Steep
Plateau & Daley Ridge Lookout
This is the quickest route to Plateau Mountain’s summit. A side-hike down Daley Ridge brings you to a second amazing scenic lookout.
Devil’s Path Trail Guide
Everything you need to know about the Devil’s Path — one of the most difficult hiking trails in New York State.
Schunemunk Mountain Loop
The terrain is the star on this mostly moderate hike over Schunemunk’s two ridges. This long, challenging route includes the base of Moodna Viaduct, The Megaliths, and excellent views.
It’s Official: Adirondacks 23% Harder Than Catskills
I thought it’d be cute to quantify exactly how much more difficult the Adirondacks are over the Catskills. Do we need this information? No. Does this information feel important? Yes.
Giant Mountain
Giant Mountain is one of the most popular peaks in the Adirondacks. This route offers a super fun climb and a super scenic descent.
Breakneck Ridge
Super scenic and super sketchy — this is the funnest and most popular day hike in New York’s Hudson Highlands.
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.
Thru-Hike North Dome & Mount Sherrill
This intense bushwhack route over two of the most difficult Catskills peaks is challenging and rewarding.
Belleayre via Lost Clove
This challenging out and back begins with one of the steepest trails in the Catskills, passes over two sub-peaks and visits two lean-tos on the way to a ski resort with a scenic view.
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.
Ashokan High Point (with Plane Wreck)
This loop hike features easy riparian trail, then a steep climb to views of Mohonk and the Shawangunk Ridge, as well as stunning blueberry meadows and a plane wreck just feet from the trail’s edge.
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.
Ginseng & Hayden: Quiet Northern Catskills
A very quiet and peaceful section of the Northern Catskill Escarpment / Long Path, free of Classic Catskills crowds.
Panther Peak via Santanoni Road
This is a long, steep, beautiful hike up one of the more challenging ranges in the Adirondacks: the Santanoni range.
Van Wyck (via Bear Hole Brook) plus Table and Peekamoose
A stunning hike up Bear Hole Brook to the exceptionally steep Van Wyck. Two bear holes. Two plane wrecks. Two talus fields. One of the most memorable Catskills views I’ve seen. This is a very difficult route. Best tackled in a group with experienced, knowledgable hikers.