The Catskills
Join a community of hikers who have fallen in love with the Catskills, where every trail leads to a new discovery
The Catskills region is a mountainous area in New York with 98 peaks over 3,000 feet in altitude, and countless more below that elevation.
Whether you’re a seasoned hiker, a birdwatcher, or a camping enthusiast, The Catskills offer a myriad of well-marked trails suitable for a variety of experience levels, from gentle meanders through quiet woodland to challenging hikes scaling the Catskills’ highest summits.
With a diverse topography that includes vast forests, verdant valleys, crystal-clear streams, the Catskills present an irresistible destination for hikers and nature lovers.
Catskills Deep History
The Catskills are rooted in a long history that extends far beyond the 19th-century influx of European artists and writers. For thousands of years, this magnificent region was the homeland of indigenous people, most notably the Mohican and Munsee Delaware nations. Their deep respect for the land is still reflected in the Catskills’ serene wilderness today.
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The mountains, rivers, and valleys were integral to their ways of life, providing sustenance, shelter, and spiritual solace. Many of the trails hikers tread today were initially traversed by these First Nations peoples, offering a profound connection to this ancient past.
The arrival of European settlers in the 17th century brought significant change, but the enduring natural landscape of the Catskills remains a testament to its original inhabitants. Today, the region is a living, breathing showcase of this deep-rooted history, where the ancient world merges with the more recent past and the present.
The Catskills invite you to engage with this rich heritage while immersing yourself in world-class hiking experiences. With their expansive history and stunning landscapes, The Catskills truly are an outdoor enthusiast’s dream.
Mountains? Well…
The Catskills are not mountains. At least, not in the way we normally think of mountains. Rather, The Catskills range is a dessicated plateau strewn with lakes, rivers, springs, waterfalls, gorges, cliffs, ski resorts, fire towers — and, now, over 350 miles of world-class hiking trails.
Many Catskill summits are boreal, dominated by distinctive evergreen spruce-fir forests. On the lower slopes and lowlands are dotted many old-growth forests of beech, maple, ash, birch, oak, hemlock and hickory.
The Catskills wilderness is also brimming with rare plants and abundant wildlife including coyote, bear, deer, rattlesnake, bobcat, mink, fisher, and trout.
Navigating The Catskills
To navigate these mountains, I use the NYNJTC map set for the area which includes detailed trail maps of the entire area.
Grab this Catskill Trails Map 2023 paper map set. Or get the digital version for use with Avenza.
For hikers, these are the definitive trail maps of The Catskills. See how to use them in 12 Best Hiking Apps.
Catskills Mountains List
Many mountain hiking lists are arranged by mountain height, but the height of a mountain doesn’t tell you anything useful — shorter mountains can be way tougher tougher to climb than taller mountains.
For example, Slide Mountain is the highest peak in the Catskills but it’s also one of the easiest mountains to hike: ninety minutes from the parking area and you’re done.
Whereas Rocky Mountain, which has the second lowest summit of the 3500 peaks, is the hardest Catskill mountain to even get to.
This Catskills List is Different
Below, the mountains are arranged into four groups: hardest, difficult, moderate and easiest. Show More Info.
With this arrangement, if you’re…
- just starting out and want to ease into mountain hiking, or
- new to the Catskills Park, or
- returning to hiking after a break, or
- want to tackle an awesome hiking challenge
…now you can easily pick the hike intensity that’s right for you.
On this Catskill mountains list you can easily see
- the relative difficulty of each peak, then its height
- the location of the peak in the Catskill Park
- which peaks are trailed and which require bushwhacking skills
- which peaks have canisters
- where the best Catskill scenery can be found
- a short description of each mountain
- the number of hikes for that mountain listed on this site — quickly increasing
Each Catskill mountain has a dedicated page on which you’ll find a mix of
- links to specific hiking routes and reports — the core of this site
- basic mountain information
- large format photography
- additional seasonal notes
This is a full list of the Catskill mountains I’ve climbed. It includes all the classic Catskill High Peaks, as well a growing number of the lower peaks. To get started, just scroll down. Or skip directly to the Classic 35 Catskill Mountains List. Or start with this list of the Best Catskill Mountain Hikes.
Okay, enjoy your hike. Live happily!
Hardest Catskills (6)
Sugarloaf 3783’
Northeastern Catskills
Fully Trailed
Scenic
It’s big, it’s challenging, it’s the king of the park — Sugarloaf never disappoints. It’s the most Catskills you can get in a single mountain.
No. of Entries: 7
Lone 3700’
Southern Catskills
Bushwhack
Canister
Tough to get to. Difficult to climb. Impossible to forget.
No. of Entries: 5
North Dome 3605’
Northeastern Catskills
Bushwhack
Canister
Scenic
North Dome’s ledges are not for the faint of heart, but North Dome bragging rights are forever.
