Catskill Park

Southern Catskills [Trail Conference Maps 43, 42]

Outside the North/South Lake area, the Catskills' most-hiked trails are those that climb Slide Mountain, the highest peak in the range at 4,180 feet.  Slide Mountain was publicized by the writings of naturalist John Burroughs, who is fittingly memorialized by a plaque on the summit ledge.  It may well be the most popular peak in the area, but Slide is far from the only offering.  Together the Slide Mountain Wilderness Area and the Big Indian Wilderness Area cover more than 80,000 acres - an area larger than some national parks - with many other peaks and trails that offer a backcountry experience unparalleled within a hundred miles of Times Square.

• Wittenberg-Cornell-Slide Trail [Burroughs Range Trail -- 9.1 miles; red blaze; Trail Conference Map 43, trail WS(R)].  The most challenging approach to the Burroughs Range [Wittenberg, Cornell, and Slide mountains] is from Woodland Valley, one of the deepest valleys in the Catskills.  Many hikers rate the Wittenberg as their favorite hike in the Catskills - and the significant effort to reach the top is worth it!
  • Trailhead is from a parking area at Woodland Valley State Campground. From Thruway Exit 19, Kingston - first right from traffic circle after leaving the exit, on to Route 28 West. Proceed 20-25 miles to the village of Phoenicia, which will be on your right. Proceed on Rte. 28. Cross the bridge, take the next left at the sign and then take the first right onto Woodland Valley Road. The campground is approximately 6 miles at the end of the road.
• Peekamoose-Table Trail [7.5 miles; blue blaze; TC Map 43, trail PT(B)].  Peekamoose and Table mountains are the most southerly of the Catskills' mountains.  They are an attractive destination for an overnight, but can also be climbed as a day hike.
  • Northern trailhead is 1.2 miles from the end of Denning Road; southern trailhead is on Peekamouse Road [County 42].
• Red Hill Trail [1.4 miles; yellow blaze; TC Map 43, trail RH(Y)].  This short trail provides access over state land to the restored fire tower on 2,990-foot Red Hill, with a 360⁰ view over the Hudson River valley, the Shawangunks, and Slide, Peekamoose, and Table mountains to the east and north.
  • The trailhead is on Coon Road, where parking is available [TC Map 43]

Central Catskills [TC Maps 42, 43]

Two major north-south trail systems connect NY 28 with County 47 [Slide Mountain Road or West Branch Road].  Although both of these trails are suitable for backpacking, they are most often used by day hikers, who hike sections of these trails to reach their destination.

• Pine Hill-West Branch Trail [14.9 miles; blue; TC Maps 42, 43, trail PW(B)].  Although this trail has few viewpoints, it nevertheless offers an appealing wilderness sojourn, running mostly through first-growth forest and reaching [or nearly reaching] three major summits.  Several lean-tos on or near the trail make it attractive for backpacking, and a network of side trails branching down to the valleys affords excellent day-hiking opportunities.
  • The trail's southern terminus is just opposite the Biscuit Brook parking area, on County 47, 12.8 miles south of its junction with NY 28 in the hamlet of Big Indian [TC Map 43].  Its northern terminus is on the outskirts of  Pine Hill, along NY 28 [TC Map 42].
• Giant Ledge-Panther-Fox Hollow Trail [7.5 miles; blue; TC Map 42, trail GP(B)].  This trail provides access to the 3,720-foot Panther Mountain from both the north and the south.  The shorter southern approach, which traverses Giant Ledge on the way to the summit of Panther, is very popular with hikers.  Fewer hikers choose to approach Panther from the north, and although this route is longer, it offers greater seclusion and several attractive vistas from a series of false summits.
  • To reach the southern end, hikes should park at the parking area at a hairpin turn on County 47, 7.4 miles south of the hamlet of Big Indian and a mile north of Winnisook Lake [TC Map 42].  Follow the Phoenicia-East Branch Trail [yellow] 0.7 mile to the trailhead.  Its northern terminus is at a parking area on Fox Hollow Road, 1.6 miles south of NY 28 near Allaben [TC Map 42].

Northern Catskills [TC Map 41]

Although more populous and with fewer remote areas than the southern Catskills, the northern Catskills have many rewarding climbs, including four trailless peaks and the Devil's Path that skirts 4,040-foot Hunter Mountain, second highest in the Catskills.

