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Hudson Valley Hiking Trails
Kaaterskill Falls
Kaaterskill Falls is a two-drop waterfall located near in the eastern Catskill Mountains of New York, on the north side of Kaaterskill Clove, between the hamlets of Haines Falls and Palenville in Greene County's Town of Hunter.
Public ownership
In 1885 New York State established the Forest Peserve, which later became part of the New York State Constitution. The "forever wild" requirement helped protect the area from logging and commercial development, once the falls property came into state ownership during the early 20th century. They are today part of the North Mountain Wild Forest, a Forest Preserve Unit owned and managed by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).
Safety issues
While the falls are on public land, they can only be
reached
via the Kaaterskill Falls Trail, a state-maintained yellow-blazed path
running 0.4 mil uphill from NY 23A, the only road through the
clove. This has presented two safety issues.
First, the trail itself climbs rather steeply from the road, along the
sometimes steep and rocky slopes alongside the creek. Challenging
enough for experienced hikers, as the most-hiked trail in the Catskill
Park it is used heavily by casual visitors who may be ill-prepared for
the terrain between the road and the falls. The heavy traffic has
compounded the trail's problems through erosion.
Second, the trail is served by two parking lots along 23A, both of
which require a walk of at least 0.2 mile to reach the
trailhead at Bastion Falls, just above 23A at a bend in the road. Due
to both the rugged surrounding terrain and the limitations placed on
Forest Preserve land by the state constitution, New York's Department
of Transportation (DOT) has been unable to expand the narrow shoulder
on either side of the road, requiring that visitors walk very close to
high-speed traffic, including trucks, some of which are in the middle
of descending a pronounced grade. The risk of serious accidents is very
high. Both DOT and DEC have indicated a willingness to sit down and
work out a solution that will accommodate their concerns. Some hikers try to avoid this by parking
near the Laurel House site or at North-South Lake and following the
closed route of the former Escarpment Trail; this is equally risky as
it runs very near the edge of the falls.
In late June of 2006 heavy rains pounded the area causing a mudslide to
wipe out a section of Route 23A. In November, access to the Falls from
below was reopened, though reconstruction of 23A is scheduled to
continue through the winter. Source: Wikipedia
Map from NYS parks
- Bear Mountain State Park
- Palisades Interstate Park Commission
- Route 9W
- Bear Mountain, NY 10911
- Phone: (845) 786-2701
- Directions: 45 miles north of New York City. Accessible from the Palisades Interstate Parkway or I-87. Bear Mountain State Park, located at the intersection of Route 9W and the Palisades Parkway
- Bear Mountain State Park is situated in rugged mountains rising from the west bank of the Hudson River. The historic Bear Mountain Inn overlooks Hessian Lake and provides fine food and overnight accommodations. The park features a large play field, shaded picnic groves, a dock on the Hudson for mooring small craft, lake and river fishing access, a swimming pool, a zoo and nature, hiking, biking and cross-country ski trails, and ski-jumps. An outdoor rink is open to ice skaters from late October through mid-March. The Perkins Memorial Tower atop Bear Mountain affords spectacular views of the park, the Hudson Highlands and Harriman State Park.
- Breakneck Ridge Trail
- Beacon, NY
- In the Hudson Highlands State Park
- The small Breakneck Ridge Metro-North Railroad station serves hikers and campers traveling to and from Breakneck Ridge, near Beacon, New York, via the Hudson Line
- Camp Smith Trail
- Westchester County, NY
- Camp Smith Trail extends from the Historic Toll House (Visitor Center) on Route 6-202 to the Appalachian Trail (AT).
- Mount Beacon
- Beacon Mountain, sometimes Mount Beacon, is the highest peak of the Hudson Highlands, located behind the City of Beacon, New York, in the Town of Fishkill. Its two summits rise above the Hudson River behind the city and can easily be seen from Newburgh across the river and many other places in the region.
- North Lake Area
- Taconic State Park
- Columbia County
Wallkill Valley Rail Trail – www.gorailtrail.org
Hyde Park Trail System – www.hydeparkny.us/recreation/trails
Heritage Trail – 845-615-3830; www.orangecountygov.com
D & H Canal Linear Park: Phillipsport south to Wurtsboro
Basha Kill Rail Trail / Long Path: Wurtsboro south to Westbrookville
Westbrookville west to Neversink Gorge
Neversink Gorge network of trails
3.5 mile spur north from Neversink Gorge to Holiday Mountain Ski Area
Neversink Gorge west to rail trail
Rail trail north to Monticello
Further connections to other trails from this trail system
- Overlook Mountain
- is surely one of the most interesting in all of the Catskills. Its close proximity to Woodstock has made it a popular destination for tourists. Although the Overlook Mountain Wild Forest only covers 590 acres, its rocky slopes make for a very interesting day hike. In addition to providing a habitat for the timber rattlesnake, a protected species that only lives in one other area of the Catskills, the summit is covered with red oaks (trees usually found on lower slopes and in valleys, not 3,100' above sea level), and some red spruce/balsam fir trees (those typical over 3,300').