No. of Entries: 3
Friday 3500’
Southern Catskills
Bushwhack
Canister
One of the toughest and most rewarding mountains to hike in the Catskill Park: dramatic cliff bands, a pregnant tree, a steep and challenging summit. Plus a WWII bomber.
No. of Entries: 2
Rocky 3487’
Southern Catskills
Bushwhack
Canister
Often paired with the equally-remote Lone, Rocky is an all-day in-your-face bushwhack hike. There will be blood.
No. of Entries: 5
Van Wyck 3206’
Southern Catskills
Bushwhack
Scenic
Remote and steep, Van Wyck rewards hikers with two “bear holes”, two plane wrecks, and a summit ledge to remember.
No. of Entries: 1
Difficult Catskills (24)
Black Dome 3994’
Northeastern Catskills
Fully Trailed
Scenic
One of my absolute favorite Catskills, Black Dome is a super fun mountain to hike from any direction.
No. of Entries: 3
Blackhead 3940’
Northeastern Catskills
Fully Trailed
Scenic
A tough climb, epic views, a long boreal summit, and ravens that mock.
No. of Entries: 2
West Kill 3898’
Northeastern Catskills
Fully Trailed
Scenic
The enormous final Devil’s Path mountain has so much to recommend it, including one of the best views in the Catskills.
No. of Entries: 5
Doubletop 3874’
Central Catskills
Private
Doubletop is no longer accessible to the public. It is private land. Trespassers will be prosecuted.
No. of Entries: 3
Cornell 3857’
Southern Catskills
Fully Trailed
Scenic
Remote and wonderful, this mountain is a joy to hike. Cornell Crack is a well-known Catskills hiking highlight and, just past the summit, there’s an astonishing scenic view.
No. of Entries: 4
Plateau 3835’
Northeastern Catskills
Fully Trailed
Scenic
Two of the steepest ascents in the Catskills rise to a stunning 2¼-mile-long ridge — with epic views on either end
No. of Entries: 6
Wittenberg 3782’
Southern Catskills
Fully Trailed
Scenic
Is the finest view in the Catskill Park to be had from the Wittenberg’s ledge? Or does the view from Twin’s ledge edge it out? The only way to know is to climb both.
No. of Entries: 7
Rusk 3686’
Northeastern Catskills
Bushwhack
Canister
Steep, steep, steep but a good candidate for your first bushwhack hike. A little boring. (Add East Rusk for a much better time.)
No. of Entries: 2
Kaaterskill High Peak 3652’
Northeastern Catskills
Partially Trailed
Canister
Scenic
This iconic Catskill mountain packs several punches: an old Mohawk camp, two plane wrecks, two epic ledges and many scenic spots with some of the best mountain views in the Park.
No. of Entries: 6
Twin 3650’
Northeastern Catskills
Fully Trailed
Scenic
Incredibly fun to hike, Twin Mountain includes some the grandest views in the Catskills.
No. of Entries: 8
Fir 3629’
Central Catskills
Bushwhack
Canister
A moderate bushwhack mountain often climbed in conjunction with Big Indian.
No. of Entries: 2
Balsam Cap 3608’
Southern Catskills
Bushwhack
Canister
Often done in combination with Friday Mountain, Balsam Cap offers a good view of Cornell & Wittenberg on the way to its archetypal Catskills summit.
No. of Entries: 4
Mount Sherrill 3558’
Northeastern Catskills
Bushwhack
Canister
Everything about Sherrill is a little bit mysterious…
No. of Entries: 4
Halcott 3509’
Northeastern Catskills
Bushwhack
Canister
Steep and tough, with fifty false summits, this bushwhack mountain will test your legs and your patience.
No. of Entries: 1
Round Top 3465’
Northeastern Catskills
Bushwhack
A small tricky peak with a large black bear population.
Coming Soon!
Arizona 3407’
Northeastern Catskills
Fully Trailed
Scenic
Outrageously under-hiked peak that’s packed with classic Catskills terrain and a spectacular 180° scenic view.
No. of Entries: 2
Plattekill 3106’
Northeastern Catskills
Bushwhack
Scenic
This tough bushwhack mountain has one of the truly great Catskills views — but you’ll have to fight for it.
No. of Entries: 4
Ashokan High Point 3086’
Southern Catskills
Fully Trailed
Scenic
Beloved peak with views of the Ashokan Reservoir and the Burroughs Range, blueberry heaths, and a plane wreck.
No. of Entries: 8
Samuels Point 2880’
Central Catskills
Bushwhack
Scenic
Tough, short, prominent peak.
No. of Entries: 1
Mombaccus 2838’
Southern Catskills
Bushwhack
Punishing to hike, impossible to forget.
No. of Entries: 1
Samson 2825’
Southern Catskills
Bushwhack
Bushwhack mountain near Route 42 in Denning, NY. Source of Vernooy Kill.
