When I was a sophomore in high school, my father and I were turned on to hiking by a family friend who took us on a short autumn day hike near the Adirondacks. In the splendor of the fall foliage, with the Adirondack high peaks in the distance and endless forest enveloping us, it’s no wonder we got hooked: The mountain ranges of New York State offer an altogether different sort of beauty than the western Finger Lakes region, where we lived. Both my dad and I were in pretty good shape—I played soccer and ran track, while my father coached soccer at my high school and played in a couple of local rec leagues. We found the effort of the hike exhilarating, rather than challenging. In retrospect, perhaps, that easy day trip with our friend might have inspired a somewhat overconfident assessment of what a manageable day hike actually looked like. Well, we’d learn soon enough.
Both my father and I were eager to attempt a more serious hike, and soon. Finding the outdoor activities around our home in Syracuse to be “walks” more than “hikes,” we had a craving to tackle peaks—even if we didn’t quite yet understand what that might entail. From Syracuse, most of the Adirondack region was a four-hour drive away, at least. A drive to the Catskills shaved an hour off that, and given the limited daylight that time of year, the choice was easy. One cold, snowy December weekend, we set out early in the morning and made the drive into the heart of the Catskill Park. Our plan was to hike Giant Ledge, Panther Mountain, and Slide Mountain—all in one day.
We arrived at the trailhead midmorning and made our way up the icy trail to Giant Ledge and Panther, the enchanting winter forest scenery capturing our thoughts and steering our conversations. I don’t remember too much about the trail itself other than that there was an awful lot more snow on the ground the higher we climbed. Syracuse is of course no slouch when it comes to winter snow accumulation, but I’d never had to fight my way through it like this before. The other details of the hike—the cold, the wind, the difficulty of the trail—all vanished in the intervals between the colorful little trail markers that we followed up the shoulder of the mountain. Eventually we reached Giant Ledge, where we received our first peek at the Catskill landscape, an image that left a profound impression on my adolescent mind. I recall a surge of excitement and awe looking out from that vista, and more than a little trepidation as I realized that we were actually going to attempt to climb Slide, the behemoth jumble of rocky forest commanding our line of sight.
After summiting Panther and returning to the car, we drove up the road to the Slide Mountain parking area and made ready to start the second leg of our hike. At this point it was early afternoon, and most other hikers would soon be heading downhill to return home and warm up. Just before leaving the parking area, distracted by a busy mind already wandering up the trail, I stupidly locked our keys in the car. We had a bulky prepaid cell phone—high technology for the time—so we might have even counted ourselves lucky there … except we were deep in the mountains. There was not a trace of service, of course, so we didn’t have much of a choice but to wait for someone to visit the parking area and bail us out. Thankfully, a small group of hikers left the trail shortly after my blunder and offered to drive into town and call a garage for us while we stayed behind at the trailhead. We waited in the cold for over an hour before a tow truck arrived and unlocked our vehicle.
By then it was nearly four o’clock, and the frigid December darkness was already starting to set in. We probably should have taken the incident as a warning, packed up the car, and headed home, content to have enjoyed our previous jaunt through the wilderness. But as my dad and I sat in our idling car, chatting and shivering, waiting for our fingers and toes to warm, it became clear that neither of us was willing to hit the road until we had made it as far up Slide as we could before darkness, wind, cold, hunger, bears, or whatever else might be out there forced us to turn around. Apparently something had affected us on Giant Ledge and Panther, and we were enthralled by these mountains. Or possibly slightly delirious with hypothermia.
Looking back now, I can imagine a number of much less pleasant outcomes to this story. Summiting mountains in the winter is a challenge best undertaken by experienced hikers with the proper equipment and preparations. Summiting mountains in the winter at night is a feat that could very likely lead to a dramatic helicopter rescue for an inexperienced hiker—or, in my case, to becoming inspired to write a hiking guide with a good friend and fellow mountain enthusiast years later.
