We’ll hike a loop route over Balsam, following trails that border and cross the Rider Hollow and Mine Hollow streams and ascend through ancient hemlocks and steep scrambles to the Catskill Divide. We’ll visit a stunning view of the Esopus Valley and the nearby summit rock before descending. The hike is 5.2 miles and will take about 6 hours. Wear good boots and bring plenty of water. We’ll eat at the overlook. Strenuous. Well behaved dogs welcome. Register by June 21 by contacting CMC board member Wendell George at wendell@catskillmountainclub.org or 845-254-4546.
Directions: From SR 28 in Highmount, turn south onto Galli-Curci Rd. which becomes Todd Mountain Rd. Go about 5 miles to Rider Hollow Rd. and turn left/east. Drive to the parking area at the end of the road.
From SR 28 in Arkville, turn south onto Dry Brook Rd. and travel 4.7 miles to Todd Mountain Rd. Turn left and go .5 miles to Rider Hollow Rd., turn right and follow to the end of the road.
The Catskill Roving Crew needs your help on this coming Wednesday, June 19. We’re going to work on the newly adopted trails around the beautiful Frick and Hodge Ponds in the Willowemoc Wild Forest. On this visit, we’ll work on clearing a few blowdowns, cutting back the understory and cutting grasses and summer growth from the road beds that comprise a good deal of the trails in the area.
The trailhead is about 30 miles and 45 minutes from Big Indian and approximately the same from the Shavertown Bridge in Andes. Please come give us a hand if you can.
No dogs due to safety concerns. Rain cancels. Bring a good lunch and plenty of water. Bring a favorite tool or we’ll have tools to lend.
Reply to this email or call Wendell George at 845-254-4546 by the day before the hike. If you find that you need to cancel, call by 7:15 AM on the day of the hike – as early as 6 AM is fine.
Directions: From Rt. 17 use Exit 96/Livingston Manor. Take Debruce Rd. 6 miles east to Mongaup Rd. Turn north onto Mongaup Rd. 2.5 miles to Beech Mountain Rd. Frick Pond P.A. is about .3 miles.
From Rt. 28 in Big Indian turn south onto Oliverea/Frost Valley Rd. and go 19.3 miles to Round Pond Rd., about 1 mile north of Claryville. Follow Round Pond Rd./Willowemoc Rd. 11.6 miles to Mongaup Rd. Turn north onto Mongaup Rd. 2.5 miles to Beech Mountain Rd. Frick Pond P.A. is about .3 miles. For anyone who might want to carpool from Big Indian, let me know.
Come help as we complete the first cooperative project between the NYCDEP and the CMC. DEP has opened to public access a number of its properties and the CMC is working to develop hiking trails on the finest of these. Shavertown will be the first of these efforts to be finished as we do final trail clearing and needed improvements. This is a beautiful parcel featuring a pond, fabulous reservoir views and a long woods road walk through varied, mature forest. The hike is easy to moderate. Come for the day and bring work gloves and pruners, lopers or shears. Also bring plenty of water and a lunch or snack. No dogs on this trail work hike due to safety considerations. To register contact either Wendell George at wendell@catskillmountainclub.org or 845-254-4546 or Ann Roberti at annroberti@yahoo.com or 845-676-3643 by June 7.
Directions: From SR 28 in Andes turn S onto CR 1 and go 8 miles to parking just before the Shavertown Bridge at SR 30. From SR 28 in Margaretville go W 3 miles to SR 30. Turn SW and go 8 miles to parking just past the bridge on CR 1.
We’ll be doing trail maintenance on the Biscuit Brook to Big Indian section of the PH-WB trail on Wednesday, the 5th of June. The first part, into the lean-to, is fine so we’ll focus on the upper trail. I’m told it’s not too bad, but there are some blowdowns and some prickers to whack. Hope you can give us a hand.
No dogs due to safety concerns. Bring a good lunch and plenty of water. This will be an all day hike.