No. of Entries: 2
Mount Pleasant 2800’
Central Catskills
Partially Trailed
Scenic
A beautiful mountain that boasts what might be the most stunning vista in the Catskills.
No. of Entries: 4
Little Ashokan 2790’
Southern Catskills
Bushwhack
Scenic
Little Ashokan’s summit is very beautiful. But this is a very sketchy bushwhack peak. For experienced mountain hikers only!
No. of Entries: 1
Ticetonyk 2510’
Southern Catskills
Partially Trailed
Scenic
This steep, prominent mountain rewards hikers with incredible views of the Ashokan Reservoir and Burroughs Range.
No. of Entries: 6
Moderate Catskills (38)
Fire TowerFully Trailed
Scenic
A massive and vast mountain. Just so much hill. The fire tower at the summit offers an excellent 360° view.
No. of Entries: 9
Thomas Cole 3953’
Northeastern Catskills
Fully Trailed
Serene and aloof, Thomas Cole is surrounded on both sides by beautiful, varied terrain.
No. of Entries: 1
Graham 3868’
Central Catskills
Private
Graham is no longer accessible to the public. It is private land. Trespassers will be prosecuted.
No. of Entries: 3
Table 3825’
Southern Catskills
Fully Trailed
The trail hikes to Table from either direction are some of the loveliest in the Catskills.
No. of Entries: 4
Peekamoose 3819’
Southern Catskills
Fully Trailed
Scenic
Contents include one massive erratic boulder at the summit, a solid view of points Ashokan, and a really wonderful pair of lookouts that take in Van Wyck mountain and surrounding lands
No. of Entries: 4
Southwest Hunter 3753’
Northeastern Catskills
Partially Trailed
Canister
The most straightforward Catskill bushwhack. It’s practically a straight line to the summit.
No. of Entries: 5
Panther 3724’
Southern Catskills
Fully Trailed
Scenic
Panther Mountain offers excellent hiking trails over varied terrain, an enormous boreal summit, and two wonderful scenic lookouts.
No. of Entries: 5
Big Indian 3699’
Southern Catskills
Partially Trailed
Canister
A trailed ascent over varied terrain. A handful of stream crossings. And a super-short bushwhack to the summit. This is a good mountain for adventurous families.
No. of Entries: 2
East Rusk 3628’
Northeastern Catskills
Bushwhack
A far more interesting mountain than its taller sibling. Adding East Rusk to Rusk turns a dull climb into an excellent Catskills hike.
No. of Entries: 1
Balsam 3607’
Central Catskills
Fully Trailed
Balsam Mountain has beautiful hollows and excellent terrain, a fun off-trail summit marker, and a fantastic lookout.
No. of Entries: 3
Eagle 3583’
Central Catskills
Partially Trailed
Canister
Surrounded by extremely pleasant terrain, Eagle boasts the shortest “bushwhack” you’ll ever do.
No. of Entries: 2
Indian Head 3573’
Northeastern Catskills
Fully Trailed
Scenic
Still my favorite Catskill mountain. It has so much to recommend it. Pair with Twin Mountain for an absolutely amazing day hike in the Catskills.
No. of Entries: 6
Camel’s Hump 3558’
Northeastern Catskills
Fully Trailed
Varied terrain leads to a sweet summit with two solid views — and then it’s a short walk to Thomas Cole.
No. of Entries: 1
Dry Brook Ridge 3465’
Western Catskills
Fully Trailed
A quiet Western Catskills gem capped with old growth forest.
No. of Entries: 1
Mill Brook Ridge 3465’
Central Catskills
Fully Trailed
Scenic
The highest of the sub-3500’ Catskills, this scenic mountain ridge is trailed from its east and west sides. It can also be bushwhacked from Kelly Hollow.
No. of Entries: 3
Belleayre 3424’
Western Catskills
Fully Trailed
Scenic
A popular ski-resort mountain with two sub-peaks.
No. of Entries: 1
St. Anne’s Peak 3423’
Northeastern Catskills
Partially Trailed
St. Anne’s doesn’t get a ton of traffic. It’s equal parts tranquil and wild.
No. of Entries: 5
Haynes 3413’
Central Catskills
Fully Trailed
Often passed over on the way from Balsam to Eagle, or vice versa, Haynes offers gentle charms.
No. of Entries: 1
Richmond 3226’
Northern Catskills
Partially Trailed
Scenic
Northern Catskill mountain with an unusual view
No. of Entries: 1
Giant Ledge 3214’
Southern Catskills
Fully Trailed
Scenic
One of the most popular destinations in the Park. It has all everything the Catskills can offer — rocks, roots, gnarly trees — and a famously breathtaking view.
No. of Entries: 4
North Mountain 3190’
Northeastern Catskills
Fully Trailed
Scenic
Super scenic. Home of the biggest and most popular state campground in the Catskills.
