New England Waterfalls

UMPACHENE FALLS


New Marlborough, Massachusetts



RATING: 3.0 / 5.0 stars (Great) Umpachene Falls, Massachusetts (see below for larger image and additional photographs)
STATE: Massachusetts
COUNTY: Berkshire
TOWN: New Marlborough
PARK: Umpachene Falls Park
PRIVATE PROPERTY: No
TYPE: Cascades and slides
HEIGHT: 40 feet
WATER SOURCE: Umpachene River
WATERSHED SIZE: Medium
TRAIL LENGTH: Less than 0.1 mile
TRAIL DIFFICULTY: Easy
HIKING TIME: Negligible
ALTITUDE GAIN: Negligible
WHEN TO VISIT: May to October
SWIMMING: Good
DELORME ATLAS: 2004: Page 44, J-9 (the falls are not marked on the MA atlas)
HANDICAP ACCESS: No
DOGS ALLOWED: Yes
COST TO VISIT: Free (as of 2016)
LENS TO BRING: Standard (35-70mm)
ALTERNATE NAMES: None noted
GPS-TRAILHEAD: 42.094727, -73.271243
GPS-WATERFALL: 42.093715, -73.271316
COMPASS: 240° excluding declination (the falls face west)
INCLUDED IN BOOK?: Yes, the falls are included within the appendix of the guidebook
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THE FALLS

At Umpachene Falls Park, the Umpachene River dumps into the Konkapot River in a small park maintained by the town of New Marlborough. You will need inside connections to visit this waterfall: the park is for New Marlborough residents and their guests only. However, if the grounds-keeper is on-site, they may grant you access if you ask politely and promise to respect the park by leaving no trace of your visit.

Swimming is not only allowed here, it is encouraged! Children will love to swim in the lazy Konkapot River, while adults will enjoy wading in the pools of Umpachene Falls. There are tables and swings in the park, so bring a lunch and budget at least a few hours to enjoy this charming little park.

TRAIL INFORMATION

The falls are located toward the rear end of the park, about 300 feet from your vehicle. They will be clearly visible to you once you reach that section of the park.

DIRECTIONS

From the junction of MA 23, MA 183 and US-7 in Great Barrington, take the combined highway MA 23 and MA 183 east for 3.5 miles to the junction of MA 23, MA 183 and MA 57. Take a right onto the combined highway MA 183 east and MA 57 east. Follow MA 183 east and MA 57 east into the town of New Marlborough and turn right at the sign to Southfield (New Marlborough-Southfield Rd). Follow this road for 1.2 miles and take a right onto Mill River Southfield Rd. Follow Mill River Southfield Rd for 1.0 mile and take a left onto Mill River Great Barrington Rd. Follow Mill River Great Barrington Rd for 100 feet and stay straight onto Hadsell St, ignoring any "Bridge Out" signs you see because they won't affect your route. Follow Hadsell St south for 0.8 mile and take a right onto Umpachene Falls Rd. Follow this dirt road (typically passable by regular vehicles, but may be problematic for extremely low clearance vehicles during spring mud conditions) for 0.4 mile and the park entrance will be on your left.

There may also be additional parking on the other side of the Konkapot River (off of Clayton-Mill River Rd, which can be a bit tricky to find-bring a map). The bridge over the Konkapot River on Umpachene Falls Rd has been closed off by giant concrete blocks, and it is unlikely it will ever be repaired.

To get to Great Barrington, take exit 1 off I-90 (the 'Mass Pike') and follow MA 41 south to a left onto MA 183 east. You can also reach Great Barrington by taking US-7 north from Canaan, Connecticut.

UPDATES SINCE THE 2ND EDITION

NONE NOTED.

If you know of any updates to this waterfall, or notice any errors either on this website and/or within the New England Waterfalls guidebook, please send me an email at gparsons66@hotmail.com or leave a Facebook comment at the bottom of this page. Updates to all of the waterfalls in the latest edition of the guidebook can always be found here: book updates

OPTIONAL HIKES

None noted.

