Warners Creek Trail

Volunteers in the northern Catskills have opened up a new three-mile trail that connects the Warners Creek Trail/Long Path directly to the Devil’s Path on Plateau Mountain. For Long Path hikers, this extension over Daley Ridge eliminates a five-mile detour that included a road walk along Rt. 214. It also creates a 23-mile section of Long Path from Phoenicia to Platte Clove without a road crossing.

The new extension picks up in Silver Hollow Notch and heads north, steeply zig-zagging up to the relatively flat top of Daley Ridge. From the tranquil evergreen summit of Daley Ridge the trail drops down into a narrow col from which it ascends the south slope of Plateau Mountain through the “Dark Woods,” a very dense fir and spruce section of forest. It soon joins the existing Devil’s Path.

The new trail leads to many beautiful wilderness views of Olderbark Mountain and the headwaters of Warner Creek, never before readily accessible. On the highest viewpoint many of the Catskill high peaks, from Ashokan High Point to Belleayre, can be seen over the top of Daley Ridge. The natural beauty of the region with its shaded hardwood terraces, dark fir-spruce forest, natural rock walls, moss covered erratics, fern meadows, and a small spring (only water along trail), combined with the sound of silence broken only by the melody of song birds and breezes, provides the hiker with an enjoyable walk.

A day loop is possible by parking a car at the end of Notch Inn Road. Hike up the old eroded road to the Long Path-Warner Creek trail crossing in Silver Hollow Notch (about 0.75 mile). Take the blue-marked trail left (north) to the Devil’s Path and Plateau Mountain. Turn left (west) on the Devil’s Path to Route 214 and the Devil’s Tombstone state campground. Walk south on 214 to Notch Inn Road and back to your car. There is a daily parking fee at the campground during the summer months when it is open. If more than one car is available for a short shuttle, the total walk may be just under six miles; the full loop is about eight miles.

The new trail required a five-year approval process in Albany; the go ahead was given in early 2006. Most of the trail was scouted and flagged that year, with opening delayed by the April 15, 2007 ice storm. Blow-down had to be removed before final connections could be made to the existing trails at each end this spring.

Cal Johnson and Doug Egeland deserve the bulk of the credit for getting the trail in place. Chris Olny and his Catskill Mountain Club put in a substantial effort in cutting the trail. Approximately 450 volunteer hours went into making this a reality.

V3 Last updated: August 31, 2007   Copyright © 1996-2006  New York-New Jersey Trail Conference Privacy Statement.