No. of Entries: 3
Burnt Knob 3177’
Northern Catskills
Partially Trailed
Scenic
Quiet semi-trailed peak in the northern Catskills east of Windham High Peak. The summit is not trailed.
No. of Entries: 2
Mongaup 3174’
Western Catskills
Partially Trailed
A strange wooded mountain, lots of black cherry.
No. of Entries: 1
Acra Point 3098’
Northeastern Catskills
Fully Trailed
Scenic
Beautiful mountain in the northeastern Catskills.
No. of Entries: 2
Rose 3078’
Central Catskills
Private
Nondescript peak on private property. Obtain permission to hike. The real draw, here, is to the south: Rochester Hollow.
No. of Entries: 1
Hodge Pond 2984’
Western Catskills
Partially Trailed
A mundane hill that seems to attract lighting strikes!
No. of Entries: 1
Mount Hayden 2932’
Northern Catskills
Fully Trailed
A peaceful, ferny, deciduous peak among some of the quietest Catskills.
No. of Entries: 2
Ginseng 2805’
Northern Catskills
Fully Trailed
Steep but hikeable, Ginseng (like close-by Mount Hayden) offers miles of peaceful, ferny mountain hiking.
No. of Entries: 2
Fully Trailed
Scenic
One of the five Catskills fire tower lookout mountains. Equally famous for its timber rattlesnakes.
No. of Entries: 5
Cross 2511’
Central Catskills
Fully Trailed
Scenic
A woodsy delight with an absolute gem of a scenic lookout.
No. of Entries: 3
Pakatakan 2450’
Western Catskills
Fully Trailed
Scenic
A quiet mountain with a beautiful view.
No. of Entries: 1
Perch Lake 2306’
Western Catskills
Fully Trailed
Scenic
Beautiful, serene mountain with great views of the Pepacton Reservoir
No. of Entries: 1
Romer 2240’
Central Catskills
Fully Trailed
A quietly popular mountain with one of the loveliest trail sections in the Catskills.
No. of Entries: 3
Mount Guardian 2104’
Northeastern Catskills
Fully Trailed
A steep mountain in Woodstock, also the site of Karma Triyana Dharmachakra (KTD), the North American seat of His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa.
No. of Entries: 1
Vroman’s Nose 1240’
Northern Catskills
Fully Trailed
Scenic
Super sweet geologically fascinating small mountain.
No. of Entries: 1
Easiest Catskills (12)
Slide 4184’
Southern Catskills
Fully Trailed
Scenic
The tallest mountain in the Catskills is one of the easiest Catskills to hike. Slide Mountain also features a number of largely unknown treats…
No. of Entries: 5
Fully Trailed
Scenic
A short, easy hike to a fire tower with an epic view makes Balsam Lake one of the Catskill’s most popular and beloved peaks.
No. of Entries: 6
Bearpen 3587’
Northern Catskills
Fully Trailed
The Catskill 3500’s only dud. A boring mountain. You will be bored. A view near the peculiarly-wooded summit is… not too boring? But then you hike down a boring mountain. Bring a non-boring friend to help keep you awake.
No. of Entries: 1
Vly 3541’
Northern Catskills
Bushwhack
Canister
Vly is a good beginner bushwhack mountain. The herd path is unmaintained but clear. DEC boundary paint-marked trees will guide you to the densely-wooded summit.
No. of Entries: 1
Windham High Peak 3525’
Northern Catskills
Fully Trailed
Scenic
Easy to hike and exceptionally rewarding: an enchanted spruce forest, great views of the Blackhead range, and three superb summit lookouts.
No. of Entries: 6
Huntersfield 3423’
Northern Catskills
Fully Trailed
A quiet, peaceful, mountain situated in spectacularly bucolic surroundings.
No. of Entries: 2
Stoppel Point 3420’
Northeastern Catskills
Fully Trailed
Scenic
Mellow and beautiful, the long escarpment ridge of Stoppel Point is a delight to hike.
No. of Entries: 1
Fully Trailed
Scenic
One of the most popular peaks in the Catskills, and a fire tower peak.
No. of Entries: 9
Silver Hollow Notch & Edgewood 3009’
Central Catskills
Fully Trailed
Scenic
Quiet, mellow, lovely, scenic. Two summits close together. Edgewood is the slightly lower southwestern peak.
No. of Entries: 2
Fully Trailed
Scenic
A beautiful mountain, beautifully situated, with stunning fire tower views!
No. of Entries: 4
Blue Hill 2749’
Western Catskills
Private
Privately-owned mountain in the Western Catskills. Not open to the public.
No. of Entries: 1
South Mountain 2495’
Northeastern Catskills
Fully Trailed
Scenic
Beloved peak for campers and Catskills hikers alike.
No. of Entries: 5