- In 1871, the Overlook Mountain House opened its doors to guests, joining numerous others in the Catskills. This hotel had the distinction of being the highest, at 2,920'. The Mountain House could house 300 guests and, despite burning down twice, prospered until around the time of the stock market crash. In the following years, it was rebuilt (but never opened to guests) and eventually looted and abandoned, leaving the ruins that can still be seen along the trail today
Notice the Kingston / Rhinecliff Bridge crossing the Hudson in the center of the picture
- Pine Meadow Lake
- Slide Mountain
- Slide Mountain is the highest peak in the Catskills. It is located in the Town of Shandaken in Ulster County, in southern New York. While the 4,180-foot contour is generally accepted as its height, the exact elevation of the summit has never been officially determined by the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, and many informal surveys suggest the mountain may actually top 4,200 feet (1,280 m) above sea level.
- Shawangunk's
- The Shawangunks contain Mohonk Preserve, Minnewaska State Park Preserve and Sam's Point Preserve with more than 100 miles of hiking trails and several climbing areas. The Long Path long-distance hiking trail follows the ridge from Sullivan County to the vicinity of Kerhonkson; south of it the Shawangunk Ridge Trail connects to the Appalachian Trail near High Point.
- The Long Path
- The Long Path is a 347.35-mile (559 km) long-distance hiking trail running from George Washington Bridge in Fort Lee, New Jersey to Altamont, New York, in the Albany area. While not yet a continuous trail, relying on road walks in some areas, it nevertheless takes in many of the popular hiking attractions west of the Hudson River, such as the New Jersey Palisades, Harriman State Park, the Shawangunk Ridge and the Catskill Mountains. It offers hikers an incredible diversity of environments to pass through, from suburbia and sea-level salt marshes along the Hudson to wilderness and boreal forest on Catskill summits 4,000 feet (1219 m) in elevation.
- Belleayre Mountain
- Highmount, NY 12441
- (845) 254-5600
- Mountain resort offering winter skiing snow boarding and snowshoeing. Scenic chair lift rides offered summer and fall fishing, hiking, biking. Summer concert series.
- Basha Kill Wildlife Management Area
- Wurtsboro, NY 12790
- (845) 754-0743
- The NYS owned Basha Kill Wildlife Management Area offers hiking, fishing, birding, boating and quiet walks along trails that parallel this 3,000 acre wetland.
- Catskill Hiking Shack
- Wurtsboro, NY 12790
- (845) 888-HIKE
- Outdoor hiking specialty shop providing information, maps, guides, gear, footwear, etc.
- Catskill Outdoor Education Center
- Delhi,
NY 13753
(607) 746-4112
The Catskill Outdoor Education Corps offers programs for school, youth, adult and other organized groups. The programs are designed to introduce participants to various aspects of outdoor recreation.
- Catskill Revitalization Corp.
- Stamford,
NY 12167
(607) 652-2821
The Catskill Scenic Trail lies on top of the former rail bed of the Ulster & Delaware Railroad. This 19-mile Rails to Trails project offers a hard-packed surface that makes it perfect for hiking.
- Catskill Scenic Trail
- Stamford,
NY 12167
(607) 652-2821
Rails to trails, 19 miles, very gentle grade, easy hiking/biking along West Branch Delaware River. Winter snowmobile trails.
- Morningside Park
- South Fallsburg, NY 12779
(845) 434-5877
Rowboats, boat docks, fishing, pool, bath house, ball fields, tennis, picnic, playgrounds, hiking, camping, refreshment concession.
- Overlook Mountain Fire Tower
- Woodstock,
NY 12498
2 1/2 mile long hiking trail offering views of the Hudson Valley and the Ashokan Reservoir. Hike is rated moderate. Volunteer guides available weekends.
- Town of Thompson Park
- Monticello, NY 12701
(845) 796-3606 Hiking, picnicking, x-c skiing. 160 acres of parkland. No rentals.
- Walnut Mountain Park
- Liberty, NY 12754
(845) 292-7690
Hiking trails, mountain bike trails, picnic area, softball field, soccer field. Amazing views.
