Never Wonder Where You’ll Hike Next
Hundreds of hyper-detailed trail guides and how-to articles written by a single, experienced hiker—so you can enjoy deep, reliable, local hiking info
Catskills • Adirondacks • Gunks
Hudson Highlands • Berkshires
Hello, my name is Sean and you can follow me @TotalCatskills
Start Mountain Hiking Here
With hundreds of mountain hiking trails, and countless bushwhack routes, there are so many ways to hike the mountains. I hike all year long and add new super-detailed trail guides every month…
Apart from the Classic Catskills High Peaks and the Best Hikes in the Catskills, you can also view lists of Popular Catskills Hikes and Scenic Catskills Hikes.
If you’re just starting out hiking, check out this Easy Hikes list. And, if you have family in tow, this list of Kid-Friendly Hikes will give you plenty of great options.
For anyone new to hiking, Nature Walks are a great way to get a deep dose of forest magic without much uphill effort.
Master Map for All Trail Guides
Check out this Adirondack and Catskills Hiking Map — it’s a master map of all the Catskills hiking trails in the Catskills High Peaks that have trail guides on this website. This map also includes my Adirondack Mountains Trail Map guide to all the Adirondack hiking trails on the site.
Catskills Fall Foliage
Get the latest intel on Catskills fall foliage, including the best Catskills fall foliage hikes and some truly incredible Adirondack fall foliage hikes.
What is the Hardest Hike in The Catskills?
It’s The Devil’s Path, one of the most difficult and notorious hikes on the East Coast. From end to end, the Devil’s Path is about 24 miles in length — and you’re looking at almost 9000’ of elevation gain with a similar amount of loss over the length of the trail. Pack your a-game!
Leave No Trace
Get up-to-speed with best practices in no time with the 7 Principles of Leave No Trace.
Hiking News & Culture
Strava vs Garmin Lawsuit: a Self-Defeating Battle That Could Kill the Platform We Love
Bizarre lawsuit threatens your outdoor fun!
Catskills Fall Foliage 2025
The best Catskills Fall Foliage Report because it’s direct from the Catskills!
Avalanche Pass Trail Closed Indefinitely After Major Landslide
Climate change renders key Adirondack trail impassable.
What’s Next for the Formerly Trailless Catskill High Peaks?
Here’s what you need to know about what’s about to happen…
Surprising Data: The Best Electrolytes for Hiking
The cheapest, most expensive, worst and best electrolytes for hiking. Save your money. Give our body what it needs.
My Times Union Writing
I write about hiking the Hudson Valley for Times Union.
The Best Hikes
These are the best hikes in the Catskills, Adirondacks, Hudson Highlands, Gunks, Taconics…
Friday, Balsam Cap & B-25 Crash Site
A long, tough, rewarding hike that follows woods roads and herd paths, and ends with a true bushwhack to the wreckage of a WWII military bomber.
Hike Sugarloaf & Twin from Roaring Kill
Any hike that includes Twin Mountain is a great hike. From either side, Twin offers some the funnest ascents in the Catskill Park. But the western side of Twin, with its steep talus field and a section of technical open rock face, is perhaps the toughest 0.7 mile you’ll hike on any Catskill trail.
The Catskills 6: Friday, Balsam Cap, Rocky, Lone, Table, Peekamoose
Tackling this route as part of a group hike makes it a fantastic experience.
Blackhead & Black Dome via Lockwood Gap
An outstanding double-bill that combines an epic view of Black Dome from Blackhead with an epic view of Blackhead from Black Dome. This is one of my favorite hikes in the Catskills.
Hike Table & Peekamoose from Denning
I was not prepared for how much I would fall in love with this hike. I’d heard both summits were low on scenic views so my plan was to just check both peaks off my 3500 list and move on. Wrong. So wrong. 100% dead-ass wrong.
Balsam Lake Fire Tower Hike
Incredible 360° wilderness views make this hike spectacular at any time of year.
Easy Mountain Hikes
Be aware that “easy mountain hikes” does not mean “easy hikes” — before you go, learn how to stay safe on a mountain.
Balsam Lake Fire Tower Hike
Incredible 360° wilderness views make this hike spectacular at any time of year.
