Originally constructed in 1870 and moved upstream on the North River to the Lyonsville Road crossing in 1886, the Arthur A. Smith Bridge is the only remaining Burr arch-truss covered bridge in Massachusetts. Named for a Civil War Army captain and located in the northwest section of the state in Franklin County, the historic one-lane bridge is 99 feet in length and 97 feet wide. Placed on the "National Register of Historic Places" in 1983, the bridge was dry-docked awaiting restoration for many years and was finally restored in 2006. The bridge is now open to pedestrian and bicycle traffic.
This pedestrian-only covered bridge was built in 1951 and still stands in its original location, spanning Mill Brook, in the northwest Massachusetts town of Charlemont. Constructed by local bridge builders T.J.Harvey and Sons, the two-lane, one-span variation Long Truss bridge measures 92 feet in length, with a span of 90 feet. Placed on the "National Register of Historic Places" in 2004, the bridge underwent a $3 million dollar renovation, which was successfully completed in May 2009. Photographing the sides of the bridge is difficult due to the heavy undergrowth on the west side and a Bailey bridge on the east side. However, it is easy to get portal shots from either end. Parking is available on the north side of bridge along Route 8A on the east side of the road.
Situated in the southwest corner of Massachusetts in the southern Berkshire Mountains, Bash Bish Falls are the most impressive and highest single-drop waterfall in the state. Crystal-clear water rushes through a series of gorges and a picturesque hemlock forest, and then drops approximately 60 feet to an awaiting pool below. Bash Bish Falls is situated adjacent to Mount Washington State Forest, a vast 4,169-acre preserve encompassing more than 30 miles of trails, including the famed South Taconic Trail. The park is free and is open daily from sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset.
Located in Savoy Mountain State Forest in Berkshire County, Tannery Falls is an 80-foot-long series of tall plunges, raging whitewater and impressive horsetail curves ending in a shallow pool. Almost a dozen other waterfalls and cascades can be seen in the park, including the Parker Brook Falls, a multi-section plunge waterfall which, through time, has forged a dramatic path through the gorge. Make sure to also check out a small group of cascades that rest just a few feet from the parking lot. The best time to view the falls is from April through November. The park is open daily from sunrise to sunset, and admission is free.