- Appalachian Trail
- Bear Mountain, NY 10911
(845) 786-5003
Spanning for 35 miles in NYS, offering scenic view of the Hudson River, Greenwood Lake, and also winds its way through the Trailside Museum and Bear Mountain Wildlife Center.
- Appalachian Trail
- Poughkeepsie, NY 12603
(201) 512-9348
30 miles of the Trail pass through souteastern Dutchess. 4,000 acres of protected parkland with hiking, backpacking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and five overnight use areas.
- Bear Mountain State Park
- Bear Mountain, NY 10911
(845) 786-2701
Playing field, picnicking, dock for small craft, fishing, swimming pool, zoo. Nature, hiking, biking and XC ski trails.
- Black Creek Forest Preserve
- Esopus, NY 12429
(845) 473-4440
130 acre nature preserve via a 120 foot suspension footbridge over Black Creek, a tributary of the Hudson River. More than 2 miles of trails leading to the river.
- Forsyth Nature Center's Guided Programs
- Various Kingston
Parks and local natural areas.
845 331-1682 ext. 132
Guide services including, Kayaking on the Hudson River, Bird Walks, Snowshoeing, Nature Hikes, Full Moon Hikes & Eco-Tours. Year round. Handicapped accessible.
- Teatown Lake Reservation
- Teatown’s 834-acres is composed of varied terrain which supports a diverse array of habitats, plants, and animals. The majority of our land is forested; however, Teatown and Shadow Lakes, Cliffdale Meadows, and Griffin and Glendale Swamps are some of the more prominent landscape features. In addition to these habitats, vernal pools, streams, rock outcrops, shrublands, and a variety of other communities occur at Teatown.
- Teatown’s ten trails encompass nearly 15 miles of marked trails. The trails vary in length and difficulty from easy/novice to moderately difficult and include:
- Back 40 Trail (1.5 miles)
- This moderate trail passes through an open field before descending into a wetland area where you’ll see lots of yellow birch. The trail then climbs past many large old beech trees beside a stream to the top of the Back 40 Trail, where you’ll view the Hudson River. There is a spur trail to Shadow Lake.
- Catamount Hill Trail (1.4 miles)
- Located on the western most portion of Teatown’s preserve, this moderate woodland trail is accessed from the Cliffdale Farm parking lot on Teatown Road.
- Cliffdale Loop Trail (2.3 miles)
- This moderate trail offers hikers a pleasant walk through pastures and mature forest. Hikers can access this trail from the Cliffdale Farm parking lot on Teatown Road.
- Cliffdale/Teatown Trail (1.5 miles)
- A moderate hike though Griffin Swamp with dramatic rock outcroppings.
- Appalachian Trail in NY
- New York - 88 Miles The wildness of the A.T. is surprisingly close to New York City. You can take a bus from the city and be on the Trail within an hour. The trail crosses the Hudson River, entering Harriman-Bear Mountain State Park, where the first section of the A.T. was completed in 1923. Heading south, the trail then passes through the newly protected Sterling Forest.
Not So Local
Appalachian Trail
The "AT" provides 2,100 miles of backpacking opportunities from Maine to Georgia. In the NY/NJ area, the AT enters NY at the Connecticut state line north of Pawling. It follows a generally southwestern course from the foothills of the Taconic Mountains, through Fahnestock State Park and the ridges along the southern end of the Hudson Highlands. The trail crosses the Hudson River on the Bear Mountain Bridge, then continues west through Bear Mountain State Park. It ascends the summit of the Ramapo Mountains then extends through the valley to NJ, to the Kittatinny Ridge at High Point, and thence south to the Delaware Water Gap. Open fires are prohibited at many areas along the AT so take a backpacking stove. Camping is permitted along the AT in areas more than one-half mile from a road access and 25 feet from any stream or other water source within the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. In NY and NJ outside the Delaware Water Gap NRA, backpacking and camping is allowed only at designated shelters and campsites. Overnight group size is limited to 10 (day hike use is limited to 25). For more information about these sites, see the Appalachian Trail Guide for NY/NJ, which is available through the NY-NJ Trail Conference.
Points of Interest
New York Mountain Peaks & Summits
New York has 3,529 mountain peaks to choose from. This helpful
directory lists the summits by county. To find any mountain in New
York, click on the county name
Related Links
New York / New Jersey Trails Conference
New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
The Mid-Hudson Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club (ADK)
State Department of Environmental Conservation
Stony Kill Farm Environmental Center
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