Short Hikes
Red Hill Fire Tower Hiking Trail
This short, easy hike up beautifully-maintained trail in bucolic New York leads to dramatic views of the Southern and Western Catskills.
Hike Overlook Mountain Fire Tower for Sunrise
One of the most popular hikes in the Catskills can be completed in 2-3 hours. Overlook’s fire tower is 60 ft tall and is placed for one of the best views in the Catskills. An excellent view from a large ledge near the summit trail caps this insanely scenic hike.
Hike to Mount Tremper Fire Tower
This short, moderate hike to one of the most popular fire towers in the Catskills ends with an incredible 360° view of dozens of classic Catskill mountains.
Bushwhack Ticetonyk from Peck Road
A short, steep bushwhack through old farmland dotted with stone fences, to excellent views of the Ashokan, Eastern Devil’s Path, Giant Ledge & Panther.
New Catskills Hiking Trail: Ticetonyk Mountain
This brand new trail is un-blazed but it’s based on old roads and logging trails so it’s easy to follow. Although it’s short, it’s steep, and there are three unmarked turns along the way. I’ve included key photos in the post, and all major waypoints are included in the GPS track, which you can download.
Israel Wittman Sanctuary
This beautiful, serene and contemplative nature walk has so much to recommend it: lovely quiet woods of mixed evergreen and deciduous trees, easy stream crossings over delightful footbridges, dozens of stone fences built by settlers, small quarries and exposed rock faces, as well as fine field of glacial erratics.
Hike Balsam From Rider Hollow
A truly delightful Catskills hike. Climb Balsam Mountain by hiking up Mine Hollow and down Rider Hollow. One of the most picturesque hikes in the Catskills.
Sloan Gorge Preserve
You don’t have to climb a mountain to experience the Catskills. The lowlands have so much to offer. Sloan Gorge Preserve is a great example: an absolutely delightful, short, and family-friendly nature walk.
Kenneth L. Wilson State Campground Nature Trail
This kid-friendly nature trail winds through mature hemlock, spruce, and red/white pine woods between Ticetonyk Mountain and Mt Tobias. There are views of Wittenberg and Cornell, and the campground amenities are top notch.
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 short interconnected trails wind through hemlock-heavy woods and a swamp, past dramatic rock outcroppings and magical waterfalls, and alongside peaceful lakes. The terrain is rugged but the trails are appropriate for well-managed children.
Hike Onteora Lake (3 Loops)
Just a 10 minute drive from both Kingston and Woodstock, Onteora Lake is a fantastic set of three interconnected loop trails that are perfect for a hit of the real Catskills. Its lake, ponds, streams, trails, old quarries, hemlock and oak forests on gently rolling hills — with occasional cliffs — are ideal for hiking, mountain biking, fishing, hunting, and cross-country skiing.
Hiking Pace Formula: How Long Will My Hike Take?
Mountain hikes are not easy hikes 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.
Ashokan Quarry Trail
The Ashokan Quarry Trail is a new, short, but highly entertaining hike most people will be able to do in under an hour. It’s so varied in terms of terrain, flora, views and ruins, it’s a hit with younger hikers, too.
Tanbark Loop: a Short, Difficult, Beautiful Hike
A short, steep, rocky intense hike right in the heart of Phoenicia. Lots of dramatic Catskills geology. Two excellent views.
Kelly Hollow Loop: An Easy & Exceptionally Beautiful Hike
Short, easy and thoroughly absorbing, Kelly Hollow Loop is one of the most beautiful trails in the Catskills. It came highly-recommended to me from several friends and it really delivered.
Hike Halcott
I didn’t think too much of Halcott when I did it last spring, but this hike changed my mind. There’s a lot to see: the woods are spectacular, the ravines are beautiful and, at sunset, the summit is a Catskill photographer’s dream.
