Catskill Outdoor Recreation Bulletin

September 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. Here you can 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: Low 70’s
Catskill Region Nighttime: Low 40’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.

Approximate Time of Sunrise: 6:50 AM

Approximate Time of Sunset: 6:44 PM

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.

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.

I Love NY Fall Foliage Report 

Check out the I Love NY Fall Foliage Report to see how the fall colors are changing near you!

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
Wilderness Rescue: On Aug. 26 at 4:00 p.m., a hiking party called DEC's Woodland Valley Campground to report one of the group had injured their ankle. The caretaker called Ray Brook Dispatch, which informed Forest Ranger Lieutenant Slade about the situation. Since the subject was approximately 3,300 feet up the trail, approximately a quarter mile from the Wittenberg Mountain summit in remote, rugged terrain, Lieutenant Slade called New York State Police (NYSP) Aviation for assistance. Rangers Horn and Sweeney hiked up to the 25-year-old from Brooklyn. Rangers Fox, Kreft, and Stratton met NYSP Aviation at the Catskills Visitor Center. NYSP Pilots Leeder and Plitsch flew to the Wittenberg summit where Ranger Stratton inserted Rangers Fox and Kreft, who met up with Rangers Horn and Sweeney, splinted the injured ankle, and prepared the subject for a hoist. At 7:40 p.m., the hiker was hoisted and returned to the Catskill Visitors Center where Shandaken Paramedics provided an evaluation. Forest Rangers reached the campground with the remainder of the hiking party at 10:30 p.m. 

Town of Shandaken
Ulster County
Wilderness Rescue: On Sept. 9 at 6:10 p.m., Forest Rangers Martin and Rusher responded to the Burroughs Range Trail for a report of a stranded hiker. The 36-year-old from Brooklyn underestimated her planned hike and didn't have a light source or enough food. Rangers provided food, hydration, and a head lamp, and then hiked the subject to the trailhead. Resources were clear at 9:49 p.m.

If a person needs a Forest Ranger, whether it's for a search and rescue, to report a wildfire, or to report illegal activity on state lands and easements, they should call 833-NYS-RANGERS. If a person needs urgent assistance, they can call 911. To contact a Forest Ranger for information about a specific location, the DEC website has phone numbers for every Ranger listed by region.

More from Forest Rangers in Review is available on our Press Release webpage.

Recent Notices

Colgate Lake Wild Forest – DEC Operations staff recently replaced broken and deteriorating fencing at the Colgate Lake dam.

Delaware Wild Forest – In partnership with the DEC, New York-New Jersey Trail Conference volunteers completed repairs to two lean-tos and replaced two privies at Trout Pond. One of these lean-tos and privies are constructed to accessible standards and are part of the DEC’s Motorized Access Program for People with Disabilities (MAPPWD).

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.

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.

Leave No Trace™ – Channel Your Inner Onion

Dress like an Onion! Weather is unpredictable and can change suddenly – especially during Fall in the mountains.

Dressing in layers (like an onion) traps body heat in the space between the layers of clothing creating extra insulation. It also allows you to adapt to the changing weather throughout the day.

Follow the Seven Principles of Leave No Trace^TM and minimize your impacts to the places you plan to visit this fall.

Safety & Education – Share the Trails this Hunting Season

Fall offers many opportunities for outdoor recreation. With hunting season beginning, it’s more important than ever to respect fellow user groups when out on the trail.

Our wilderness areas and public lands are open to all. To ensure the safety of every recreator, DEC encourages everyone to abide by basic hunter safety practices.

Here are some tips to keep in mind as you head out on your adventure:

• Wear bright orange – Ensure that every member of your group has an article of bright orange clothing before heading into the woods, including pets.
• Keep dogs on leash – To keep you and your dog safe, keep them on a leash and close by.
• Keep it quiet – Respect the wildlife and other users in the backcountry by keeping conversations and other noises to a reasonable volume.
• Practice firearm safety – Treat every firearm as if it’s loaded, always keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction, and be aware of your target and surroundings before touching the trigger.

Check out DEC’s how to share the woods during hunting season, video on YouTube.

Fall For the 2023 Catskills Fire Tower Challenge

With cooler temps and changing colors, fall is a great time to take the 2023 Catskills Fire Tower Challenge! To enter, visit all six Catskill Fire Towers within the 2023 calendar year and submit an online or paper(PDF) hike log, along with a favorite photo from your adventure. All participants will receive a challenge patch, as well as a chance to win various outdoor prizes. Repeat finishers who have completed a past Catskill Fire Tower Challenge will also be awarded a commemorative mug.

For a bonus entry, submit a photo practicing Leave No Trace™ while out on your hikes. Make sure to plan ahead and prepare for your journey by learning more about the challenge and hikes, and deciding on the best time for you, your family, friends, or hiking companions to hit the trails!

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

Photo by Joseph Smyczynski

Share Your Ideas: Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act

This spring and summer, the public and potential funding applicants had the opportunity to learn more about the Bond Act at a series of educational listening sessions.

Missed out on attending a session? Check out the virtual session recordings.

Share your ideas for how the Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act could help your community and environment. Complete a short survey to collect project ideas and other feedback. This survey will provide stakeholders and members of the public a place to share these ideas.

We need your input to help the New York State team select projects and deliver funds while also ensuring a transparent and collaborative process that benefits all New Yorkers.

The deadline for ideas and comments has been extended to September 30.