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A very quick up-and-down / out-and-back.
Hiking Trail Description
What’s the fastest way to climb Plateau Mountain? From trailhead to summit, this route is just 1.5 miles.
I much prefer this route to the popular Stony Clove Notch route. It’s less exposed, and it’s more rugged and remote. You pass two springs and many dramatic rock outcroppings. The terrain is classic Devil’s Path. The forest has a wonderful mix of birch and spruce.
From Mink Hollow North, if you go only to the summit and back, it’s barely 3 miles total. Adding the hike down to the epic lookout on Daley Ridge adds only another 2 miles total.
With plenty of rest stops along the way, my friends and I completed this route in under 4 hours.
Mink Hollow North Trailhead & Parking
Be careful when selecting a destination on your phone for this location. There are two Mink Hollows in The Catskills, and this Mink Hollow has trailheads in two very different locations, one south and one north. Both bring you to the same junction on the Devil’s Path but, for this hike, we start at the northern trailhead.
The lot there is a large turning circle with space for about a dozen cars. It was half full at 7:30am on a Saturday morning during the October leaf-peeping season.
In winter, when Platte Clove Road is closed, use this alternate route. It brings you through Tannserville without adding any real time to your drive to Mink Hollow North.
Plateau Mountain Hiking Trail
From the trailhead, head south to the junction in the col. It’s about 6/10ths of a mile. There is no trail register to sign.
At the junction, turn right onto the Devil’s Path and follow the red blazes heading west.
The hike up the east side of Plateau is very steep but it’s also very short. One tough mile and you’re done. (Coming down is a little hard on the knees, though, so take your time on the way out.)
Near the top of the mile, you’ll climb through this wonderful rock chimney.
Above it, you’ll climb a little further before coming to a split boulder with a fantastic view across the hollow to a flank of Sugarloaf Mountain, and also to Round Top and Kaaterskill High Peak in the distance.
This is not the summit.
Plateau Mountain Summit
After a rest and snack, continue along the trail, keeping an eye on the left for the PLA/TEAU summit marker at breast height on a spruce tree…
From here, continue on again. The trail heads downhill a little and then turns sharply right.
Plateau Mountain Ridge
This is the loveliest section of Plateau Mountain’s amazing 2¼ mile ridge walk.
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Similar Hikes
Plateau is a beloved favorite mountain of many Catskill hikers; any hike along its ridge is a memorable and lovely hike.
- Plateau from Stony Clove Notch — the most popular route
- Plateau via Daley Ridge — the most beautiful route
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Plateau & Daley Ridge Lookout Trailhead
Large-dish lot at the end of Mink Hollow Road, the last section of which is dirt road.
Google Maps Location: 42.143598, -74.157663
The map below shows the exact topographic location of the trailhead
Cell Service
Patchy service up high. My network is Verizon. YMMV.
The parent mountain for this hike is Plateau.
