Eagle and Haynes Mountains Via Rider Hollow

Timeline: Weekend, though can easily be done as an overnight trip or just a day hike Summary: Day 1: Hike to camp (0.7 miles, 340' elevation gain) Day 2: Hike to Balsam Mountain and back to camp (4 miles round-trip) Day 3: Relax & hike back to car (0.7 miles) Details: Park the car at McKinley Hollow parking lot (42.070413°N, 74.474029°W). The lot and trailhead will be on your left. Grab yo...

The trail starts across the street from the parking area you will see a sign. After a short walk in you will cross a foot bridge. At approximately 0.75 mile you will reach a junction. You will turn left toward Giant Ledge. The next half mile is fairly flat. At 1.5 miles you will reach a spur trail to your right that is your first lookout. 250 feet past Ledge 1 is the second lookout. At 1....

Giant Ledge is a great hike in the Catskills if you are looking for something short, with incredible views, and camping options. There are not many hikes with better views then this in the Catskills, so why not spend as much time as possible up there? There are a few camping spots you can grab when you get up to the ledge section but you will want the one directly to the right of the first over...

If you are looking for a great campground up in the Catskill Mountains of New York then you definitely have to check out Woodland Valley Campgrounds. Located about 2 hours north of New York City, it is the perfect place to go to get off the grid. No service for about 30 minutes in any direction.This seems to be a popular campsite as almost every designated spot was full of either tents, RVs, or...

Looking for a great day hike in the Catskill region of NY? Then you should definitely look into and consider tackling Mt. Wittenberg then. A challenging climb up but a very rewarding summit view. Starting at Woodland Valley Campgrounds visitor registration house (where you can pay for parking for the day) follow the small road to the left through the campgrounds. You will reach a roundabout se...

NOTE: There is a new permit system in place: Under the new no-cost permit system, visitors to the Blue Hole are required to obtain a permit on weekends and holidays from May 15 through October 15 every year. DEC will issue up to 40 permits per day and each permit allows entry for up to six individuals, including children, allowing for a maximum of 240 people to access the Blue Hole each day. Pe...