Catskill Park All Trails Challenge is Announced by the CMC

October 3, 2014    The Catskill Mountain Club is excited to announce the Catskills All Trails Challenge. If you needed a new excuse, uh "reason", to go hiking in our beautiful Catskill Park, here it is!For many years our friends at the Catskill 3500 Club have offered an incentive to share in the joy of climbing each of the Catskill peaks that stand more than 3500 feet high. Thousands of hikers have taken that challenge, met the requirements and been thrilled with the experience.Now the CMC is offering an opportunity for a different kind of Catskills hiking accomplishment. The new Catskills All Trails (CATs) patch will be awarded to individuals who successfully hike all of the 87 designated hiking trails in the Park, totaling 349.3 miles of trails. Upon completion, hikers will be awarded a Certificate of Completion, recognizing their accomplishment. They will also receive a Catskill Park All Trails patch and shirt to commemorate their feat. But more than anything, they'll come to know and love all that the Catskills offer to those who enjoy the great outdoors.The CMC is proud to encourage hikers to explore all parts of the Catskills. Indeed, one of the club's most important goals is to expose the public to the tremendous hiking in our region, whether to the summits of the high peaks, on the many smaller mountains that offer equally spectacular and sublime views, or in the hollows and valleys with their streams, waterfalls and ponds. Every part of the Catskill Park and region holds great hiking experiences for hikers of all interests and abilities. This new award will honor the most intrepid hikers for their efforts exploring all that the Catskill Park has to offer. Really, what better excuse do you need?Whether you're a day hiker or a backpacker, to get started simply go to the CATs page on this website, download the list of trails, grab your boots and gear and GO!