The Blackhead Range Horseshoe is a long and popular Catskill route featuring Class 3 rock scrambling, particularly on the north slope of Blackhead, with scenic views and technical terrain requiring strong fitness and route-finding skills.

Dover Stone Church has been closed to public access via the previously-allowed private driveway following a court decision. An alternate route via a trail behind the fire department is available.

Route guide for the Catskill 6 traverse covering Friday, Balsam Cap, Rocky, Lone, Table, and Peekamoose peaks. The hike involves 4,000 feet of elevation gain over 10-12 hours, with an unrelenting 2,400-foot climb on Friday Mountain followed by tricky off-trail navigation through remote bushwhack sections and a long descent.

A trail guide describing the Black Mountain Loop near Lake George, noting the forgiving ascent and more complex descent with navigation challenges. The hike offers excellent summit views overlooking Lake George and pleasant forest walking, with tricky route-finding through intersecting trails on the descent.

Trail maintenance work was completed on Lost Clove trail in fall 2019, including clearing blowdown, pruning overgrown vegetation, and removing debris. The trail is a steep, underutilized woods road suitable for backcountry skiing and offers alternate access to Balsam Mountain.

A 15-mile, 3,600-foot elevation gain route up Mount Marcy via Van Hoevenberg Trail featuring long forest sections with multiple junctions, stream crossings, and a broad, exposed summit with 360° views. The hike is demanding but non-technical, requiring careful route-finding on the descent.

The MacIntyre Range is a striking ridge chain west of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack High Peaks, featuring Wright Peak, Algonquin Peak, Iroquois Peak, and Mount Marshall. The classic traverse spans roughly 12 miles and offers steep alpine terrain with panoramic views, suitable late June through early October, with conditions that can change rapidly even in summer.

Evergreen winter hiking guide for Blackhead Mountain describing the safest route: a straightforward out-and-back ascent via rebuilt trail section. Notes that winter parking may require an extra ½ mile walk when road is unplowed; emphasizes need for proper winter gear and skills.

A backcountry trail guide describing an unofficial route on Kaaterskill High Peak that stays below 3,110 feet, combining scenic views via Paradise Point and Huckleberry Point with exploratory sections through the amphitheater area and hemlock groves.

A demanding winter bushwhack route to North Dome and Mount Sherrill from Timber Lake Camp, requiring navigation skills, snowshoes, and possible traction devices. The route involves marked trail followed by off-trail navigation through wooded terrain; snow depth and winter conditions significantly impact difficulty.

A new sustainable trail to Cascade Mountain summit is under construction and nearing 80% completion, expected to open in 2024. The new route will be 11 miles round trip with 3,300 feet of elevation gain, substantially longer than the current route under 5 miles.

An evergreen trail guide describing Mount Van Hoevenberg as a well-maintained, accessible short hike near Lake Placid suitable for beginners and families, with open ledges providing views of the High Peaks.

A comprehensive peakbagging guide for the Catskill 3500 Club, describing routes, difficulty levels, and strategic pairing of 33 publicly-accessible Catskill peaks above 3,500 ft. The guide covers single peaks, pairs, triplets, and multi-peak challenge routes with no specific trail conditions reported.

Route description for a north-side approach to Bearpen and Vly from a col, featuring a long road walk, partial trail and bushwhack sections, with modest summit views. The author characterizes this route as slightly less undesirable than the southern approach but with greater elevation gain and distance.

Platte Clove Road, a key access route to Eastern Devil's Path and Catskill trailheads including Kaaterskill High Peak, Twin, Sugarloaf, and Indian Head, is closed annually from November through late April or May for winter and road repairs. The page provides current status updates and alternate routing information for accessing these popular hiking areas when the road is closed.

A mostly easy-to-navigate route featuring Wright, Algonquin, and Iroquois peaks in the MacIntyre Range. The trail follows MacIntyre Brook initially, includes some technical scrambling and steep slab climbing, and offers exceptional views from the three summits. Wright Peak is noted as particularly windy and requires relentless steep slab climbing from the junction.</summary> <parameter name="confidence">Low

A challenging bushwhack route up Panther Mountain via an unnamed ridge (Bear Poop Ridge) featuring steep terrain, open forest, ledges, and requiring strong navigation skills. The route connects to the main Panther trail and includes a plane wreck easter egg.

Weekly fall foliage tracking for the Catskills spanning mid-September through late October 2024, with observations of color progression at various elevations and weather impacts on the season.

