Join our CVC Manager, David Hans, for a hike to Onteora Lake, Yellow Loop. We will meet up for this hike at the Kiosk of the inside Parking Area for Onteora Lake. One Parking area is very close to the lake and would be accessible beyond the entrance gate for Onteora Lake. If this lot is full, then you can park in the big lot right off Route 28.

The hike will begin at our meeting point, the Kiosk for the inner Parking Area. From there we will start following the Yellow-Blazed Trail which follows an old service road into the Bluestone Wild Forest. The beginning portion of the trail will follow the service road until we reach a junction with the Red Eft Loop. At this junction, the trail will become more of a traditional rock and root experience as we continue on the Yellow Loop. We will meet at 10:30 am and plan to return around 1:00 pm. 

Please be sure to bring water, snacks, trekking poles (if needed), hiking boots or shoes, bug spray, and sunscreen. 

Join our Catskill Center Ridge Runner Steward, Dan, on a hike from Platte Clove Preserve to Echo Lake. Starting at the entrance of Platte Clove Preserve, this hike will take us through a wide range of habitats and forest types, culminating in a walk around the always beautiful Echo Lake. We will be making frequent stops to admire large trees, interesting geology, and of course any, and all wildlife to be found. We may even have the good fortune of spotting several species of reptiles around the lake! This hike will total around 9 miles, and while generally flat, there are several steep sections that, combined with the length, will make this a strenuous hike.

Be sure to bring plenty of water, snacks, and proper footwear. Bug spray and sun protection are highly recommended. Meet your hike leader, Dan, at the entrance of Platte Clove on Saturday, August 3 at 10:00 AM. Plan to be on trail until 2:00 PM (estimated) 

After the hike, join fellow hikers at West Kill Brewing for a Hike for the Catskills opening celebration with a complimentary drink and Hike for the Catskills camaraderie. 

Join Peg DiBenedetto, our Catskill Center Board Chair, and Frank Sanchis, a Catskill Center Board Member for a hike to Diamond Notch Falls!

This is a short hike to Diamond Notch Falls from Spruceton Rd. The trail follows the creek along an old service road and the hike will reach its turning point at the trail junction by Diamond Notch Falls. 

Be sure to bring plenty of water and proper footwear. Bug spray and sun protection are highly recommended. Meet your hike leaders at the Spruceton Rd Trailhead on August 3 at noon. If the lot is full, we’ll meet at the Forest Preserve lot just a bit down from the trailhead, on the right.

After the hike, join fellow hikers at West Kill Brewing for a Hike for the Catskills opening celebration with a complimentary drink and Hike for the Catskills camaraderie. 

Join our Catskill Steward, Rory, for a hike to Huckleberry Point.

Huckleberry Point is a moderate 4.5-mile out-and-back hike that starts within Platte Clove. The point features breathtaking views of Plattekill Mountain & the Hudson Valley with multiple scenic biome changes along the way up to the lookout. We’ll stop multiple times along the way to admire the water features, shifts in flora, and any interesting animals we come across. Following the hike, we’ll make a quick detour down to Devil’s Kitchen for a spectacular view of Bridal Veil Falls and the Platte Clove Valley. Be sure to bring a snack, plenty of water, bug spray, and sunscreen. Meet at the Huckleberry Point trailhead at 9 am.

Join our CVC manager, David Hans, for a hike to Echo Lake. The Hike will begin at the usual starting point for Overlook Mountain and follow the Overlook Spur Trail to begin. We will make our way up to the Overlook Mountain House Ruins. From here, attendees will have the option to cut their hike short if they aren’t feeling up to the remaining 6+ miles of hiking. The hike will then branch off from the Overlook Spur Trail and onto the Overlook Trail. This trail will descend for about a mile to the junction with Echo Lake’s trail. We will follow this trail from the junction along an old and rocky service road. Reaching the lake will be our midway point for this trip.

The hike back will be along the same trails we took in. The start of our return trip will include the longest ascent of the trip as we make our way back up Overlook Mountain. We will follow back the way we came until we reach the junction of the Overlook and Overlook Spur trails. The remainder of the hike will be back down the service road we started our hike on. Once we reach the Parking Lot, you will have completed one of the most invigorating and beautiful hikes in the Catskills. 

