Catskill Outdoor Recreation Bulletin 

July 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).

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, tips for planning, and how to Leave No Trace. Be sure to check out the links for additional information and tips and tricks for recreating safely and minimizing your impacts on natural resources, recreational infrastructure, and other backcountry users in the Catskill Mountains.

Catskills Visitor Center

Looking to visit the Catskills? Be sure to stop by the Catskills Visitors Center before your next adventure. Have your questions answered, get trip planning advice, and even pick up maps and local information on places you might want to explore.  While you’re there, don’t miss out on climbing the fire tower (yes, there’s a fire tower on site!), hiking the trails, and learning a bit more about the Catskill Mountains through the all new interactive exhibits. Trust us, it is a do not miss location while visiting the region.  
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.

General Notices

Hike Smart by packing the proper gear. See our recommended packing list (PDF) and safety tips for the summer season.

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 Summits: Check the National Weather Service to prepare for summit weather conditions.

Catskill Region Daytime: High 80’s
Catskill Region Nighttime: Low 60’s

Thunderstorms: Thunderstorms can pop up even if they are not forecast. Watch for darkening skies, increased winds, lightning flashes, and the rumble of thunder. Avoid summits and other open areas during thunderstorms. As soon as you are first aware of an approaching thunderstorm move to lower elevations and seek shelter. If caught outside in a thunderstorm find a low spot away from tall trees, seek an area of shorter trees, and crouch down away from tree trunks. Make yourself as short as possible by:

• Sitting on your pack or sleeping pad with your knees flexed; and
• Hugging your knees to keep your feet together to minimize the ground effect of a nearby lightning strike.

Stream Crossing & High Water: Hikers should always plan ahead and check the weather before heading out into the mountains. Storms can emerge suddenly causing stream and rivers to rise quickly, becoming impassable due to strong currents. Do your best to avoid getting caught on the wrong side of a stream and turn back at any signs of changing weather conditions. Do not attempt to cross swift-moving streams and rivers. If weather conditions are unfavorable, consider planning your trip for another day.

Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke: occur when your body's cooling mechanisms are overcome by heat, causing a dangerously high body temperature. In order to prevent heat exhaustion and heat stroke be sure to:

• Wear sunscreen;
• Slow your pace;
• Drink water and rest more often;
• Seek shade and avoid long periods in direct sunlight; and
• Do not hike in extremely hot weather.

Approximate Time of Sunrise: 5:45AM

Approximate Time of Sunset: 8:22PM

Fire Towers: Volunteer interpreters hike to the fire towers and open the top cabs for visitors to enjoy the view on Saturdays, Sundays and holiday Mondays from Memorial Day weekend through Indigenous Peoples Day (formerly Columbus Day) weekend. 

Love Our New York Lands: All New Yorkers and visitors should be able to access, enjoy, and feel welcome on state lands. While enjoying these shared spaces, be respectful of other visitors. Share trails, treat people with kindness, and leave things as you found them for others to enjoy. All of us have a responsibility to protect state lands for future generations. Learn more about how you can Love Our New York Lands.

Forest Rangers in Review

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Forest Rangers respond to search and rescue incidents statewide. Working with other state agencies, local emergency response organizations, and volunteer search and rescue groups, Forest Rangers locate and extract lost, injured, or distressed people from across New York State.

In 2022, DEC Forest Rangers conducted 359 search and rescue missions, extinguished 162 wildfires covering more than 1,300 acres, participated in 53 prescribed fires that served to rejuvenate nearly 900 acres of land, and worked on cases that resulted in hundreds of tickets and arrests.

Town of Shandaken
Ulster County
Law Enforcement: On July 8 at 1:30 p.m., the Catskill 3500 Club notified Forest Ranger Martin about a group of hikers carrying two Adirondack chairs toward the summit of Slide Mountain. The hikers from New Jersey indicated they intended to leave the chairs at the summit for public use. Slide Mountain is located in the Slide Mountain Wilderness and is the highest Catskill peak with an elevation of 4,120 feet. At 3 p.m., Ranger Martin met the group at the trailhead and explained it is illegal to leave the chairs at the summit. The group refused to retrieve the chairs, so Ranger Martin issued a ticket for abandoning property in a wilderness area and the Ranger and Summit Steward Moran retrieved the chairs.

Town of Shandaken
Ulster County
Illegal Camping: On June 21 at 3 p.m., Forest Rangers were notified that approximately 60 people were setting up camp on Giant's Ledge in the Slide Mountain Wilderness Area. Rangers Horn, Martin, and Rusher made contact with the large group from New Jersey and educated the trip leaders on wilderness regulations. While primitive camping is allowed, campsites must be at least 150 feet from the nearest road, trail, or body of water. Camping for more than three nights or in groups of 10 or more requires a permit. Rangers issued tickets to the trip leaders for exceeding the permitted group size and provided information about several legal camping site options.