An evergreen curated guide to 14 non-High Peak hiking routes in the Catskills, highlighting popular destinations like Giant Ledge, Ashokan High Point, and Tremper Mountain alongside lesser-known alternatives. The author draws on weekly hiking experience since 2018 to recommend diverse trail options suitable for various skill levels.

Bonticou Crag is a short loop hike featuring an intense rock scramble with exposure and tricky hand-and-feet sections through a talus field, culminating in dramatic ridge views overlooking the Hudson Valley and Catskills.

The Escarpment Trail is a 23.9-mile ridgeline thru-hike in the Catskills featuring exposed ledges, wooded ridge walks, and frequent viewpoints. Water is scarce along the route; hikers should filter or carry extra water despite limited sources near Batavia Kill and the trailhead areas. The trail is moderately difficult with much less elevation gain than the Devil's Path, suitable for 2–3 day backpacking trips with multiple bail-out options.

Mount Tammany's Red Dot Trail is a steep, rocky ascent gaining 1,200+ feet in under 1.5 miles with scrambly sections and open ledges, followed by a gentler descent via the Blue Dot Trail through forest past Dunfield Creek. The full 3.5-mile loop is well-marked and popular but challenging in heat or wet conditions.

The Avalanche Pass Trail has been closed indefinitely following a major landslide triggered by intense rainfall in mid-July that destroyed the trail corridor between Lake Arnold and Avalanche Lake. Multiple peaks accessed via this route (Algonquin, Colden, Marcy, Skylight, Gray) are no longer accessible via their typical loop routes, though some remain accessible as out-and-back hikes.

A loop hike at Plattekill Mountain Ski Resort in the Catskills offering 2–3 hours of moderately challenging ridge walking with two summits over 3,400 feet elevation and views across the Northern Catskills. The route follows work roads, ski access paths, and single-track ridgeline trails through forest and open ski terrain; permission required but easily obtained at the lodge.

The Indian Ladder Trail in Thacher State Park is a well-maintained, easy 2.5-mile loop featuring dramatic limestone cliffs, seasonal waterfalls, fossils, and caves. The trail is open seasonally from early summer through mid-November and is closed in winter/early spring due to slippery conditions and ice risk. Metal and stone staircases, scenic overlooks, and mostly flat terrain make it suitable for families and casual hikers.

An evergreen trail guide to Peaked Mountain near Thirteenth Lake in the Siamese Ponds Wilderness, describing a moderate 4–5 hour out-and-back hike with lake views, forest, beaver ponds, and a rocky open summit. The author notes the trail is unblazed, requires map navigation, and includes muddy spots and slippery roots, especially after rain.

The Bramley Mountain Fire Tower has been restored and reinstalled at the 2,817-foot summit as of early 2025, now featuring a completed 4-mile loop trail with forest, rock outcroppings, caves, quarry ruins, and panoramic views. The moderate hike offers excellent trail conditions with rocky sections near the summit and pleasant woodland walking. Tower cab staffing is seasonal (weekends/holidays May–October) with good views available even when unstaffed.

A guide to Ampersand Mountain describing the route characteristics: an easy first half through forest followed by steep rock scrambles and exposed roots leading to an open summit with 360° views. The author's winter hike encountered extremely hard, diamond-hard ice on the summit and very cold, windy conditions.

The Whitehouse Fire burned approximately 630 acres in the Peekamoose Valley area of the Catskills beginning in November 2024, affecting Bangle Hill but not Peekamoose Mountain proper. Trail conditions in the aftermath show burned duff on one side of the trail with intact ground cover on the other, demonstrating how the trail effectively stopped the fire's spread.

The Catskill 9 is a challenging 19-21 mile loop hike in the Catskills that combines marked trails, herd paths, and extensive bushwhacking through dense forest. The route tags nine high peaks and requires experienced off-trail navigation skills, particularly between Lone and Balsam Cap; it includes steep ascents, rock scrambles, ledges, ladders, and boardwalks.

Multi-year collection of user-submitted Catskill trail conditions reports covering seasonal variations in snow, ice, mud, and water conditions across numerous peaks and routes. Reports span from 2021–2025 and include details on required gear (spikes, snowshoes, crampons) and trail hazards for planning purposes.

This is a curated collection of user-submitted trail condition reports for Catskill peaks spanning from late 2021 through April 2025, covering seasonal conditions including snow, ice, mud, trail quality, water availability, and wildlife/bug activity across multiple routes and elevations.

