27. West Conesville to Doney Hollow

Features: Mine Kill State Park with Mine Kill Falls, and Lansing Manor
Distance: 13.20 miles
USGS Map Quads: Gilboa
Trail Conference Maps: none

General Description

In this section, the Long Path leaves the rugged terrain of the Catskills and descends into the Schoharie Valley. After passing the Schoharie Reservoir, which is the northernmost outpost of the New York City water supply system, the Long Path begins a 30-mile journey along the Schoharie Valley and the hills surrounding Schoharie Creek. The trail passes through Mine Kill State Park, whose primary attraction is Mine Kill Falls. The Long Path passes both the top and the bottom of the falls, which plummet out of a spectacular gorge. Between the falls and the main part of the park, the trail follows a beautiful pine and hemlock forest. In the north end of the park are spectacular open views of the Schoharie Valley. Beyond Mine Kill State Park, the trail passes through the Lansing Manor Visitors Center of the Power Authority’s Blenheim–Gilboa pumped storage complex. There are expansive views up the Schoharie Valley from both Mine Kill State Park and Lansing Manor.

Access

Take the New York State Thruway to Exit 21 (Catskill). Continue west on NY Route 23 for about 30 miles to the Village of Prattsville. At the end of Prattsville, NY Route 23 crosses a steel bridge that goes over Schoharie Creek. Just before the bridge, turn right on Prattsville Road, and follow it for about 5 miles to the intersection of Prattsville Road and Route 990V.

Parking

0.00 Intersection of NY Route 990V and Prattsville Road. (18T 546855E 4692197N)
1.20 Gilboa Dam overlook. (Unlocated)
7.90 At north end of swimming pool, when park is open. (18T 544745E 4698543N)
8.65 Lansing Manor Visitors Center. (18T 544034E 4699753N)
9.80 On North Access Road near turnoff for fishing access to Schoharie Creek. (Unlocated)
13.20 West Kill Road at Doney Hollow. (18T 542369E 4703777N)

Camping

3.30 Campsites available at Nickerson Park Campground (fee charged).

Trail Description

0.00 At the intersection of Prattsville Road and NY Route 990V, the Long Path turns left and follows NY Route 990V downhill toward Gilboa. On the left side of the trail is the Schoharie Reservoir.
0.90 On the left is the former site of the Gilboa Settlement. From 1840 to 1869, a cotton mill, tannery, church and cemetery stood on the ground that is now covered by the Schoharie Reservoir. On the right is the Gilboa–Conesville Central School.
1.05 Pass Wyckoff Road on the right. The trail continues on NY Route 990V.
1.20 The Gilboa Dam of the Schoharie Reservoir is to the left. There is an overlook here, with views west over the reservoir. The trail continues to descend.
1.50 Flat Creek Road goes off to the right, near the Gilboa Town Hall and Post Office. On the right a few yards past the town hall is an exhibit of fossilized trees. They were discovered while constructing the Schoharie Reservoir. The Long Path continues ahead along NY Route 990V, which curves left and goes downhill.
1.75 The Long Path crosses Schoharie Creek on a bridge. The trail turns right on an abandoned road north along the creek. Due to flood devastation continue 0.15 miles on 990V after crossing the bridge and then turn right onto Stryker Road.

Lansing Manor Visitor Center [MICHAEL WARREN] 

2.50 The Long Path intersects paved Stryker Road (Schoharie County Route 13) and turns right. Pass a large farm on the left with views of Schoharie Creek to the right.
3.00 Here, there is a large overhanging rock that extends over Schoharie Creek.
3.30 Turn right from Stryker Road into Nickerson's Campground and past the Campground store.
3.45 Turn right off camp road onto trail.
3.55 Turn right, at the latrine next to campsite 423, onto Columbine Camp Road.
3.80 Bear right onto camp road from Columbine Road, and in a tenth of a  mile bear right on camp road opposite the pavilion and swimming pool.
4.15 Turn left on camp road at campsite 572. Turn right onto camp road at campsite 546.
4.30 Turn right onto trail along Schoharie Creek. The LP follows the creek bank and then back onto a camp road before leaving the campground.
4.50 Leave Nickerson's Campground at campsite 615. Enter the NYS Power Authority Corridor with the boundary marked with orange stakes.
4.90 Go up a bank and turn right. In about 150 ft pass by a ledge overlooking the Schoharie Creek and turn left. Enter an open area with scattered red cedar trees. There are nice views of the Schoharie Creek and the reservoir from the ledges through this section.
5.20 Cross a ledge above a small stream entering the reservoir. Turn left downhill, and in a tenth of a mile rock hop across small stream. This can be done fairly easily unless the water is high. Turn right up the bank.
5.45 Enter an open area under the power line. Turn right on the power line access road for about 150 feet and then turn left toward the woodlands.
5.65 Turn left on a woods road with the Mine Kill to the right.
6.20 Turn right leaving old woods road. Start downhill toward the Mine Kill and reach a ledge overlooking the Mine Kill in 100 yards.
6.45 Mine Kill Falls to the right. A short trail leads to the bottom of the falls. The Long Path starts uphill.
6.70 A walkway to the right leads to the falls overlook. Continue straight through the Mine Kill Falls parking lot and turn right onto NY Route 30. Follow the road over the bridge. There are views of the upper falls from the bridge. After crossing the bridge, turn right and head downhill.
6.85 Turn left with views of the Mine Kill to the right.
7.20 The LP crosses a stream.