For additional Forest Rangers in Review stories, visit the press release page on DEC's website.

Stay Tick Free!

The ticks are out in full force this year. Be sure to follow these recommended 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 DEC’s website for additional tips for tick prevention.

Permit Requirements and Special Regulations for Peekamoose Valley Riparian Corridor and Blue Hole in the Sundown Wild Forest 

DEC has issued special regulations for the Blue Hole and Peekamoose Valley because of the huge increase in visitors. The purpose of these regulations is to increase public safety and reduce impacts to the environmental resources. Permits are required to visit the Blue Hole, or to camp at the nearby campsites in the Peekamoose Valley. The Special regulations: 

• Require visitors to obtain a permit for a $10 fee through Reserve America, consistent with fees for other recreation-oriented Day Use areas in the Forest Preserve;
• Limit parking to designated parking areas only. Parking along the shoulder of the road is prohibited by the Town and is a Tow Away Zone;
• Users are required to use portable restroom facilities for human waste disposal and the dumpster for all other waste
• Except for the nearby designated camping area, the Blue Hole is only open to the public from one half hour before sunrise to one half hour after sunset.
• Parking is limited to designated parking areas only. Parking along the shoulder of the road is prohibited by the Town and is a Tow Away Zone. 

*** The following are prohibited at the Blue Hole (limited use will be allowed at the nearby designated camping area only): 

• Camping.
• All fires (including charcoal fires, wood fires, gas grills, propane stoves or other portable stoves).
• Use of portable generators.
• Alcohol.
• Glass containers.
• Coolers larger than 12" in any dimension.
• Radios and other audio devices. 

Recent Notices

Sundown Wild Forest – The 2023 Sundown Wild Forest Unit Management Plan Amendment has been finalized. The amendment builds upon DEC's previous efforts to encourage sustainable recreation by alleviating congestion at points of interest, enhancing public safety, and creating an experience that highlights the area's natural beauty.  Phase one construction, including an 80-car parking area and an accessible connector trail to the Blue Hole, is scheduled for late summer 2023. 

Delaware Wild Forest – In partnership with the DEC, volunteers from the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference will be completing maintenance and repairs to two lean-tos and privies located at Trout Pond. The lean-tos may be unavailable between July 14th and July 25th . Nearby primitive tent sites will still be available.

Stewards in the Catskills – DEC has partnered with several organizations to provide trailhead and mountaintop stewardship throughout the Catskills during the spring, summer and fall of 2022. Stewards will be provided through partnerships with the New York New Jersey Trail Conference, Catskill Center for Conservation and Development, Catskill Mountainkeeper, Catskill 3500 Club, and the Student Conservation Association. On the ground stewardship is an effective way to provide outreach and education to visitors of the Catskills.   

Peekamoose Blue Hole – Permits are required to visit the Blue Hole, or to camp at the nearby campsites in the Peekamoose Valley from May 15th through September 15th of each year. Permits can be acquired through the Reserve America website. Camping permits may be reserved up to 2 weeks in advance and sites can be reserved for up to 3 nights in a row. Day use permits for the Blue Hole can be reserved up to 1 week in advance and cost $10.00 each.

Kaaterskill Clove Visitor Use Management – DEC has awarded a Visitor Use Management (VUM) planning contract to Otak, a private consulting firm specializing in research, planning, and design to help develop sustainable recreation solutions in the Kaaterskill Clove area of the Catskill Park. The goal of this planning process is to develop strategies that ensure the popular destination provides positive visitor experiences while continuing to protect the Forest Preserve. The Kaaterskill Clove Visitor Use Management webpage hosts project information, updates, and opportunities to get involved.

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.

Leave No Trace

Good Campsites are Found Not Made

Altering a campsite should not be necessary when setting up camp. Choose a site that is large enough for your group. Protect riparian areas by camping 200 feet from lakes and streams.  If you see trash, pack it out, even if it’s not yours. Help to leave natural spaces better than you found it. Enjoy!

For more information on how to protect the places you recreate, visit LNT.org 

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 New York 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.

Catskill Tree Species Highlight

American hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana) is a common understory tree in the Catskills. This small to medium-sized deciduous tree is known for its distinctive muscle-like bark, which resembles flexed muscles or sinew. It thrives in the shaded conditions of the forest understory, displaying vibrant green, double-serrated leaves that turn a beautiful orange-red hue in the fall. The American hornbeam's adaptability to various soil types and its ability to provide valuable habitat for wildlife make it a valuable component of the diverse ecosystems found in the Catskills. Often referred to as musclewood due to the muscle like striations, the American hornbeam is in the birch family (Betulaceae).