*Where: Biscuit Brook P.A. on CR47/Oliverea-Frost Valley Rd. South from SR 28 in Big Indian for about 12.6 miles. (Past the Slide Mtn. P.A.)
*When: Wednesday, June 5 at 9 AM
*How: Call or email Wendell George at (845) 254-4546 or wgeorgeny@earthlink.net by Tuesday, June 4. Please call by 8 AM to cancel if you have committed to come.
*Rain cancels.
Join the CMC and Andes Works as we celebrate the Andes Rail Trail and the opening of the Bullet Hole Spur. After a brief ceremony, we’ll hike on the trail. The rail trail portion is about a mile long. The somewhat more moderately strenuous spur continues another mile, making a round trip hike of four miles. There is a great variety of forest types and features along the way. So come out to celebrate this beautiful addition to our hiking resources.
DIRECTIONS: Meet at the train depot on Cabin Hill Road/CR 2 just past the flashing red light in downtown Andes.
The FLTC and CMC trail crews will be doing maintenance on the Campbell Mtn. trail in the Delaware Wild Forest on Monday, May 27. Yeah I know it’s Memorial Day, so if you have a life we understand. We’ll be working hard to control the prickers before they get out of control. Of course, we’ll do whatever blowdown removal, pruning, lopping, etc. that we encounter.
We have tools to lend if you don’t have a favorite. Bring plenty of water and lunch.No dogs due to the danger of injury. Hope you can make it.
Where: Take SR 28/30 west out of Margaretville. Drive 3.4 miles to the left/south turn onto SR 30 and follow it 20 miles to the intersecton with SR 206. Turn south about 2.1 miles to the P.A. on the right. From Downsville, travel east on SR30/206 about 2.5 miles to the intersection of SR 206 and SR 30. Turn south about 2.1 miles to the P.A. on the right.
Hiking, paddling, bike riding and other outdoor recreational activities are potentially dangerous and could result in injury or even death. This website provides information about recreation in the Catskill Region, but persons using this resource are responsible for anticipating possible dangers and appraising their physical ability.
Don’t see a scheduled event that works for you? Try the schedules of these other Catskill area hiking clubs and organizations.
Rip Van Winkle Hikers We are sorry to report that the Rips disbanded in January 2020. Over their history they provided a great assortment of hikes in the region and maintained several trails in the Catskill Park.
The Rip Van Winkle Hikers Club was organized in February 1991 “to promote and foster interest in the sport of hiking”. Hikes range from the more challenging to the purely scenic or historical, including in the Catskill high peaks and in the Hudson Valley.
Catskill 3500 Club The Catskill 3500 Club was founded in 1962 to foster interest in hiking in the Catskills. Membership is open to anyone who has climbed on foot each of the 35 Catskill peaks above 3500 feet in elevation. The club’s schedule appears in their newsletter, The Canister.
New York-New Jersey Trail Conference The New York-New Jersey Trail Conference builds, maintains and protects 2,000 miles of trail in New York & New Jersey, including 29 lean-tos and over 200 miles of trails in the Catskills, by mobilizing volunteers. Learn more about Catskill programs and upcoming volunteer opportunities.
Triple Cities Hiking Club The Binghamton based Triple Cities Hiking Club has been active since 1947 in promoting access to hiking opportunities. Hikes are scheduled on most weekends throughout the year and range in degree of challenge from easy outings to very strenuous hikes, including in the Catskills.
Finger Lakes Trail ConferenceThe FLTC was founded in 1962. It works in cooperation with its members and various organizations to develop and maintain a premier hiking trail system in New York. Learn more about the trail and find out how to help.
Fats in the Cats Bicycle ClubThe Fats in the Cats Bicycle Club, an IMBA Chapter, promotes cycling advocacy, trail building, trail maintenance and community service. Since 1994, the club has been advocating, stewarding and improving many of the best places to ride a mountain bike in New York’s Catskill Park and Hudson Valley Region. In addition, the club organizes group rides and gives away dozens of bikes to needy kids every holiday season.