Be sure to bring water, snacks & lunch, trekking poles (if needed), hiking boots or shoes, bug spray, and sunscreen.  

We will meet at 10:00 am at the Trailhead for Overlook Mountain, located opposite the Buddhist Monastery. There is additional parking further down the road at the Meads Meadow Parking Area, a large packed gravel parking lot marked by a sign on the side of the road. We will only wait 15 minutes for all attendees to arrive. If the main lot is full when you arrive, please stop and check in before going to the lower lot so we know to wait for you or your group.

Join our Catskill Steward, Sammi, for a kid-friendly hike at the Catskills Visitor Center. 

What to expect: We will meet at the Catskills Visitor Center on August 10th. We will learn about the 7 principles of Leave No Trace and get to see examples of our impacts while hiking. There will also be some fun history tidbits and a hike up the Esopus Fire Tower at the end of our hike for those wishing to go up. We will be doing about  1.5-2 miles of walking. The trails are mostly flat gravel but we will be going up the Upper Ridge Trail which ascends the slope on the property at the Catskills Visitor Center. Please wear proper footwear, bring water, snacks, and bug spray/sun protection. Pack a lunch to have after the walk, as there are plenty of wonderful spots at the Catskills Visitor Center to picnic at if you so choose. Plan to meet at the Catskill Visitor Center on August 10th at 9am and to be finished with the hike around 12 pm closer to 1 pm. 

Join our Catskills Visitor Center manager, David Hans, for a hike along the trails at the CVC. The hike will start by following our Interpretive Loop Trail at the Catskills Visitor Center. Along this trail, you will have the opportunity to walk up our Fire Tower for nice views of the surrounding area. For those who arrive before 11:00, you can check in at the front desk of the Catskills Visitor Center. For those arriving after 11:00, you can meet up for this hike under the Pavilion of the Catskills Visitor Center. We will only wait 10 minutes before we begin the hike.

Once we make the full loop along the interpretive trail, we will make our way up the Upper Ridge Trail. This trail is a traditional rock and root trail, going up a quarter of a mile to some picnic tables. We will pause for a light break at the tables before making our way back down.

The final leg of the hike will be down toward the entrance of our property, by Route 28. We will follow the Espopuse Creek Trail which will take us across the highway and through the woods to a nice view of the Esopus Creek. After taking some time to view the creek, we will make our way back to the visitor center. We should return around 1:00 pm. 

Please be sure to bring water, snacks, trekking poles (if needed), hiking boots or shoes, and sunscreen. 

Join our Catskill Steward, Bella, for a hike to the Overlook Mountain Fire Tower while getting one step closer to completing the 2024 Fire Tower Challenge.

We will leave from the trailhead on Meads Mountain Road (right across from KTD) at 10:30 am. This is a moderate hike that is about 5 miles out and back to the fire tower. The trailhead address is 335 Meads Mountain Rd, Woodstock, NY 12498. The hike will take approximately 2 hours to the top with a few breaks in between to hydrate and catch up on some of the history of Overlook Mountain, and the fire towers in the Catskills. The guided portion of the hike will conclude at the top of the mountain where hikers are invited to climb the fire tower and make their way back down at their own leisure. 

Join our Catskill Steward, Cris, for a dog-friendly hike to Kaaterskill Falls. Bring your dogs, bring your leashes, and bring water for your pup! Dogs with excellent recall can participate in optional off-leash time with swimming at the end of the hike.

 The hike is about 3.2 miles. Starting from Laurel House Road parking lot to the viewing point of the old Mountain House Hotel, walking around the lake, and eventually ending at an open field and access to swimming. With safety in numbers, dogs should be well behaved, and mild-tempered, as many individuals will be curious about our dog activity. We will also explore the plant life in the area, as well as the spectacular view, and more! We will review what to do with dog waste according to Leave No Trace principles. Meet your hike leader, Cris, at 10:00 am on Thursday, August 15 at the Laurel House parking lot at Kaaterskill Falls.

Join our Catskill Steward, Brian, for a Hike for the Catskills Birding Hike. This will be an easy 2.8-mile hike where we will enjoy the landscape, and explore birds in the area. Please download the Merlin App, as we will be using this to identify birds on the trail. Meet your hike leader, Brian, on August 28 at 9:00 am at the Peck Road parking lot/trailhead. Please also bring binoculars, water, and snacks.