Margaretville, New York

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 McKinle...

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 ...

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 wh...

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.T...

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 fo...

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 indivi...

Sugarloaf Mountain, is one the 35 highest peaks in New York's Catskills at 3806 ft. There are many ways to approach this peak, and this is an out-and-back hike via Mink Hollow. The parking area is located at the end of Milk Hollow Rd (42.10405386879072, -74.17148500019927). From here, get on the...

Begin by parking at the end of Mink Road in Elka Park (GPS:N42 08.593, W74 09.479). It will be a .7 mile hike to camp. Follow the rocky woods road to the junction where there is a SPRING sign. Continuing straight will take you to the water source. If you do not need water, turn left when you see ...

The Escarpment Trail runs the length of the Catskill Escarpment. The Escarpment rises steeply from the valley below forming the northeast corner of the Catskill Mountains. It offers great views toward the Adirondack Mountains to the north and the great Hudson River to the east. The trail is moder...

It is important to know that parking for the head of this trail is great, located on Meads Mountain Rd in Woodstock NY. The trail is clearly a gravel road marked by Red trail markers, on a gradual inline up to the Hotel first, at the 2 mile mark, and then the Fire Tower is 0.5 miles further down...

The Eastern half of Devil's Path has four major summits: Indian Head, Twin, Sugarloaf and Plateau. Each summit is a straight climb up and down, then back up to as much as 3,900 ft. There are some sparse sections of level ground, but most is a steep descent uphill or steep slide downhill. Your ...

Devil's Path is roughly more than 24 miles long, althought it feels like an eternity of milage. Going thru the summits of Indian head, Twin, Sugarloaf, Plateau, Hunter, and Westkill Mountains. Its brutal. Its painful, Its unique. Be prepared for anything and everything. You will encounter wild l...

The view from the summit of this hike is incredible. Bring a sack lunch and a camera - you'll want to stay for a while! This trail is open for use year-round and provides great snowshoeing in the winter and fabulous wildflowers in the spring and summer. This is also a great location for birding!

The DEC Parking lot, is located at the very end of a dead end, along Prediger Rd. Start at the trail head to the right of the trail kiosk and sign in sheet. The trail starts out very easy going as you approach the base of Twin. At mile 0.25, you’ll hit a junction where you’ll turn RIGHT towards T...

The Kaaterskill Rail Trail begins near Haines Falls, New York heading toward North and South Lake. The trail is set in a gorgeous forest, and is used for hiking, trail running, and birding trips. The trail provides exceptional views of the surrounding mountains, valleys, forests, and towns. 

Just outside of Elka Park, New York, Plattekill Falls is accessible from Albany and New York City alike. This is a great hike for families and all skill levels. The falls are spectacular year-round, but the best time to visit is in the spring.  From the trailhead, walk left past the red house unt...