That night, my father and I made it all the way to the top of Slide Mountain, almost entirely in the dark. When I think about it now, the recklessness of the idea is almost absurd, but I’ve never once regretted it. The wind howled through the trees, sending clumps of snow hurling through the air as we trudged up the path to the summit. We were at least somewhat prepared for the circumstances, as it turned out. Shortly after we got onto the trail, my dad pulled an early Christmas present out of his pack: an LED Black Diamond headlamp. As we tromped up the slope, our new headlamps cutting through the endless mountain dark, I don’t recall anything from either me or my father other than exhilaration. Even with the lamps, there was little to see but the trail immediately in front of us. When we finally arrived at the summit, it was full night—there were no vistas or viewpoints due to the darkness, and the wind was so brutal that we couldn’t spend more than a few minutes on top before turning around. Still, it felt worth it even at the time. We arrived home much later and far more tired than we had expected, but we couldn’t wait to recount the trip to friends and family the next day. As if they could have fully understood our excitement … “You call that fun? Sounds like work to me.”
My father and I made many trips to the Catskills after that first expedition. We would wake up before sunrise, eat breakfast in the car listening to the Beatles, hike more miles than was perhaps sane to attempt in one day, and drive back home completely exhausted. Over the days that followed each of these excursions, we’d wear our soreness like a badge and begin dreaming of the next adventure. While in recent years, most of my hiking trips have been taken with my wife and friends, my father and I still meet to hike in the Catskills on occasion, and each time our inside jokes and stories of previous hikes are imbued with new life.
I’ve had the pleasure of enjoying these mountains over the years with people who mean much to me, but regardless of whom you set out with, or whether you wish to explore these trails on your own, the impact of the Catskills is more than just the miles you hike in one day, or the pictures you take from another stunning vista. There is a soul to these mountains that is deeply felt by anyone who visits them. The vitality, beauty, and charm of this place is clear from the peaks to the lowest streams; it pervades the main streets of the mountain towns scattered throughout the Catskills’ strange, quiet valleys. There is a feeling of mystery lurking in the cols and cloves, an immediate sense that there is history here—these mountains are low and weathered because they are ancient, after all. These are mountains that have inspired artists and philosophers for countless years, and regardless of whether you approach the Catskills for the adventure or for the simple ambiance, they will doubtless inspire you, too.
There are too many potential destinations in this 700,000-acre park to ever really number all of them, of course, and in the hundreds of hours I have spent in these mountains, I still find myself with that same longing to stay and see more that I felt on that first expedition with my father. Since that day long ago, I have finished the Catskill 3500 Challenge with both my father and my wife. I’ve explored areas of the park that I never thought I’d visit, and done so in every sort of weather and condition imaginable. Since the Catskills first caused me to fall in love with the mountains, I’ve hiked all over the country and climbed peaks much taller than the highest Catskill summits, but I’ve never found another area that feels more like home than this park. Oh, and I still have a hard time pointing the car back toward my house, even after a long, grueling day of miles and miles of wandering within the park boundary.
Wandering the Catskill trails, you’ll rarely meet anyone who isn’t friendly, cheerful, or grinning from ear to ear. Looking around these ancient forests, it’s easy to let that same sense of wonder permeate your own thoughts. I’ve felt it not only in further exploring the mountains in preparation for this guide, but also by reliving prior trips in putting pen to paper. My hope in writing this guidebook is that you will get as much enjoyment from these mountains as I have over the years. Please appreciate, respect, and protect this wilderness so that others may find the same sense of awe and enchantment for years to come.
—Matthew Cathcart
HISTORY OF THE CATSKILLS
While we may realize consciously that even mountains are not permanent, it is still strange to think just how much the land comprising the vast peaks we know has changed over the ages. The Catskills are relatively young, compared to other mountainous areas in the eastern United States, some of which have been bearing the forces of erosion and shrinking back into the earth for more than 400 million years. The Hudson Valley’s most prominent peaks began their existence as a river delta to the west of another, ancient mountain chain: the once-massive Acadian Mountains. Roughly 200 million years ago, as continental drift began to form the Appalachians, the delta region comprising the Catskills was pushed up to create a vast plateau. Individual mountains were not actually distinct at this point, leaving just one massive shelf—surely a sight to behold, though of course there were other drastic differences at the time. The Catskill delta began its existence when its landmass was at the equator, and so this Catskill plateau would have looked quite different in almost every way from the mountains we know today.
Over time, streams began to erode the plateau. Resistant rocks remained, while softer strata washed away. Deep, scenic cloves and valleys were carved out by the whims of erosion. Over millions of years and several ice ages, the Catskill Mountains that we recognize today gradually took shape. Today, the roughly 1,500 square miles of the Catskill Park are home to over a hundred peaks with elevations surpassing 3,000 feet.
