Catskill Outdoor Recreation Bulletin

April 2023

This bulletin provides only the most recent notices. Check the Catskill Backcountry Information webpage for more detailed information on access, outdoor recreation infrastructure, and conditions.

Emergency Situations: If you get lost or injured; keep calm and stay put. If you have cell service, call 911 or the DEC Dispatch, 833-NYS-Rangers (1-833-697-7264).

Hike Smart by packing the proper gear. See our recommended packing list and safety tips for the Spring season.

Welcome to the Catskills

The Welcome to the Catskills webpage is the place to go if you are interested in learning more about the Catskills. It provides information about the Forest Preserve and conservation easement lands, outdoor recreation opportunities, and Leave No Trace. Check out the links to additional information and tips for recreating safely and minimizing your impacts on natural resources, recreational infrastructure, and other backcountry users in the Catskill Mountains.

Catskills Visitor Center

The Catskills Visitor Center is open every day with all new interactive exhibits. Stop by for a visit before your next adventure. Have your questions answered, get trip planning advice, or pick up maps and local information, and more! 
Contact the Catskills Visitor Center for more information: 845.688.3369 or info@catskillcenter.org.

For local trail conditions, visit the Catskills Visitor Center Trail Conditions webpage.

I Love My Park Day

Join us for the 12th Annual I Love My Park Day on Saturday, May 6, 2023. Parks & Trails New York, in partnership with DEC and New York State Parks, hosts I Love My Park Day, held the first Saturday in May and attracts thousands of volunteers from across the state to participate in cleanup, improvement, and beautification events at New York State parks, historic sites, and public lands. Join us to celebrate New York's park system and prepare our public lands for spring by cleaning up park lands and beaches, planting trees and gardens, restoring trail and wildlife habitat, removing invasive species, and working on various site improvement projects.

Visit DEC’s website for more information on volunteer locations.

General Notices

Check the Weather: Check the National Weather Service for current conditions and forecasts for the locations where you plan to recreate. Check both daytime and nighttime temperatures. Expect conditions to be cooler and more exposed on mountain summits. 

Mountain Biking: There are many great opportunities for mountain biking in the Catskills. Please keep in mind that as we begin to transition into spring, the trails are more susceptible to erosion and trail widening. Please do your best to avoid riding muddy, wet, or icy trails. When encountering patches of mud or ice, ride through the center of the trail to avoid damaging trail-side plants and contributing to potential impacts to the trail.    

Mountain Summits: Check the National Weather Service to prepare for summit weather conditions. Expect conditions to be colder on mountain summits than at the trailhead.

Catskill Region Daytime: High 50’s
Catskill Region Nighttime: Low 30’s

Water crossings: Never attempt to cross high, fast-moving water, especially following rain. If there is precipitation forecast during the day, be mindful of how water crossings might swell between your first crossing and your return trip.

Manage your time wisely: Keep in mind, it gets dark early. Be mindful of sunrise and sunset times, and plan accordingly. Start long hikes early to maximize sunlight hours and always bring a headlamp in case you are out longer than expected.

Approximate Time of Sunrise: 5:59 AM

Approximate Time of Sunset: 7:52 PM

Stay Tick Free!

Spring is here and ticks are already out! Follow these tips to stay tick-free:

• Wear light-colored clothing with a tight weave to spot ticks easily.
• Wear enclosed shoes, long pants, and a long-sleeved shirt.
• Tuck pant legs into socks or boots and shirt into pants.
• Check clothes and any exposed skin frequently for ticks while outdoors.
• Consider using insect repellent.
• Stay on cleared, well-traveled trails and walk in the center of trails.
• Avoid dense woods and bushy areas.

Check out additional tips for tick prevention.

Recent Notices

Platte Clove Road: The easterly 2.5 miles of Platte Clove Road is a seasonal highway. The tentative re-opening date is May 1, 2023. Updates can be found on the Town of Hunter’s website.  

Kaaterskill Wild Forest and Indian Head Wilderness: Please be advised that the Town of Hunter has parking restrictions on Route 23A and Platte Clove Road. Park only at designated DEC parking lots. Come prepared with backup options and move on if the area's parking lot is full. Any illegally parked vehicle may be ticketed and towed to the Town Hall Impound Lot.

