Big Pink

Great piece of Americana music history! You can't do much more than a drive-by or stop and take photos from the street. The house is available for rental. Rates vary from $750 - $900/nite. The basement is not accessible, even to renters. The main house bedrooms, kitchen, bathroom are all preserved in a 1960's fashion. Down to the smallest detail. Very cool and groovy! The Karma is quite strong here considering what was created over 50 yrs ago. It's amazing that somebody thought to preserve the simple house in the way that they did.

Wanted to see where music was made "back in the day." It was Bob Dylan's creative retreat, along with many other musicians. It's worth seeing if you are in the area, but it is surprisingly humble, just like the picture in the album. The building is deep in the woods and the road is not paved. It is pink, certainly, perhaps a little faded. Significantly, it is hard to find.

To reach that place, you must follow a winding gravel road, each stone whispering stories of the past beneath your tires. And when you arrive, there it stands—the big pink house, weathered yet timeless, cradled by the hills like a secret kept by the wind. The moment you see it, a flood of emotions stirs within, an echo of something eternal. There is, for me, no place more emblematic in the history of folk music. I close my eyes, and the music still lingers—soft, haunting, alive. I can’t tell if it rises from the depths of my soul or drifts from the ghosts of those who once played here. Garth had just joined them then, only a few days before. I think of Bob, who, after his motorcycle accident, sought refuge in this very place—to laugh, to jam, to share a drink, and roll a joint with his friends, the ones who knew him best. This January morning, the sky blushes orange, and the mountains burn with the soft glow of dawn. On the basement door, a simple note flutters in the crisp air: THANK YOU, GARTH! You live in our hearts. ALL LOVE, GOD SPEED. DON + SUE & THE BIG PiNK. I close my eyes once more, and I can almost see Dylan perched on the stone steps, quietly shaping the words to I Shall Be Released. Inside, Richard, Rick, Robbie, Levon, and Garth fill the space with the raw, soul-deep sound of a song that would carry far beyond these hills—The Weight. The wind hums through the trees, carrying their melodies away, yet somehow, they never truly leave.#

If a sequel was made to the recent movie, a complete unknown, it would be centered here. For those of you who don’t know the history of this house and the musical history that was made here I recommend you read about it. The house is very hard to find in the mountains of west Saugerties And for those who care about such things it is on a private road and sightsee is strictly discouraged. However, for those of us who tend to “get lost“ while looking for something else you might just happen to go by it. It looks very ordinary until you know it’s place in music history. I understand that you can now rent it, which would be an amazing experience. I’m reading it a three only because of the accessibility and the fact that going by it is really prohibited.

We came from NSW, Australia to see Levon play at his barn years ago. Stopped here first. You can really feel the vibe from all those years ago. A beautiful part of N.Y.State.

A lot of history was musically made here. Grateful to have stopped by and had a toke.

What an experience, Lost for words.

Totally and completely amazing!! I can't remember having such fun and being so thrilled with a lodging establishment. The instant you walk in the door you can feel and smell the music. The owners are simply the greatest hosts anyone could ask for. The surrounding communities are full of great people and great restaurants as well. Come to the Catskills, stay in Big Pink, this is a place of healing and wonder. I wish I had the capability of coming up with prettier and more descriptive words to describe this historic place, but it really needs to be experienced.

There is now a fence along the right side of Parnassus Lane when driving towards Big Pink. We were able to see the Big Pink house through the fence, but my wife forced me to turn the car around before we got to the driveway because of the No Trespassing signs. I didn't blame her because I'm not looking to get shot. I love The Band, but I'm also seen the movie Deliverance so we turned around. I'm not sure how friendly the current occupants of Big Pink are, but I'm not sure the neighbors are too keen on visitors driving down Parnassus - it feels like someone's private driveway. UPDATE: I see from Kathleen D.'s review from 2014 the current owners (Don and Sue) are friendly and actually rent out Big Pink for others to stay in. However, I notice the website (https://bigpinkbasement.com/) has updates from 2015 and I wasn't sure what the current situation was like in 2024. I reached out on the website's Contact Us form and here's the response I received: "Hi Julian, Yes you may come down the road at your own risk. A neighbor put up the signs. We are still renting, the link to VRBO is on the big pink basement website. There is a minimum of 3 nights. If you have trouble booking please let me know. All the best, Susan LaSala"

We traveled the roads of Woodstock far & wide to see THE BIG PINK and sure it was worth it. Always a Kodak moment is needed for historical music photos . My only wonder is without GPS back in the day did Bob Dylan or THE BAND find this location cause we used it and damn it wasn't easy. Keep in mind this is someone's home now so have some respect and don't start a Bon Fire and blaze up a few joints out front. Admire it and move on.

i remember Richard Clare Danko. very cool guy. I always remember jamming with Rick on don't do it. Fun time's. a sad life though.

This little pink house is of historical importance and pilgrimage for many a music fan, in particular if you love Mr. Bob Dylan and if you love The Band. That love's why'd you rove down the rough and rugged unpaved dirt road called Parnassus. If your memory serves you well... You will not get a tour or anything. You shan't. This is a private residence. This mission is to be a quick stop- Get a picture posing out front of the place where during basement sessions some amazing music was born. The people who care for Big Pink these days are cool about you paying a swift visit. Come, let me show you how: to keep the wheels turnin' you've got to keep the engine churnin'... I'm glad that I checked out their website before heading out, though. If you're thinking about checkin out the ol place, you should take a peek too: http://bigpinkbasement.com/page2/page2.html Had I not done a little prior research, all the zillion, "No Trespassing," signs posted in the woods along the left of the rocky road might have scared me off cause I'd most likely assume that even if of the hippie persuasion, hill folk might be totin' shotguns or whatever. But see, as per the site, the existing road is privately owned by various property owners, so the neighborhood sign-happy grump just posts the warnings on his side. Avoid the killjoy. If you stay on the Big Pink side of things and are respectful-like, you should be all good. Aw.. this famed locale of musical inspiration...it made me happy to snap a shot, to see the famed spot, even though we were gone in moonshine time. Of course I wanted a photo of our big heads in front of Big Pink!

Worth the trip! Just a real happy place!!! Just to get out and stand on the grounds where so many great songs were composed and recorded! This is a must if you are a fan of The Band and or Bob Dylan, so glad the owner(s) welcome fans to visit and stay a few minutes to soak in a piece of musical history.

I finally made it. It is quite an experience. Very quiet, very off the beaten path. No thrills no huge signs. I recommend visiting in the fall when the leaves are turning. Every Band fan needs to come here at some point!