SUNY Delhi students volunteered with the CMC to join in Community Service Day activities in Delhi. Part of the Village of Delhi Bicentennial celebration, the crew worked on maintenance of the Bulldog Trails on Delaware Academy lands. The day’s vols were 4-year veterans of the CMC/SUNY Delhi collaboration. We are so proud to work with these great students on a project that serves the Delhi and Catskills hiking communities.
Thanks to Dominic Croce, Amber Garcia, Ryan Ford, Logan Grasso and Fletcher Nisbet!
April 21, 2021This past year has been a time change for the Delhi Trails. First, a logging operation began that forced the closing of the northern section of the Gribley Trail last fall and was then suspended for winter. It will resume soon. Watch for an announcement of the temporary closing of the trail.
Second, the southern section of the Smith Pond Trail was closed due to the wishes of the private landowner, who had previously permitted it. We are currently working on a rerouting that will include two sections. One section will return to the Smith Pond kiosk on Rt. 28. A spur will connect to the parking lot at the Immanuel Lutheran Church. Hikers will be able to hike a loop and return to either of the parking areas. (Please do not park in the church lot during Sunday services.) Overflow parking is available at the Sheldon Drive parking lot on the north side of Delaware Academy.
Third, later this year we will reroute part of the Gribley Trail so that the hiking trail is not co-aligned with the snowmobile trail. By doing so, we will create a safer and better experience for snowmobilers and for hikers.
March 12, 2021 Beginning on March 21st, the first day of spring, the requirements for completing the 4 Seasons 140 and Catskills Grid 420 programs will reflect the closure of Doubletop and Graham Mountains to public access by replacing them with Dry Brook Ridge (3465′) and Mill Brook (Ridge) Mountain (3465′), respectively. Both replacements are only 35′ lower than the official high peaks and are in the same Western Catskills region as Doubletop and Graham. Unlike the trailless peaks they replace, both Mill Brook Mountain and Dry Brook Ridge can be traversed on trails. By adopting them for our program, we have chosen to avoid encouraging increased hiking on other trailless peaks. Our choice also aligns the new requirements with those of the Catskills All Trails Challenge.
After March 20th, hikes to the summit of South Doubletop will no longer qualify for the Catskills 4 Seasons 140 program. In no event should any hiker climb either Doubletop or Graham Mountains as they are on private property and have been closed to the public by the landowner, effective January 14th. Trespassers are subject to prosecution.
Due to a recent decision by one of the property owners who has generously allowed the Smith Pond trail to cross their property, the southern trailhead on Arbor Hill/Back River Rd. is now permanently closed to the public. Please do not trespass. We will remove the kiosk as soon as weather conditions allow. In the future, we will redesign the trail. For now, hikers may enter at the northern trailhead on Rte. 28, opposite the Delaware Academy. The trail is closed past the bridge, so turn around at that point and retrace your path. Please do not proceed beyond the bridge onto closed private property.
On the Delhi Trails across the highway, a snowmobile trail has been authorized by the school board that is co-aligned with some sections of the hiking trail. It is marked accordingly, so be aware that you may encounter snowmobilers. The trail is closed to snowmobile use during school hours, M-F from 7 AM until 3 PM.
February 10, 2021 The NYS DEC has recently opened the Red Hill Fire Tower Trail, a 1.4 mile addition that is combined with an older 0.6 mile section of trail to lead to the fire tower from Denning Road. The remainder of the the old trail from Dinch Road, 0.8 miles from the intersection, has been named the Dinch Road Connector.
Earlier, the DEC incorporated an old snowmobile trail into the Vernooy Kill Falls Trail, increasing its length to 3.5 miles. There is a small trailhead in Greenville in addition to the one on Upper Cherrytown Rd.
December 19. 2020We’re adding a trail section to the list of required hikes! The Vernooy Kill Falls Trail was extended by DEC to be coaligned with the snowmobile trail that goes from Vernooy Falls to Greenville. The section is about 1.8 miles long and there is a small parking area at the Greenville trailhead. The trail is an easy hike and is marked Red. We will update the documents on the CMC webpage.
January 14. 2021 Please note that both Doubletop and Graham Mountains are now closed to public access effective immediately.
The private landowners have generously allowed public access for many years. They have decided that recent trends of increased usage by hikers are having a significant negative effect on the wilderness character and ecology of these trailless mountains. Due to their long held concerns for conservation of wilderness, they will end access for all members of the public. As of today, hikers who encroach on these private lands will be in violation of laws against trespass and subject to enforcement measures, including arrest.
Our Catskills Grid and Catskills 4 Seasons programs will designate changes to the required peaks in concert with the decisions made by the Catskill 3500 Club for their list of qualifying hikes. Those new designations should be finalized and available in a few weeks. As of today, no future hikes of either Graham or Doubletop will be accepted as qualifying hikes for the CMC’s two programs.
February 25, 2021 Update: The logging operation has been suspended until June. As a result, the entire Gribley Trail is temporarily reopened.
Please note that a recent decision by the Delaware Academy School Board allowed snowmobile use of a section of the lower Gribley Trail. Please use caution when hiking with children or with dogs.
December 23, 2020 Update: Due to severe weather related conditions, logging has been temporarily halted. The reopening of the trail will be affected by this, possibly delaying it for several weeks. Please continue to avoid the area until all work is completed.
November 17, 2020 We have just learned that the section of the Delhi Trails from the Sheldon Drive trailhead to the intersection of the Gribley Trail and the Frightful’s Falls Trail will be closed effective immediately for about 5 weeks due to a logging operation on Village of Delhi property. For your safety and that of the loggers, please do not use this part of the trail for any reason.
All other trails remain open to the public, including the Gribley Trail to the Immanuel Lutheran Church parking lot trailhead, the Bulldog Run Trail, the Frightful’s Falls Trail and the Smith Pond Trail.
We will announce the reopening when the work has been completed.