Slide Mountain Wilderness Area: DEC will be replacing the western bridge abutment at the second bridge crossing the Neversink River on the Peekamoose-Table Trail. Work is scheduled to commence in late April and extend through early May. During this timeframe, the bridge will occasionally be unavailable for use.   

Bluestone Wild Forest: The gate allowing access to the lower parking area at Onteora Lake is now open for the season.  

Peekamoose Blue Hole: As a reminder, permits are necessary to recreate or camp in the valley from May 15th – September 15th each year.  

Reminder - Doubletop and Graham Mountains and surrounding private lands are no longer available for public use. Local landowners have graciously allowed public access to these mountains and private lands for many years, however; access is no longer being allowed.  

Celebrate Arbor Day

Arbor Day is a national observance that celebrates the role of trees in our lives and promotes tree planting and care. First celebrated in 1872, it was established as a way to encourage farmers and homesteaders to plant trees that would provide shade, shelter, food, fuel, and beauty to open areas. In New York, Arbor Day is traditionally celebrated on the last Friday in April. 

Unlike other holidays, many of which honor people or past events, Arbor Day promotes a better future. Young people are our future foresters and leaders. This day reminds us to share our knowledge with today's youth of the importance of trees and how to care for them.

Visit DEC’s website for more information about Arbor Day.

Annual Burn Ban

The annual statewide ban prohibiting residential brush burning is in effect beginning March 16 and runs through May 14. Since 2009, DEC has enforced the annual brush burning ban to prevent wildfires and protect communities during heightened conditions for wildfires.

New York first enacted strict restrictions on open burning in 2009 to help prevent wildfires and reduce air pollution.

For more information about fire safety and prevention, go to DEC's FIREWISE New York webpage.

2023 Catskill Fire Tower Challenge

For nearly a century, observers watched the forests of New York State—including the Catskill and Adirondack forest preserves—from more than 100 fire towers perched atop the highest peaks, searching for the dangerous, telltale signs of forest fires.

The Catskills Fire Tower Challenge encourages experienced hikers to visit the region’s remaining fire towers located on Balsam Lake Mountain (Hardenburgh), Hunter Mountain (Hunter), Overlook Mountain (Woodstock), Red Hill Mountain (Denning), and Tremper Mountain (Shandaken), along with the Upper Esopus Fire Tower at the Catskills Visitor Center. The Upper Esopus Fire Tower allows visitors who may not otherwise be able to undertake the challenging hike of several miles to experience a fire tower on the high peaks in the Catskills.

Visit all six Catskill Fire Towers between January 1, 2023, and December 31, 2023. Once completed, participants submit a log of their completed hikes along with a favorite photo or selfie via a web form or to the designated email inbox: CatskillsChallenge@dec.ny.gov. Entries must be postmarked by Jan. 7, 2024.

With DEC giving participants a full year to complete the challenge, hikers can take their time. Hikers are reminded to practice Leave No Trace™ principles and to Love Our NY Lands by recreating safely, sustainably, and hiking in suitable conditions based on weather and experience level.

For more information about the fire towers and challenge rules, visit DEC’s website.

Leave No Trace^TM

The seasons are changing, check out these tips on how to Leave No Trace^TM while enjoying your time outdoors. 

Travel on Trails: With spring weather comes the potential to encounter muddy sections of trail. Plan in advance and wear appropriate footwear like durable boots that will allow you to stay on the trail even through the muddy sections. Stepping off trail contributes to trail widening, erosion, and damage to sensitive trailside plants.

To learn more about how to practice leave no trace principles, visit LNT.org  

Take Park in the DEC Kiosk Survey

Do you visit State Forests, wilderness areas, Wildlife Management Areas, campgrounds, or DEC boat launches? We want to hear what you think about the places you love to visit! When out at one of DEC's properties, take our survey and be entered to win a sporting goods store gift card and a free subscription to the Conservationist magazine! Winners will be announced each month from January 2023 through January 2024. A grand prize winner will be announced in January 2024 and will receive a $200 sporting goods store gift card and a free magazine subscription. By providing input, you can help us improve our signage at trailheads, boat launches, and more so you get the information you want to see!

For prize rules and regulations, please visit DEC's website.