Waterfalls of Western Massachusetts
A sight far rarer than I once believed
A friend once told me that Massachusetts has the most waterfalls of any U.S. state. At first, I didn’t believe her, but she referenced the many small cascades sprinkled along forested streams and it suddenly sounded plausible. The clear brooks and streams that accompany hiking trails throughout the commonwealth are one of my favorite features: I love their soft, mumbling voices, their mineral smells, and the spray of cool mist as water tumbles over stone on a hot summer day.
Nonetheless, my friend was wrong. It turns out Washington state has the most waterfalls in the U.S., and many of the mini-cascades found here in my neck of the woods don’t even count as true waterfalls (which, apparently, must be at least five feet tall). They’re still beautiful and worth a visit, if you ask me.
The Secret Waterfall
We do have some waterfalls, most of which I’ve yet to see in real life. However, I am deeply fortunate to have my own local falls less than 1.5 miles from my front door.
At the relatively “boring” top shelf of the falls, you’ll find an old stone foundation wall, indicating that this used to be one of the copious mills in the area.
“Abundant streams allowed the development of numerous mills in the 18th and 19th centuries, first of grist and sawmills, later of woolen and furniture mills. As a result of Whately’s abundant water resources, the neighboring towns of Deerfield and Northampton take their water from Whately’s two largest streams, West Brook and Roaring Brook.”
I prefer the view from downstream, looking up. My son and I visit this spot often, so I’ve captured photos at different times of year and in different types of weather.
This beautiful waterfall is nestled alongside a roadway with no trails nearby. There is a small, narrow, and precariously steep footpath leading from a dirt pullover spot near the road down to an area in the middle of the falls. My family made the short trek down to this serene hideaway countless times when I was young. We swam in the deep pool between the upper and lower falls, which has since gained notoriety and become a bit of a party spot— a sad loss for me. These days, the dirt parking space next to the road is often full to capacity with two cars.
My son and I are lucky because we homeschool, which enables us to swing by on weekdays when fewer people are around.
Another more recent change to this area is the addition of sugaring lines on maple trees that surround the falls, which technically belong to a local family with a sugar shack. Blue and green rubber hoses threaded along the steep hillside that slope down to the water make it even more difficult to navigate the descent from the street. For my part, I prefer to climb on the rocks.
Numerous flat, stony access points allow brave explorers to venture right up to the rushing water and enjoy the refreshing spray.
Chapel Falls: Ashfield, MA
You may have noticed that I never mentioned the name of my secret local waterfall — that’s because it’s already gotten popular enough! Sorry. Plus, it’s technically not public-access anyway. But I will openly tell you about another memorable cascade, known as Chapel Falls in Ashfield.
Chapel Brook and the accompanying falls sit in the midst of a network of maintained hiking trails. Near the parking and entry site, a large, placid pool warms in summer sun to offer a refreshing dip that isn’t too chilly. On the weekend, though, this beloved water hole can be quite crowded.
Further down-trail, a wide cascade flows over relatively smooth rocks before plunging into a deep pool — this makes a perfect natural water slide. I’ve gone over this section of falls on my bum more times than I can remember (see photo below), and I even took my son down in my lap when he was preschool-aged and wearing a life vest. He still remembers dropping into the water and being submerged just briefly before his vest bounced him back into the open air. That might sound scary to some, but my son loves being in water almost more than anything.
Hikers who continue downhill will eventually come upon the streams who receive all this rushing water, crossed by two beautifully constructed wooden bridges. The walk also includes a bit of history with another old gristmill foundation (and this one has an informational sign, I think).
Those who opt to park across the street from the brook, heading away from the water, will find another trailhead. The path forks behind a kiosk of maps, leading either to a neighboring town or up the precipitous ledges of Pony Mountain (elev. 1,420 ft). This trail is relatively short and steep and offers a lovely view of the local mountain range.
The above photo was taken in mid-October 2020, when we were all hunkering down during the first year of Covid in the U.S. My son’s friend and his father joined us for a hike up Pony Mountain, clad with cloth masks (the thing to do at the time). I frequent local trails and forests, but have never done well on steep stretches and struggled up the mountainside in my mask.
The view was more or less worth the effort, although really not one of our prettier autumns around here. Where were all the scarlet maples? I think it had been an overly warm season.
Falls of All Sizes
For my part, I agree with Melissa Rock — a waterfall need not be epically tall in order to captivate visitors. And quantity counts for something, too.
Then again, some are impressively tall. In my search for waterfall facts, I learned that Angel Falls is the tallest in the world— what a delight to find authentic photos from Brad Yonaka!
Thanks to JoAnn, Adrienne, Anne, and Michele for maintaining Globetrotters and encouraging such a dazzling collection of waterfall photos.
“The sound of water is worth more than all the poets words.” — Octavio Paz