Lansing Manor [MICHAEL WARREN]

7.20 The trail crosses a stream. To the left is a beautiful cascading waterfall. The trail climbs continuously from here to the park entrance road. Part way up, the trail passes several rock piles on the right. Near the top, two trails lead right; the Long Path continues straight ahead.
7.50 The trail emerges onto an open field and crosses the main park entrance road. It continues on the western edge of an open field to reach the park administration building.
7.60 To the right is the park administration building, where there are restroom facilities. The trail bears left and follows a grassy road at the western end of an open field. From this path, there is a spectacular view up and down the Schoharie Valley.
7.80 The trail turns right and descends along the northern boundary of a soccer field, then passes a small playground that is just north of the swimming pool.
7.95 Turn left and follow a cross-country ski and snowmobile trail that leads from Mine Kill State Park to Lansing Manor. Here, there is a spectacular view north along the Schoharie Valley and across the Blenheim–Gilboa Reservoir. Soon, a yellow-blazed cross-country ski trail leaves to the right. The Long Path continues straight ahead.
8.30 The trail crosses an open field, leaving Mine Kill State Park and entering the New York State Power Authority Lansing Manor Blenheim–Gilboa complex. The boundary is not marked. Note the small cedar trees with fences around them. These trees are pruned so as to provide the deer with a source of browse. The fences prevent the deer from killing the trees. There are also a number of bluebird feeders. Be sure to watch for the Long Path blazes on top of the fence posts by the cedar trees.

Mine Kill Falls [MICHAEL WARREN] 

8.65 The Long Path enters a picnic area and then crosses the parking lot of the Lansing Manor Visitors Center. At the far end of the parking lot, the trail follows a walkway through the Visitors Center, where brochures on the historic Lansing Manor and the Blenheim–Gilboa pumped storage power plant are available. Brochures are also available at the nearby museum. There are picnic tables at the Visitor Center, making this an ideal lunch stop in the warm months.
8.80 Take the left fork in the walkway and pass the entrance to the museum. The Long Path now heads diagonally across a field, and then turns right and skirts the edge of a ravine. There is another deer feeding area here. At the end of the ravine, the trail continues straight ahead across the field to enter the woods.
9.05 After a rather steep descent, reach the bottom of a ravine. The trail now ascends gradually  and turns right parallel to a powerline right-of-way. The trail crosses the powerline near a microwave tower.
9.35 Reach the top of a hill, with a view down to the dam of the Blenheim–Gilboa Reservoir. During periods of low electrical demand, water is pumped up the hill to the reservoir. During periods of high demand, the water is released, thus generating electricity. The Long Path turns left and descends, passing between two rows of white pines.
9.80 NY Power Authority's North Access Road. Turn left.
9.85 Turn right off road and down the bank. There are views of the Schoharie Creek through this section. During flood condition this section may be flooded and it will be necessary to walk the access road to NY Route 30.
10.45 Turn right on the Power Authority's North Access Road. When you reach NY Route 30 turn right and cross bridge, then turn left onto Creamery Road.
10.75 Pass the cemetery and turn right uphill into the woods.
10.95 Follow hedgerow on the left and turn left on next hedgerow.
11.15 Go down a short steep bank to the Westkill Road. Turn left on road.
11.30 Intersection of West Kill Road (Schoharie County Route 43) and Burnt Hill Road - continue on West Kill Road.
11.50 Just past a driveway, turn left into woods.
11.65 The Long Path crosses West Kill Road to the north side of the road.
11.80 Turn left onto a woods road.
12.00 Turn left leaving woods road, and in a tenth of a mile turn left again, back onto woods road.
12.45 The LP turns left, downhill, toward a beaver pond.
12.60 The LP enters a State Reforestation Area.
12.65 The LP crosses West Kill Road to the south side of the road, and descends to West Kill Creek. The trail continues west along West Kill Creek. After about a half mile, the trail climbs back up to West Kill Road, turns left, and follows the road for a short distance to the Doney Hollow parking lot.
13.20 The trail emerges at a parking lot where there is room to park several cars. This section ends just across Doney Hollow where the trail turns right to follow Doney Hollow.