PHOTOGRAPHS

Umpachene Falls, Massachusetts
Umpachene Falls, Massachusetts

Umpachene Falls, Massachusetts
Umpachene Falls, Massachusetts

Umpachene Falls, Massachusetts
Umpachene Falls, Massachusetts

INTERESTED IN VISITING MORE WATERFALLS IN NEW ENGLAND?

The 3rd edition of the New England Waterfalls guidebook contains 552-pages of detailed information on hundreds of waterfalls throughout all corners of New England. This 3rd edition has been completely updated and it is the first to be printed in FULL COLOR! Click on the image below to explore some sample pages of the guidebook on Amazon.com.



New England Waterfalls guidebook

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TIPS FOR VISITING WATERFALLS & SWIMMING HOLES

Here are some tips to help ensure that your trip to New England's waterfalls and swimming holes will be a safe and enjoyable one:
  • DON'T FORGET THE ESSENTIALS - When you visit waterfalls, you should consider bringing all of the following: (a) bug spray; (b) food/snacks; (c) water/sports drinks; (d) camera/smart-phone; (e) guidebook/trail map; (f) daypack/backpack; and (g) hiking shoes, hiking boots or watershoes. A full day hiking packing list can be found here.
  • CONSIDER BUYING WATER SHOES - You won't see too many people using them, but watershoes are fantastic pieces of equipment that can make your trip to waterfalls and swimming holes safer and more enjoyable. Merrill and Keen make some fantastic watershoes (here are some great ones from Merrill: womens / mens).
  • LEAVE NO TRACE - When you visit waterfalls and swimming holes, you'll often see some trash and sometimes you'll even find clothing left behind by others. It's really, really sad, and it irks the heck out of us. Won't you consider carrying out some of trash and clothing left by others when you leave? That would leave the spot more beautiful for the next person. Bring a trash bag and be a hero!
  • PRIVATE PROPERTY - Many waterfalls and swimming holes are located on private property and so we are truly fortunate that many landowners allow us to enjoy them. If you want to ensure that they stay open to the public, please do your best to leave no trace. If you see a sign that says 'Private Property', turn around and find another waterfall to visit or a different place to swim.
  • BRING A DSLR CAMERA AND TRIPOD WITH YOU - If you want to take high-quality photographs of waterfalls, your smart-phone just won't cut it. Get a DSLR camera, a tripod, and learn to master the art of waterfall photography.
  • SCOUT FIRST, SWIM SECOND - Never enter a swimming hole without first scouting it, even if you see somebody else swimming in it. Stop and access the risks based upon the depth of water, the power of the current, evidence of slippery rocks, and other safety factors.
  • CLIFF JUMPING - Cliff jumping is dangerous. Like, seriously dangerous. Understand the risks before you partake in this activity. Many have died from doing this in New England. Here is a list of all known deaths at waterfalls and swimming holes in New England.
  • PLEASE DON'T BUILD ROCK CAIRNS - Please do not build new rock cairns at waterfalls or swimming holes. Cairns are a strong reminder of human presence, and don't we all want to see waterfalls in their natural state and glory? Photographers get particularly annoyed at seeing cairns, so please resist the urge to build them.
  • DON'T RELY ON YOUR GPS TO GET YOU TO THE TRAILHEAD - Waterfalls don't have addresses, so relying on your GPS to get you to a trailhead is great way to get yourself lost. You need a guidebook, a road atlas, and/or a hiking map to visit the vast majority of waterfalls in New England. Also keep in mind that waterfalls are often located in wild areas, where smart-phone map apps and car GPS units may not work at all.
  • WATERFALLS IN SPRING - The best time to visit waterfalls is generally in the spring during the annual snowmelt (which is April to June). However, most waterfalls will often look great for several days after a significant rain storm.
  • HELP KEEP THE ULTRA-SECRET SWIMMING HOLES A SECRET (FOREVER) - If you find some ultra-secret swimming holes, please do your best to keep them a secret. Do not post their locations online or wildly share directions or photos with others. All of the swimming holes that are included in the guidebook and online through this website are the well-known swimming spots. There are many more holes that are much further off the beaten path, but they deserve a chance to stay wild and pristine.
  • DON'T SCRAMBLE UP WATERFALLS - So many people been seriously injured and killed in the waterfalls of New England. Many of these folks got too close to a waterfall and slipped and fell. Don't become a statistic: stay far back from the edge.
  • WEAR TRACTION IF YOU VISIT WATERFALLS IN WINTER - Visiting waterfalls in winter can be rewarding, but there is often a higher element of danger. You may need crampons, snowshoes, and/or some other form of traction (like Microspikes) in order to safely hike to waterfalls in winter.
  • SUPPORT NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT CONSERVE WATERFALLS & SWIMMING HOLES - There are some organizations in New England that work diligently to conserve and maintain waterfalls and swimming holes. Please consider supporting these organizations, either with their trail maintenance projects or with monetary donations. Here are three excellent organizations engaged in this extremely important mission: the Trustees of Reservations, the Vermont River Conservancy and the Nature Conservancy.