Kelly Hollow Loop
Short, easy and thoroughly absorbing, Kelly Hollow Loop is one of the most beautiful hiking trails in the Catskills. It came highly-recommended and it absolutely delivered.
Hike Rochester Hollow
An easy hike through beautiful woods leads to a series of magnificent stone fences, ruins, and a memorial to John Burroughs. This is an underutilized and under-appreciated trail. Especially suited to skiers, trail-runners and animal track lovers.
Onteora Lake
Half way between Kingston and Woodstock, Onteora Lake is perfect for casual hikers, trail runners, and snowshoers. Three loops of increasing ruggedness allow you to choose your own adventure.
Hike Windham High Peak from Peck Road
One of the easiest Catskill high peaks to hike is also one of the most rewarding — with an enchanted spruce forest, great views of the Blackhead range, and three awesome summit lookouts.
Slabsides / John Burroughs Nature Sanctuary
Slabsides is the rustic two-story cabin hand-built by famous naturalist John Burroughs at the end of the 1800’s. It is preserved just as he left it, including its personal contents. A series of interconnected trails wind through woods, a swamp, past dramatic rock outcroppings and waterfalls, and alongside peaceful lakes. The terrain is rugged but the trails are appropriate for well-managed children.
Moderate Hikes
The best moderate hikes in the Catskills, Adirondacks, Hudson Highlands, Gunks, Taconics…
Slide Mountain (Best Route)
This loop features an easy ascent, great Catskills views, and a beautiful walk-out that passes through varied woods and terrain.
Windham High Peak via Burnt Knob (with Acra Point)
Hike to Windham High peak through beautiful riparian terrain to a long ridge that’s peppered with amazing views.
Hike Table & Peekamoose from Denning
I was not prepared for how much I would fall in love with this hike. I’d heard both summits were low on scenic views so my plan was to just check both peaks off my 3500 list and move on. Wrong. So wrong. 100% dead-ass wrong.
Balsam Lake Fire Tower Hike
Incredible 360° wilderness views make this hike spectacular at any time of year.
Hike Doubletop from Seager
Doubletop Mountian is currently closed to public hiking.
Hike Thomas Cole & Black Dome from Barnum Rd
A moderate Catskills hike — over consistently interesting and varied terrain — to two epic views.
Difficult Hikes
The best challenging hikes in the Catskills, Adirondacks, Hudson Highlands, Gunks, Taconics…
West Kill via St. Anne’s Peak
A long, strenuous hike over a massive Devil’s Path mountain that includes a variety of Catskills terrain and an epic view from Buck Ridge Lookout.
Rusk: First Bushwhack
Like me, if you’ve never been on a bushwhack hike—a hike without a trail—the thought of wandering into the woods with zero guide-rails seems completely intimidating. The best thing to do, here, is to join a group hike, or hook up an experienced pal who can show you the ropes.
Hike Balsam Cap in the Clouds
A direct line from Moonhaw takes you up the shortest possible route to Balsam Cap but be warned: the way is steep. This is a tough Catskill hike.
Hike Sugarloaf from Roaring Kill, Clockwise
Pass through Dibble’s Quarry, rock-hop over a stream and around a beaver pond, make your way up to the col between Sugarloaf and Twin, and then head west over Sugarloaf’s enormous boreal summit — to a fantastic view of the Southern Catskills. Sugarloaf is a lot of mountain. An awesome lot.
Hike Sugarloaf & Twin from Roaring Kill
Any hike that includes Twin Mountain is a great hike. From either side, Twin offers some the funnest ascents in the Catskill Park. But the western side of Twin, with its steep talus field and a section of technical open rock face, is perhaps the toughest 0.7 mile you’ll hike on any Catskill trail.
Blackhead & Black Dome via Lockwood Gap
An outstanding double-bill that combines an epic view of Black Dome from Blackhead with an epic view of Blackhead from Black Dome. This is one of my favorite hikes in the Catskills.
Recommended Reads
Technique, safety, and local info at your fingertips…
The 3 Best Ways to Not Die on a Hike
Every month, people get into trouble in the Catskills, almost always because they are under-prepared. Here are the 3 best things you can do to stay safe on your hike, while making sure you’re prepared in the event of an emergency.
