March Cataract Falls is the premier waterfall of Mt. Greylock State Reservation, and one of the must-see waterfalls of northwestern Massachusetts. The falls are a continuous 30-foot fan of water dancing down the western slopes of Mt. Greylock. The trail allows you to safely come within inches of the falls, making this an intimate place. It is considered a seasonal waterfall though, as it can reduce to merely a trickle during the summer dry months. However, it does not take much water to reveal the true beauty of this place. To add more to your trip to this waterfall, be sure to check out Deer Hill Falls, a waterfall accessed by the same camping area you will pass through on your hike. There is also Money Brook Falls and the summit of Mt. Greylock to consider, both accessible by nearby park roads. At the summit of Mt. Greylock, there is a paved parking area ($2 parking fee in 2009) and beautiful views of several New England states as well as New York.

Access to this waterfall has significantly changed since the first edition of this guide. From the parking area, continue on foot down Sperry Rd for 0.6 miles until you reach a small ranger station and a fork in the road. Take the right fork and after you pass several campsites on your left, you will reach the trailhead for the falls on your right in about 0.1 mile. From this point, it is 0.8 miles to the falls along a blue blazed, fairly well-used and easy to follow trail.

Directions for this particular waterfall are not posted online. Please see directions in our published guidebook, New England Waterfalls: A Guide to More Than 400 Cascades And Waterfalls, or you can email us and we will happily provide them to you.

If you would like to visit Deer Hill Falls, which is another pretty but seasonal waterfall that is located close-by, return back to the fork near the ranger station on Sperry Rd. This time, take the left fork, and in 200 feet, take another left and walk past a few different campsites and restrooms, all the while following signs towards the Deer Hill Trail. After walking a few hundred feet on this dirt road, bear right and cross a wooden bridge. In just a few more feet, you should fork right at the next junction and continue hiking for about 5 more minutes. You will then reach a T-junction; turn left here and follow the Deer Hill Trail to the base of the falls. Starting from the campground on Sperry Rd, there are signs at all significant trail junctions to help guide you along this walk.