Catskill Hikes

Months of daily hiking could scarcely be enough to explore all of the Catskill Mountains’ 600-plus miles of lush, verdant trails, each transformed into a new experience with the changing seasons.

Many trails follow the footsteps of the original inhabitants, tread long before the first Europeans arrived. Beautiful paths and views, such as the walkways along the Ashokan Reservoir, are accessible even to those using walkers or wheelchairs.

The Catskill Scenic Trail follows 19 miles of an old rail bed, a broad and gentle path winding through small towns and farming valleys. Hikers can stop to fish or cool their feet in the Delaware river at many spots along the way. Cranberry Lake Preserve features three miles of crisscrossing trails, with boardwalks and views of the lake, old stone walls, and waterfalls.

The two highest waterfalls in New York State grace the Kaaterskill Falls Trail. The Curtis-Ormsbee Trail clubs to the 4,202-foot summit of Slide Mountain, the highest point in the Catskills, rewarding hikers with a vista of the Hudson Valley and the distant Taconic Mountains. The total loop, taking in sections of other trails, is a little over five miles.

Open views await hikers long the Catskills Escarpment Trail, tracing loop along five-miles of ridgeline. It follows a descent to the two large boulders of Inspiration Point. Inscriptions, thought to be 100 years old or more, can still be faintly seen. A mix of easy and challenging sections bring hikers along the Giant Ledge-Panther Mountain Trail.

The most challenging hike of the Eastern United States is the aptly-named Devil's Path, traversing five peaks. Hikers can challenge themselves to the entire trail on a single adventure, or break the trek into three excursions.

Every nature lover, from seasoned hikers to families with small children, can find delights in the Catskills.