• Devil's Path [25.1 miles; red; TC Map 41, trail DP(R)].  According to tradition attributed to the area's early Dutch settlers, the range of mountains traversed by the Devil's Path - with their steep, rocky slopes and deep gaps between them - were the devil's private preserve, specially adapted to his cloven hooves, where he could go when desiring to retreat from the world of man.  Most hikers cover this trail in short sections, using access trails through the cols for rewarding day climbs. 
  • Although the Devil's Path officially starts at the junction of Prediger and Platte Clove roads, several miles southeast of Tannersville, most hikers will choose to begin their hikes at the end of Prediger Road, 0.4 mile to the south, where there is limited parking along the right side of the road.  A side trail [yellow] to Hunter Mountain is roughly 15 miles from the trailhead.
• Other Hunter Mountain Routes
  • The most popular route up Hunter Mountain is the Spruceton Trail [blue, TC Map 41, trial SP(B)], the former jeep road to the fire tower.  Parking area is on Spruceton Road [County 6], 6.7 miles east of NY 42.
  • A popular eight-mile loop hike of Hunter Mountain, starting from the parking area near the end of Spruceton Road, can be made by using the Spruceton Trail, the Hunter Mountain Trail, and Devil's Path, and the Diamond Notch Trail.  [TC Map 41]
  • The Becker Hollow Trail [2.2 miles; blue; TC Map 41 BH(B)] offers the shortest route to the summit but has a well-earned reputation as the most difficult, due to its steady and steep grade.  It begins from NY 214, 1.3 miles south of its junction with NY 23A and 1.6 miles north of the Devil's Path crossing at Notch Lake.   
• Overlook Mountain [6.6 miles; red, blue; TC Map 41, trails OL(B) and OS(R)].  A 3,140-foot peak north of Woodstock, Overlook Mountain has been a popular climb since the eighteenth century.  Its outstanding views over the Catskills and the Hudson River Valley have been enhanced by the restoration in 2000 of the fire tower on its summit.
  • Overlook Mountain may be approached either from Platte Clove Road to the north on the Overlook Mountain Trail [OL(B)], or from Meads Mountain Road on the Overlook Spur Trail [OS(R)], with the shorter southern approach being favored by most hikers.
• Kaaterskill High Peak ["Trailless" peak; TC Map 41].  Rising between Plattekill and Kaaterskill cloves - the only passages through the Catskill Escarpment between Saugerties and Windham - is 3,665-foot high Kaaterskill High Peak, once thought to be the highest in the Catskills.  It is technically a trailless peak, but a maintained snowmobile trail surrounds it, and an unofficial but well-established trail leads from the snowmobile trail to the summit.  For the first 3.3 miles the Long Path [aqua] runs concurrently with the snowmobile trail.  There is no view from the summit, but the real attraction is Hurricane Ledge, an open treeless area facing south and offering excellent views of the Devil's Path mountains and the Hudson River valley. 
  • The easiest approach is from the south.  There is a parking area on Platte Clove Road, just west of the end of its steep climb up the mountain from West Saugerties. 
• Long Path [Phoenicia to Silver Hollow Notch; 11.5 miles; red, blue; TC Map 41].  Combined with previously existing trails over Tremper Mountain, a relocation of the Long Path completed in 2000 makes it possible to follow a trail route from Phoenicia to Silver Hollow Notch, just south of the Devil's Tombstone State Campground on NY 214. 
  • This section begins at a parking area along Old Route 28 [County 40], 1.6 miles east of Phoenicia.  Here, the Long Path begins to follow the Phoenicia Trail [TC Map 41, trail PA(R)].

Northeastern Catskills [TC Maps 40, 41]

The Catskills Escarpment - the so-called "Great Wall of Manitou," where the mountains suddenly rise up from the Hudson River valley - dominates this section of the Catskills.  The striking view of the Escarpment from across the river inspired many of the early Hudson River School artists.  For the hiker, these are two areas of particular interest in the northeastern Catskills - the North/South Lake area and the Blackhead Range - both of which are linked by the Escarpment Trail.

• Kaaterskill Falls Trail [0.4 mile; yellow; TC Map 40 trail KF(Y)].  This short trail allows visitors to access the base of Kaaterskill Falls, the highest waterfall in New York.
  • Trailhead is on the north side of NY 23A, about two miles west of Palenville, and just east of the bridge over Bastion Falls.  The parking area, however, is on the south side of the road, 0.3 mile further west.  Caution should be exercised while walking along this narrow, busy highway.
• Escarpment Trail [23.9 miles; blue; TC Map 40, trail ES(B)].  Although the Escarpment Trail is a continuous 23.9-mile trail, extending from Schutt Road at the North/South Lake State Campground to NY 23 near Windham, there are, in a sense, two Escarpment Trails - the first being the lower five miles, an appealing day trip around the North Lake area, and the second being the remainder of the trail, which is ideal for backpacking [but also offers many day-hiking opportunities].
  • The southern trailhead is opposite the parking area on Schutt Road, just before the North/South Lake State Campground gatehouse.
• Black Dome Range Trail [7.4 miles; red; TC Map 41, trail BD(R)].  A distinct trio of high peaks visible from a distance, the Blackhead Range forms the southern wall of Big Hollow Valley, east of Hensonville.  The Black Dome Range Trail traverses two of these peaks, and it connects with the Blackhead Mountain Trail [BM(Y)], which leads to the summit of its namesake.
  • The western trailhead of the Black Dome Range Trail can be reached from the hamlet of Maplecrest by driving south on Maplecrest Road and turning left onto Elmer Barnum Road.  The trail officially begins at this intersection, but cars can be driven along Elmer Barnum Road for another 0.9 mile to the end of the road, where parking is available.
• Colgate Lake Trail [4.3 miles; yellow; TC Map 41, trail CL(Y)].  The Colgate Lake Trail offers the hiker the rare opportunity to take in some beautiful woodland and views at a mostly level grade.
  • It begins at a parking area on County 78, just east of Colgate Lake.