In more modern times, an abundance of fish in the pristine mountain streams, plus ample wild game, attracted Lenni-Lenape, Munsee, and several other Native American tribes from the surrounding area. These hunters made annual forays into the mountains, both to hunt and to pass through en route to other destinations, and they created trails that would later be adopted by European settlers (and even turned into hiking paths). However, there is little evidence that Native American tribes ever permanently settled in the Catskills to any significant extent, probably due to the difficulty of farming the rocky mountain soil.
The first Europeans arrived at the Catskills around the early 1600s. Over the next several decades, the Dutch in particular would leave their imprint in place-names, but they generally did not take up permanent residence in the mountains to a significantly greater extent than the Indians had—much better farmland was available in the areas surrounding the Catskills. A large influx of settlers leading to established towns would not occur for some years. What farmsteads there were mostly focused on dairy production, with others turning to wool, maple syrup, apples, and potatoes for their output. Another odd quirk of the Catskills: cauliflower thrives in the mineral-rich soil of the mountains, and it became a profitable export for the region in the early twentieth century.
Despite the initial difficulty of homesteading there, the Catskills soon became a valuable resource for the region, particularly New York City, in ways other than agriculture. The metropolis 90 miles to the south was built in part with bluestone and lumber from the mountains. The first railroads began to thread their way into the Catskills around 1870, radically altering the commerce of the mountains, as well as the sort of New Yorker that this dramatic landscape appealed to. Wealthy residents from the city began to flock to the unique mountain hotels popping up around the eastern escarpment, drawn by the vistas and the clean mountain air. Around this time, the region also became known as a destination for painters, artists, and thinkers, and the hotels and vacationing lifestyle of the period are captured in a number of classic works of art. The Catskill hotels eventually went out of business or burned down, though their foundations remain visible along many of the trails in this guide.
While it may be tempting to simply drive to the trailhead on a whim, there is a good amount of planning that goes into any successful hike. Preparing for your hike ahead of time may seem tedious, but it should never be overlooked. How well you plan could, in fact, save your life. Listed below is a set of guidelines that should aid you in your journey both on and off the trail.
SAFETY
While exploring the wilderness, your safety and that of your hiking companions should always be your number one concern. To a large extent, backcountry safety involves common sense—stay on the designated trail and be extra cautious when near cliff edges or on slick rocks. However, there are several other things you can do to ensure that your trip remains a safe affair.
•Leave your plans with a friend or family member. Let them know when and where you plan to hike as well as what time you expect to be finished. Establish a cutoff time a few hours after you plan to arrive home, and contact them as soon as you are able to upon returning from the trail. If your safety contact does not hear from you by the cutoff time, this will be a signal that they may need to seek help.
•Familiarize yourself with nearby towns. Look up how far your hike is from the nearest hospital and write down any necessary phone numbers beforehand. It is also a good idea to make note of nearby grocery and convenience stores, as well as gas stations, on the way to your destination. Spotty cell reception in the mountains can often make looking up this information difficult on the go.
•Bring your cell phone with you on your hike. Many of the trailheads in the Catskills have little to no cell service, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have your phone on you anyway. You may be able to make a quick phone call or send a message at higher elevations. Additionally, every trail register you will sign contains the contact information for the local park rangers. Save this information to your phone or write it down. It could save your life! Be mindful of your cell phone’s battery charge. Reception may come and go, but without a charge, your phone is guaranteed to be useless in the backcountry. Simply carrying a cell phone is not a replacement for ample planning.
WEATHER
The weather in the mountains can change very quickly, fluctuating between extremes of hot and cold, while rain clouds can make precipitation even when the forecast calls for dry conditions. Under normal circumstances, the temperature drops by roughly 3°F for every 1,000 feet of elevation gain. This can be exacerbated even further by the wind, which is often much stronger the higher you climb. Before you embark on your hike, check the weather forecast and plan to the best of your ability, but be aware that the conditions may change without warning. The Catskills are relatively small mountains, but extremes of weather can lead to injury or death in any season. In the event of inclement weather or an unexpected storm starting in the middle of your hike, be prepared to turn around if necessary. Safety should always be your number one concern. The mountains will still be there next time!
