Scenic
The Most Scenic Hikes
Guaranteed wow for your eyeballs. These are the most scenic hikes in the Catskills, Adirondacks, Hudson Highlands and Taconics…

Stoppel Point (Plane Crash)
An absolutely delightful hike from Colgate Lake, around Lake Capra, and along Stoppel Point’s beautiful and scenic escarpment ridge.

Tremper Mountain Fire Tower from Willow
A much quieter and more interesting route to Tremper Mountain Fire Tower

Ashokan Rail Trail
Take a leisurely nature stroll (or cycle) along the scenic Ashokan Rail Trail, a premier Catskills destination.

Giant’s Nubble via Roaring Brook Falls
The steep hike to Giant’s Nubble includes an epic waterfall — top and bottom — as well as incredible views of the surrounding high peaks.

Storm King Mountain
This route offers better parking and quieter trails, with all the incredible views.

Breakneck Ridge
Super scenic and super sketchy — this is the funnest and most popular day hike in New York’s Hudson Highlands.

West Kill via Diamond Notch Falls
One of my favorite hikes in The Catskills, the route from Diamond Notch Falls to Buck Ridge Lookout and the summit of West Kill Mountain is just so beautiful.

Plateau from Stony Clove Notch
After a steep mile, this hike up Plateau rewards with three great scenic lookouts — and then an easy walk across a stunningly wooded ridge.

Silver Hollow Notch & Edgewood Mountains
This short hike to a quiet Catskills double-peak proves how the Lower Catskills can often out-reward the Classic 3500 Peaks.

Balanced Rocks & Pitchoff
This short but difficult hike to Balanced Rocks and Pitchoff’s summit can be done in 4-5 hours. Exceptional views at many points along this beautiful trail.

Hunter Mountain Fire Tower (Best Route)
This moderate and very scenic hike can be completed in 4-5 hrs. This is the easiest route to climb Hunter Mountain.

New Red Hill Hiking Trail & Trailhead
The newly constructed Red Hill Fire Tower trail is now open for use.

Twin Mountain via Jimmy Dolan Notch
This quick ascent to a gorgeous two-peaked Catskill ridge includes a fun, tricky rock scramble — and one of the truly great views in the Catskill Park.

Kaaterskill Rail Trail
This is a short, super-easy hike to one of the most popular Catskills destinations. It includes views not seen by those who park closer to the falls. It’s the perfect trail in winter for some easy snow-shoeing or cross country skiing.

Mill Brook Ridge via Kelly Hollow
This is the shortest route to Mill Brook Ridge’s summit over public land. It includes a full loop of Kelly Hollow, one of the most beautiful hiking trails in the Catskills. A short-but-steep bushwhack connects the two locations.