West Central Catskills [TC Maps 42, 43]

Most of the peaks in the west central Catskills are not as high as those in the eastern area of the region.  Nevertheless, the lands in Ulster County's western corner and nearby Delaware County and northern Sullivan County offer many hiking opportunities, including several major peaks with superb views.,

• Dry Brook Ridge Trail [13.6 miles; blue; TC Map 42, trail DB(B)] The Dry Brook Ridge Trail can be divided into two distinct sections.  The northern section is a nine-mile traverse of the ridge for which the trail is named.  It is lightly used and does not go over or near any major peaks.  The trail section south of Mill Brook Road is a woods road which provides access to Balsam Lake Mountain [via a side trail] and is used more extensively.
  • The northern terminus is reached by turning south off NY 28, 0.4 mile southwest of the traffic light at Margaretville, and going 0.1 mile to South Side Road, which parallels NY 28.  The parking area along Mill Brook Road [off County 49, Dry Brook Road], provides access to the southern section of the trail.
• Mill Brook Ridge Trail [5.9 miles; yellow; TC Map 42, trail MB(Y)].  Mill Brook Ridge Trail is the longest route to the summit of Balsam Lake Mountain, but it is lightly used and provides a delightful approach to the peak.  It also provides a link between the trails in the western Catskills and those in the central Catskills.
  • The trail's western terminus is at the eastern end of Alder Lake.  The Alder Lake Loop Trail [1.6 miles; red], which encircles the lake, provides access from the parking area at its western end, and is reached by following County 54 north from Turnwood.
• West of Mongaup Pond [TC map 43].  To the west of Mongaup Pond State Campground in the Town of Rockland, there is an extensive trail system, composed primarily of wide, grassy roads designed primarily for snowmobile and/or cross-country ski traffic.  These gentle roads also make appealing hikes.
  • The trail system can be access via the snowmobile trail which heads west from the campground, or by driving up Beech Mountain Road to its end.  The Flynn Trail [3.3 miles; blue; TC Map 43, trail FY(B)] begins here heading north. 

Western Catskills [TC Map 44]

The trails in this gentler area of the western Catskills are concentrated in the towns of Colchester and Andes in Delaware County, south of the Pepacton Reservoir.  The trails in the area can be combined to form a continuous 25-mile one-way hike, but since there are many road crossings, individual trails can be hiked in day trips.  These trails are not as heavily used as those elsewhere in the Catskills; thus, they are ideal for the hiker who is seeking greater solitude.

• Touch-Me-Not Trail [7.0 miles; red; TC Map 44, trail TO(R)].  The most easterly section of the Delaware County trail system, the Touch-Me-Not Trail begins at the Alder Lake parking area in Ulster County.
• Middle Mountain Trail [2.3 miles; red; TC Map 44, trail MM(R)].  The trail begins on Beech Hill Road, 0.2 mile north of the western end of the Touch-Me-Not Trail, passing a spring not far from its start.
• Mary Smith Trail [4.5 miles; red; TC Map 44, trail MS(R)].  The trail begins on the west side of Mary Smith Hill Road, opposite the western end of the Middle Mountain Trail.
• Campbell Mountain Trail [6.3 miles; blue; TC Map 44, trail CM(B)].  The trail begins at the junction with Little Spring Brook Trail [yellow] and the Pelnor Hollow Trail [blue].
• Trout Pond Trail [5.4 miles; blue; TC Map 44, trail TP(B)].  The last link in this chain of trails, starting at Campbell Mountain Road across from the west end of the Campbell Mountain trail.

Northwestern Catskills [TC Map, none]

Although much of the state land in this section of the Catskills is outside the Blue Line that delineates the Catskill Park, there are a number of interesting hiking opportunities in this area.

• Bearpen Mountain. The 3,600-foot summit at Bearpen Mountain is the highest in New York outside the two Forest Preserves. Several decades ago, it was developed as a ski area, leaving it with both an easily walked road to the summit and two wide, cleared swaths that provide views to the north.
  • Ski Run Road, the easiest access to the peak, leaves County 2 about three miles south of its junction with NY 23 just west of Prattsville. [For approximate location, Google Maps: "Ski Run Road, Prattsville, NY"]
• Huntersfield Mountain. A little-used section of the Long Path [aqua] allows hikers to climb this impressive peak, Scholarie County's highest at 3,423 feet.
  • The trailhead is located near where Huntersmark and Macomber Road enters state forest lands, north of Red Falls. The Long Path's aqua blazes cross the road where it forks at a state forest sign and gate.
• Mount Utsayantha. Towering over the Town of Stamford, this 3,214-foot peak stands at the northwest corner of the range. Its main attraction is the fire tower that stands on the summit.
  • Access to the summit is via an old road which begins at Mountain Avenue, just south of NY 23 in Stamford. It is an easy walk of just over a mile to the summit.

To find detailed descriptions of specific hikes, click here and scroll down the "Parks" column to the name of this park.