, a sandwich, some crackers and lightweight first aid and survival gear. &nbsp;Probably about 25-30lbs pack weight (a guestimation).</p> <p>The views at the lookouts were awesome and it was predominitely cloudy (had a peek at the sun on the return but that was it). &nbsp;Nice view of the hudson valley flood plain between the northern catskills and the taconics. &nbsp;The trail was very obvious up until the end. &nbsp;I questioned a bit if I was on the right track as I headed towards prospect. &nbsp;Very few markers between sunset and there untill you see the NY/MA marker. &nbsp;I went out a bit fast and ended up with tired legs on the way back which is not a great thing. &nbsp;Slipped twice coming down the cedar brook trial (fell backwards but caught myself, same way I broke my wrist when I was 4 but no injury this time). &nbsp;I will definitely take solo hikes slower in the future. &nbsp;I was worried about coming in after sunset so I kept a brisk pace (I do the same thing on runs - I try to go too quick)</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>I reached prospect at about 4:10 or about 2 hours in from the start taking in the views at sunset rock along the way. &nbsp;Not bad time but it cost me on the way back. &nbsp;I stopped to eat at the intersection where the path leads off to sunset rock when the sun was behind thinner clouds and gave a little warmth. &nbsp;Made it back to the car by about 5:45 (definitely could have gone a bit slower but I was anxious about light). &nbsp;The hike back up from the falls to the MA lot was brutal on my tired legs. &nbsp;I took more breathers on that last 1/4 mile than I did anywhere else on the rest of the hike. &nbsp;Looking back I probably should have followed the taconic trail all the way back as the cedar creek trail was definitely steeper.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Overall a great hike though the math in the posted numbers confuses me (4.1 miles to prospect, .4 mile difference between cedar creek and s taconic does not add up to 8.1)&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>A couple panoramas from sunset rock-&nbsp;</p> <p>http://dl.dropbox.com/u/70297255/sunsetrockpanorama1.jpg</p> <p>http://dl.dropbox.com/u/70297255/sunsetrockpanorama2b.jpg</p> <p>http://dl.dropbox.com/u/70297255/sunsetrockpanorama3b.jpg</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>
one2wonder
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