ETIQUETTE
The subject of trail etiquette is mostly concerned with preserving the serene quality of the woods for others to enjoy, both immediately and in the future. Do your best to be courteous to those sharing the trails with you. This should be easy to do, since the people you’ll meet on the trail will generally be cheerful and friendly. It’s not uncommon to strike up amiable conversations with fellow hikers, or to offer a neighborly greeting as you pass. Everyone hikes at a different pace, so let others pass if they wish to go faster, and yield to hikers coming downhill, especially when the trail is steep and narrow. If you are hiking in a group, try to keep your noise level low so that others may enjoy the peacefulness of the forest. Stay on the trail to minimize erosion and preserve the delicate flora that inhabits the mountains. Lastly, follow Leave No Trace principles and pack out anything you pack in. If you have the pack space, carry out any trash that may have been left behind by others. It is the responsibility of everyone to ensure that the wilderness remains pristine for future generations to enjoy.
WINTER
Hiking in the winter can be an exciting undertaking. The cold air feels clean and refreshing, the lack of foliage on the trees can uncover previously hidden vistas, and the frigid landscape breathes an exciting new life into areas you may have previously visited. That being said, the risks associated with hiking are augmented and intensified during the winter months. For this reason, winter hiking should only be attempted by experienced hikers. Weather, snow, ice, and hypothermia are very real dangers that can be fatal if you are not very well prepared, especially when combined with the magnifying effect that elevation gain has on these variables. The weather conditions, snow accumulation, and icy buildup are often much more drastic at elevation than at the parking area. It is imperative to plan ahead extensively if you are going to attempt hiking in the winter. No one wants to bail before they reach their desired destination, but you may need to turn around halfway through your hike even if you do come prepared. It can be difficult to make this call, but it is far better to be safe than to risk serious injury or death. Use common sense and be cautious.
Wintertime hiking often requires the use of additional equipment both for ease of hiking and for safety on the trail. Snowshoes and poles should be used when snowy conditions are present, and crampons or traction devices will help to provide steady footing in slippery areas. Be sure to bring hats, gloves, and extra layers of clothing. Additional items such as gaiters, hand warmers, and a thermos of hot chocolate or coffee can make your hike more comfortable and enjoyable. Keep in mind, however, that this extra gear is a supplement and should not be a replacement for planning ahead.
WHAT TO BRING ON YOUR HIKE
Ask any number of hikers what they bring on a hike and you will likely get a variety of answers, ranging from the practical to the extravagant and everywhere in between. Some people embrace the ultralight ideology, bringing only essential lightweight items that often serve dual purposes, while other prefer to carry a little bit of extra weight for the sake of comfort and security. Whatever your style may be, there are a few things that just about everyone can agree on.
BACKPACK
A comfortable backpack is a must for any hike longer than a mile or two. Just about any pack will do as long as you find it agreeable. While not imperative, packs with hip or chest belts can increase load stability and greatly improve your balance on the trail. Other popular features include multiple pockets or compartments and hydration reservoirs. Whichever backpack you choose, make sure everything you plan on bringing will comfortably fit inside before you leave for the trailhead.
HIKING BOOTS
The type of hiking boots you should wear is largely a matter of preference, but it is beneficial to know what options exist so you can make the choice that will suit you best. High-top hiking boots offer the most ankle support and are quite durable, but are much more expensive. Low-cut boots and trail-running shoes let feet breathe more easily, allow a greater range of motion, and are usually cheaper. A variety of different rubber soles are available, with varying levels of stickiness and durability—perhaps the most important aspect to consider, given that many of the trails are very rocky and uneven. Waterproof or treated boots can help make your feet more comfortable as well. Whatever type of shoes you choose, be sure to break them in beforehand. Waiting until the day of your hike to break in your shoes will likely result in uncomfortable, hot, blistery feet.
WATER
You will want to bring about a liter of water for every 2–3 miles you plan to hike. However, this amount is just a guideline, and you will need to carry more water during hot summer months. There is an abundance of water in the Catskills, and refilling your water bottle or hydration bladder from a mountain spring or stream midhike is a rewarding, refreshing experience. This technique can greatly reduce the amount of water you need to carry at any given time, but be aware that many springs only run seasonally. Additionally, all water should be treated before drinking to remove or kill harmful bacteria and protozoa such as Giardia, E. coli, and Salmonella. A number of options exist, including chemical treatments, filtration systems, or simply boiling water beforehand. Chemical treatments such as iodine or chlorine dioxide tablets are cheap and lightweight, but they need to work for a minimum of half an hour before the water is safe to drink, and they can leave a foul aftertaste. Backcountry water filters are more expensive, bulkier, and heavier, but they deliver immediate results without any impact on the flavor of the water.