HELPFUL LINKS

Here are some helpful links to help you explore and enjoy more waterfalls and hikes throughout New England:
  • Waterfalls of Connecticut = link
  • Waterfalls of Maine = link
  • Waterfalls of Massachusetts = link
  • Waterfalls of New Hampshire = link
  • Waterfalls of Rhode Island = link
  • Waterfalls of Vermont = link
  • Best Waterfalls in New England = link
  • Best Swimming Holes in New England = link
  • Top 25 Day Hikes in New England = link
  • Top 25 Family-Friendly Day Hikes in New England = link
  • Waterfalls Near Boston, Massachusetts = link
  • Waterfalls Near Lincoln, New Hampshire = link
  • Waterfalls Near North Conway, New Hampshire = link
  • Waterfalls Near Stowe, Vermont = link
  • Waterfall Photography Tips = link

OTHER WATERFALL GUIDEBOOKS

In addition to the New England Waterfalls guidebook, there are several other guidebooks that can help you find waterfalls and swimming holes in this region:
  • Connecticut Waterfalls (1st Edition: 2014) = link
  • Hiking Waterfalls in New England: A Guide to the Region's Best Waterfall Hikes (2nd Edition: 2022) = link
  • Hiking Waterfalls Maine: A Guide to the State's Best Waterfall Hikes (1st Edition: 2020) = link
  • Vermont Waterfalls (1st Edition: 2015) = link
  • Waterfalls of the White Mountains: 30 Hikes to 100 Waterfalls (3rd Edition: 2019) = link

WATERFALLS ON FACEBOOK

Join the growing communities of waterfall aficionados on Facebook! You can share your photographs, follow the adventures of other waterfall hunters, and find new places to explore:

  • Request to join the "New England Waterfalls" community > link
  • Request to join the "New Hampshire Waterfalls" community > link
  • Request to join the "Northeastern Waterfalls" community > link
  • Request to join the "Vermont Waterfalls" community > link
  • Request to join the "Waterfalls of the United States" community > link

And if you'd like to follow the New England Waterfalls page on Facebook, click here.

ASK A QUESTION / LEAVE A COMMENT / PROVIDE AN UPDATE:

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Waterfalls, swimming holes, and hiking can be extremely dangerous. Hundreds of people have been injured or killed in the waterfalls and swimming holes of New England over the years. Never swim in strong water currents. Don't jump into a swimming hole without scouting it first. Do not climb up or along the side of waterfalls. Be wary of slippery rocks. Never swim in pools above waterfalls. Use of this website and all of its information is at your own risk! Newenglandwaterfalls.com will not be held liable for your actions. Be safe out there - and always use common sense!

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