A 54-year-old hiker from New Jersey died on the Devil's Path trail while ascending West Kill Mountain on April 24, 2025. He was found unresponsive about a mile up the mountain; no foul play is suspected and the official cause of death has not been released.

A detailed evergreen trail guide for the Burroughs Range Loop, a challenging 15-17 mile Catskills loop connecting Slide, Cornell, and Wittenberg peaks with rocky scrambles, scenic views, and primitive camping options. The author includes a first-person account of an April 2025 day hike completion in approximately 9.5 hours.

This is an evergreen trail guide for the Marble Mountain/Wilmington Trail route to Whiteface Mountain, describing a steep 3,400-foot climb via a direct ridge approach. The author mentions winter conditions (early March, bitter cold, 40+ mph winds) but the guide itself is not dated and covers general route characteristics and hazards year-round.

An evergreen trail guide describing an off-trail bushwhack route from Round Top to Kaaterskill High Peak in the Catskills. The route is entirely untrailed, requires strong backcountry navigation skills, passes through steep terrain with stream crossings, and reportedly has less mud than standard trails to this peak.

An evergreen trail guide to the popular Hurricane Mountain southern approach from Route 9N. The route passes through forest and boardwalks, with rock scrambles and an open fire tower summit. Best tackled late spring to early fall to avoid icy conditions.

A guide to Alander Mountain via Robert Brook Trail in the Taconics, describing a reversed lollipop route with steep uphill sections, rock scrambles, forest walking, and an open summit with views. The hike is mellower than other Alander approaches and features solitude, varied terrain, and a cabin; bug spray is recommended for summer months.

A challenging out-and-back route to Blackhead via the Arizona trail from Stork's Nest Road featuring dense forests, rock scrambles, a ridge walk, and scenic views. The route is described as physically demanding with steep sections and varied terrain suited for experienced hikers seeking solitude.

Crane Mountain Loop is a short but intense hike featuring rocky scrambles, two cliff ladders, and a scenic summit ridge. The trail is challenging due to steep rocky sections and ladder navigation, best enjoyed May through October.

An experienced 65-year-old hiker from Connecticut sustained an ankle injury on the icy west side of Sugarloaf Mountain in winter conditions. A multi-ranger rescue operation involving technical rope rigging and a rescue sled took approximately eight hours to extract the hiker from difficult terrain and transport to the hospital.

A hiker who started late on Table Mountain expanded their route to include Lone, Peekamoose, Table, and Rocky Mountains. After falling into the Neversink River while attempting a trailless descent via Fisherman's Path in the early morning, the hiker developed rapid-onset hypothermia and was rescued by DEC rangers after several hours in winter conditions.

Two hikers were injured by falling ice at Kaaterskill Falls on January 11 at approximately 4 PM. One hiker sustained a head injury requiring emergency evacuation; the second was able to walk out. Forest Rangers and multiple rescue agencies responded within minutes and completed the operation at 7:30 PM.

The Van Benschoten Trail is a challenging bushwhack route in the Moonhaw area featuring old woods roads, stream crossings, loose terrain, boulders, cliffs, caves, and one of the steepest headwalls in the Catskills. Fall after leaf-drop is recommended as the best hiking season to avoid ice and snow complications.

Falling Waters Preserve in Saugerties, NY is an easy scenic walk featuring meadows, woods, riverside views, and small waterfalls along the Hudson River. The trail is a figure-of-8 loop with minimal elevation gain suitable for casual hikers and families year-round.

A multi-week fall foliage progression report for the Catskills from mid-September through early November 2022, documenting the timing and location of peak fall colors throughout the season, with conditions ranging from early yellowing to past-peak foliage by late October.

Ferncliff Forest Fire Tower is a short, easy hiking loop near Rhinebeck, New York with well-marked trails, minimal elevation gain (130 feet), and panoramic views of the Hudson Valley from a historic fire tower structure.

Hunter Mountain via Becker Hollow is a steep 2-mile out-and-back route with 2,200 feet of elevation gain. Trail and rocks become slippery after rain, and microspikes are required in frost, ice, or snow conditions.

Halcott Mountain features a well-established herd path that is steep and increasingly popular, with no technical scrambles or cliffs. Summer conditions include nettles (manageable in long pants), while winter brings beautiful summit photography; the route requires good navigation skills despite being relatively straightforward to follow.

Evergreen trail guide describing seven popular hikes near Woodstock, NY, ranging from short gorge walks and nature preserves to the classic Overlook Mountain Fire Tower hike with hotel ruins. Routes emphasize scenic views, accessibility, and family-friendly terrain in the Catskills.