FOOD
In general you will want to bring 2–3 pounds of food per person per day of hiking. As with water, this value is a guideline. You may need to bring more or less food depending on how strenuous your route is as well as your metabolism. It is a good idea to bring a little more than you think you’ll need if you are unsure—it is better to carry extra food back to your car than it is to run out of food halfway through your hike. Energy and granola bars, dried fruit and nuts, candy bars, and jerky are excellent, highly portable choices that will provide your body with the necessary protein, carbohydrates, and electrolytes it needs to keep you energized and on the trail.
It is important to stay prepared for any sudden weather changes by bringing along extra layers of clothing. Windy, exposed summits may require you to add layers of clothing to stay warm, while the exertion of the climb up to these summits will cause you to remove layers to keep cool. The key to staying comfortable is planning for a wide variety of conditions. Choose clothing that is versatile. Wool or synthetic blends insulate well and also breathe, letting moisture evaporate quickly, so that your body can regulate its temperature more naturally. Cotton clothing traps moisture and insulates poorly when wet. For this reason, you should try to avoid cotton clothing as much as possible.
It is a good idea, even in warmer weather, to always bring a long-sleeved shirt or jacket with you. A windbreaker can extend your visit to a blustery vista, and a rain jacket or poncho will further protect you from less-than-pleasant weather conditions. Bring a hat and gloves if the weather will be chilly, since your hands and head radiate a significant amount of heat. Lastly, it’s always a good idea to bring an extra pair of socks in case your feet become wet.
FIRST AID KIT
Your first aid kit does not need to be extensive, but a few basic items will help alleviate any minor injuries you may sustain on your hike. You can create your own first aid kit out of things commonly found at a drugstore, such as adhesive bandages, gauze, medical tape, alcohol swabs, hand sanitizer, antibiotic ointment, tweezers, moleskin (or other blister-relief material), and over-the-counter pain medication. If you are taking any prescription medication, be sure to pack any doses you would normally take throughout the day as well. All of these items easily fit inside a plastic bag and will help ensure your safety on the trail.
FLASHLIGHT/HEADLAMP
It is always wise to bring a headlamp or lightweight flashlight along on your hike, even if you’re planning on finishing well before dusk. You never know when an abrupt change in conditions (or an innocent error reading the trail map) may delay your return to your car by several hours. In spring, fall, and winter, nightfall can sneak up on you. If you are forced to make your return to the trailhead in the dark, don’t panic. Simply pay close attention to the trail, and take extra time to orient yourself at each intersection. Most trail markers are reflective and thus easy to follow even at night, provided you have a good source of light.
OTHER NONESSENTIAL ITEMS
To make your hike even more satisfying, you may wish to bring along some items solely for your own enjoyment. Typical nonessential items you will find in hikers’ packs include binoculars, a camera, seat pads or packable chairs, small musical instruments such as harmonicas, a notebook and pen or pencil, and a hip flask.
BEAR SAFETY
Black bears play a vital part in New York’s ecosystem, and when you are hiking and camping, it is important to remember that you are sharing their home with them—you are the visitor, not them. Most animals want a confrontation even less than you do. Always respect the wild creatures that call the mountains their home, and protect yourself (and the bears) by taking basic precautions. Most rules of bear safety boil down to an essential principle: Do nothing that will unnecessarily attract the attention of bears in the first place. For this reason, you must always be careful when camping and hiking to not feed these intelligent and potentially dangerous animals.
Black bears are omnivorous, and in the wild they live off of fruit, nuts, seeds, insects, grasses, and carrion. Plant foods can make up as much as 90 percent of a bear’s diet. It is important to realize that bears, while powerful and imposing creatures, are nonetheless scavengers much more than they are hunters. Most of their day is spent searching for sustenance. Thus, any food made available to them by lazy or unmindful humans will be happily set upon and consumed. Bears are intelligent animals that learn from past experiences. If searching a certain location or repeating a certain activity results in food, a bear will attempt to recreate this scenario again in the future. Thus, food left out around a camp, in close proximity to humans, becomes dangerous for both the bear and the humans. Likewise, if a bear encounters a human and does not acquire any food as a result of the encounter, the bear will have no reason to seek out humans again in the future.