The 10 Essentials: What to Pack for Every Hike
The 10 Essentials is a list of items you should carry on every trip into the backcountry.
Basic Mountain Hiking Gear
While hiking gear can change from trail to trail, and from season to season, the following items will serve you well on every hike. They are a fleshing out of The Ten Essentials (the absolute bare minimum you should pack for every hike). This hiking gear list focuses on day-hiking.
35 Best Hiker Restaurants in the Catskills
Make your next hike extra-awesome.
12 Best Hiking Apps
The best hiking apps broken into four categories: navigation/planning, field identification, photography, and fun.
Hiking Pace Formula
One of the simplest things you need to know about any hike is: how long will it take? Knowing a planned hike’s duration is crucial to being able to figure out what to bring in terms of safety supplies, water and food.
Wilderness Safety For You
Mountain Hiking, Planning Tips, Gear Lists, Emergency Numbers
Start mountain hiking safely, hike well, finish in one piece. Here’s everything you’ll need: your clothing, your gear, how to plan a safe hike in every season, the best apps, what to eat, what to bring. It’s the advice you’ll need, all in one place.
The Best Mountain Hikes
The Best Hikes You Can Do in the Catskills, Adirondacks, Gunks…
This mountain hiking list is a personally-curated selection of the most rewarding hikes you can do in the Catskills, Adirondacks, Hudson Highlands, Shawangunks, Taconics and elsewhere. Hike an awesome hiking trail every week!
The Catskills High Peaks
The Traditional List of Catskills Peaks Above 3500’
Most people begin mountain hiking in the Catskills by climbing a few High Peaks: Indian Head, Slide Mountain & Balsam Lake are popular starting points. Here are the summits you’ll need to bag if you want to join the Catskill 3500 Club.
Best Hikes in the Catskills, Adirondacks, Shawangunks, Hudson Highlands, Taconics and more…
The most recent posts on this site…
Strava vs Garmin Lawsuit: a Self-Defeating Battle That Could Kill the Platform We Love
Bizarre lawsuit threatens your outdoor fun!
Bushwhack Panther via Bear Poop Ridge
A tough off-trail route to bushwhack to Panther’s incredible summit.
Catskills Fall Foliage 2025
The best Catskills Fall Foliage Report because it’s direct from the Catskills!
12 Best Fall Foliage Hikes in the Catskills
When the fall foliage hits, the Catskills offer a true golden spectacle. Here are a the most popular Catskills hikes to view the autumn extravaganza.
Bonticou Crag Trail & Scramble
One of the top hikes in the Gunks. Major fun and a wonderful scenic payoff for such a short route.
The Best Catskills Hiking Maps (Free & Paid Options)
Get the best trail maps for the Catskills.
Escarpment Trail
A jaw-dropping, sky-high trek along the Catskill Mountains’ dramatic eastern facade, offering a mix of moderate trails, nonstop views, rugged climbs, and a taste of adventure above the Hudson Valley.
Avalanche Pass Trail Closed Indefinitely After Major Landslide
Climate change renders key Adirondack trail impassable.
Hike Plattekill Mountain Ski Resort
You’ll love this easy-moderate loop over a famous ski mountain with great views.
The 14 Best Non-High Peak Hikes in the Catskills
I've hiked them all. The known and the unknown. This is the list you need. These are the best non-high peak hikes in the Catskills.
What’s Next for the Formerly Trailless Catskill High Peaks?
Here’s what you need to know about what’s about to happen…
Hike Peaked Mountain
Peaked Mountain is of the Adirondacks’ most beautiful and rewarding moderate hikes.
Surprising Data: The Best Electrolytes for Hiking
The cheapest, most expensive, worst and best electrolytes for hiking. Save your money. Give our body what it needs.
Mount Tammany Trail via Red Dot and Blue Dot Loop
The best way to hike Mount Tammany is via this delightful loop.
Bramley Mountain Fire Tower
A must-do hike in the western Catskills.
My Times Union Writing
I write about hiking the Hudson Valley for Times Union.
