The Hardest Hikes
Love dangerous and difficult? Welcome to the hardest hikes in the Catskills, Adirondacks, and Hudson Highlands.
These hikes, whether in the Catskills or Adirondacks, are the most challenging. They should be attempted only by experienced hikers, or as part of a group led by an experienced hike leader.
Make sure you have read the wilderness safety section and are well equipped with The Ten Essentials.
Van Wyck to Table & Peekamoose (updated)
Two plane wrecks. Two bear holes. Two talus fields. One incredible view.
Devil’s Path Trail (Ultimate Guide)
Everything you need to know about the Devils Path — one of the most difficult hiking trails in New York State.
Best Hikes of 2022
These are the best hikes I did in 2022 — 17 amazing day-hikes sorted by level of difficulty.
Burroughs Range Trail Loop
Incredible two-day hike over the highest and finest terrain in The Catskills.
Lower Wolf Jaw from Rooster Comb
The long hike out to Lower Wolf Jaw is steep and rugged, passing over Hedgehog Mountain. It also includes a very difficult slab rock scramble.
The Sketchiest Hike in the Catskills
This is the sketchiest hike I’ve done in The Catskills — and the most fun
Seymour Mountain Trail Guide
Even in lousy conditions, the long, difficult hike to Seymour Mountain in the Seward Range is super rewarding.
North Dome, Mount Sherrill & Hagadone Hollow
The bushwhack over North Dome and Mount Sherrill is never easy. I found a way to make it even more difficult.
Table, Peekamoose, Lone & Rocky
The easiest and most beautiful route to Lone and Rocky — but this is still one of the hardest hikes in The Catskills
Dix Range from Elk Lake
Demanding and spectacular, the Dix Range is one of the most rugged and scenic Adirondack mountain ranges.
Breakneck Ridge
Super scenic and super sketchy — this is the funnest and most popular day hike in New York’s Hudson Highlands.
Thru-Hike North Dome & Mount Sherrill
This intense bushwhack route over two of the most difficult Catskills peaks is challenging and rewarding.
Rocky and Lone via Fisherman’s Path
Due to the remoteness of its two mountains, the ruggedness of the terrain, and the skin-shredding forest, this is widely regarded as the toughest hike in the Catskills.
Little Ashokan
The bushwhack to Little Ashokan is one of the steeper and sketchier routes I’ve hiked in the Catskills: craggy ledges, loose dirt and rocks, lots of blowdown. But the summit is magical, and the view it affords it is startlingly beautiful.
Hike Slide, Cornell & Wittenberg
This is my favorite tough-but-beautiful Catskills hike. Long, rugged, technical and remote, it brings you over three summits to some of the most stunning lookouts in the Catskill Park.