To be clear, the chances of a deadly encounter with a black bear in New York State are extremely low. In the past century, there has been only one recorded human death by bear in the region. If you do spot a bear nearby, do not run. Back away slowly, speaking in a low, calm voice to ensure that the bear recognizes you as a human and not a prey animal. Hiking in a group is usually a deterrent on its own, but if you are alone, attempt to make yourself look as large as possible by raising your arms and taking to high ground while continuing to make noise. Make sure the bear has a clear route to flee the encounter—a bear that feels trapped is likely to behave more aggressively. Do not scream or shriek. If the bear stands up on its hind legs, it is most likely just trying to get a better sense of the situation, not issuing a threat. While black bear encounters tend not to be as deadly as encounters with brown bears or grizzlies out west, the recommended strategy in the unlikely event of an attack is much different. If a black bear does attack you, do not play dead: Always fight back.
The Catskill Mountains are home to about 30–35 percent of the black bears in New York State, and while this is a significant population, it by no means should suggest that you will run into bears on a regular basis. The authors of this guide have spent, combined, hundreds of hours hiking in the Catskill Mountains, and between them they have only seen bears near the trail on two occasions. Fear of a bear encounter is no reason to stay home and miss out on the backwoods charm of the mountains.
LYME DISEASE
Bears may be the most dramatic danger in the backwoods, but a far more likely risk comes in a much smaller form. Ticks are a rapidly growing problem in the northeastern United States, and an encounter with one is more likely to endanger your health than a run-in with a skittish black bear. In the United States, about 300,000 infections occur each year. The northeast is unfortunately a hotbed for Lyme disease, with a vast majority of all cases in the United States occurring in these states.
Lyme disease is spread by an infected tick—not every tick bite will result in Lyme disease. Of course, the tick has to bite you before it can transmit the disease, so the best way to avoid Lyme is to catch any ticks while they’re still crawling on you. If you do contract Lyme, the disease may produce a rash, flu-like symptoms, and pain in joints within a few weeks. The most obvious indication that you have Lyme is the notorious “bull’s-eye” rash, though not everyone develops this rash. Without the rash, the symptoms of Lyme can be difficult to distinguish from mono or simply a stubborn flu, so if you think you may have contracted Lyme, it is always best to play it safe and get tested. Untreated, it will eventually result in chronic arthritis and nervous system disorders.
Check yourself regularly while hiking, and especially afterward. Deer ticks are very small and can be easy to miss. Tuck your pants into your socks and boots, and apply insect repellent containing DEET. Wearing light-colored clothing will make it somewhat easier to see any unwanted passengers crawling on you. Finally, showering and changing clothes immediately following your hike is the best way to check yourself for parasites.
NOTABLE TOWNS OF THE CATSKILLS
PALENVILLE
For many of the hikes in this guide, the hamlet of Palenville will be your gateway into the mountains—nestled at the foot of the Catskills along the route most commonly taken into the northern section of the park. While the town is small, and lacks the central Main Street shopping district of other Catskill towns, there are still a number of options for a pit stop on your way to or from a hike. Circle W Market, the modern-rustic deli near the western end of town, is the perfect place to stop for breakfast on your way into the mountains—and to stock up on snacks for the trail. More restaurants, bars, and lodging options can be found along NY-32A, as Palenville extends along this route south.
TANNERSVILLE
As Palenville serves as the gateway to the northern section of the Catskills, Tannersville is perhaps the heart of it. With a long, busy Main Street, Tannersville offers more options for food and drink than perhaps any other town in the interior of the park. A small café called Twin Peaks perfectly captures the atmosphere of a folksy, rustic coffee shop (and, fortunately, without the creepy unease of its television namesake), but perhaps even more appealing than the coffee are the made-to-order doughnuts that come in a variety of flavors. Melt-in-your-mouth fresh, these doughnuts are not to be missed. Just down the street, Last Chance Antiques & Cheese Café is as esoteric as the name suggests, with a large beer selection and solid pub-style food offerings, too. For those looking for a quick, classic meal, