first catskill hike

[Adk_dib]

i have never done a catskill hike. what would anyone recommend for the first time? I'm looking for some thing that is at least 1000 foot climb would good views.

 

[Jay H]

Wittenburg is always a good one from Woodland Valley. It is fairly strenuous for a short hike with a steep climb right past the leanto turnoff. But the views are great and the views are great too. Be prepared for what's left of the snow now though. Wittenburg was my first catskills hike and it was also my first real snowshoe hike too.

Jay

 

[lumberzac]

I’ll be climbing my first Catskill peaks (Wittenburg, Cornell, and Slide) early next month. Any info on the trail would be greatly appreciated.

It’s going to feel weird driving south to go hiking.

 

[Adk_dib]

http://www.catskillguide.com/hike-6.htm

 

[Bob Smith]

Adk_dib If you use the same web site and do hike http://www.catskillguide.com/hike-4.htm and start at Pedigar Road and take the Blue Trail to Jimmy Dolan Notch you will have an option of doing both Indian Head and Twin Mt's. Twim as in the name has two peaks and both offer splendid views.

 

[Mark Schaefer]

Adk_dib, I'll second Bob's suggestion of Twin and Indian Head. Those were my first Catskill peaks and still one of my favorite hikes with great views.

Also on the same website http://www.catskillguide.com/hike-1.htm will show you three trails to Windham High Peak. There is a great north view at the summit where you can see the Adirondacks, Green Mts, Taconics. If you come up the red trail and then the blue from the south and east there are also 5 nice viewpoints on the way to summit.

If you are not concerned with doing a 3500 peak Overlook 3140' has great views, a fire tower, the ruins of the Overlook Mountain House, and there is an unmarked cliff path that can be reached from a path just to the right of the ranger cabin (now a museum). After climbing the tower use the cliff path on your return. It will lead you back to the marked trail junction of the Overlook and Overlook Spur trails just north of the hotel ruins. In summer there are rattlesnakes on the summit, but that should not be a concern now. FYI The easiest trail to the summit is the Overlook Spur Trail from the Meads Mt Road, north of Woodstock. The trail is an old gravel carriage road, a little boring at first, but a good mud season hike as it is on a southern exposure, generally dry, without mud. Climb is 1400', about 2.5 miles. It is shown on http://www.catskillguide.com/hike-4.htm but is marked red (not blue) from the Meads trailhead to the summit. A longer and a bit muddier approach is the Overlook Trail from the Platte Clove Road (blue), now marked all the way to Platte Clove.

The best trail maps are the New York New Jersey Trail Conference 5-map set. On the back of each of the maps are trail descriptions giving trail mileage including interim locations on the way to the summits. The maps have 100' contour lines, show parking areas, lean-tos, viewpoints, and water sources. You can buy this either from the Adirondack Mt Club website or the Trail Conference website. Both sites offer a discount on this map set for their members.

 

[snowshoe]

I have to second that on Indianhead and Twin. Both are two great summits to do. I think Twin as well as the approach up indian head offers some of the best views in the Catskills.

My first was Slide Mt. It is an easy hike to the Summit but you get to climb the Catskills Highest at 4180ft. Whenever I take someone new to the Catskills I always do Slide. There is something about that area that I like. Probably becuase it was my first taste of the Catskills with its Spruce and great views of Cornell and Wittenburg plus it is the closest from my house less than 1.5 hours.

 

[mink319]

There are many different choices:
Wittenburg for great views on an open summit
Slide, the biggest in the Catskills
Blackdome, Blackhead or Thomas Cole, very nice views on Blackdome
Hunter has a firetower
Twin or Indian Head both have nice views
Overlook also has a firetower, and offers fine views of the Hudson Valley

 

[TomEske]

I was just up on Twin, Indian Head, and Sugarloaf a few days ago. It's hard to say which has the best views. However, if you park at prediger road, hike up Jimmy Dolans Notch, and over Indian Jead, then continue down and around it makes a beautiful loop, only recovering about 1/2 mile of trail and dropping you right back at the car. If you want to make it into and overnight, the Devil's Kitchen Leanto is only a few hiundred yards south of the trail junction with the Old Overlook Rd. trail.
It is a challenging trail and was snowing up there yesterday afternoon, although I doubt there was much accumulation. There is still plenty of ice/snow on top.
The view from Shermans lookout on the east side of Indian head is incredible. Bring a good camera.
Water can be filtered in the notch by walking over to the south side and listening for it. This will go away in a few weeks. The next water opportunity will be on the descent on the east side with all the runoff. Plenty of water at the bottom just east of the Old Overlook rd, you could take a (very cold) bath here.
This is a challenging trail.
Either way, have fun.
Tom

 

[mommabear]

I agree with the people that suggested Overlook. It's almost always my first choice when I bring a 'newbie' out for their first hike. It's a very short drive from Woodstock, has a relatively easy trail but does require some elevation gain, and has good views and fun things to look at like the old hotel.

 

[imarchant]

For a beginners hike Overlook is good. Easy walk, excellent views. The Hotel ruins are interesting.

For a more advanced hike, one of my favorites is: Park at Parking Area on Maple Crest Rd. Take Blackdome Trail to Batavia Kill Trail.
Batavia Kill Trail to Escarpment trail. Escarpment trail to peak of Blackhead mnt. (this section is steep 1,000 vertical in less than a mile, but some excelent views) Black Head trail to Black Dome Trail. (Option: up Black Dome Mtn and back to this Junction(0.6 miles each way)). Black Dome trail back to parking area. (4.33 mile without Blackdome)


See: http://www.catskillguide.com/hike-1.htm for more detailed trail descriptions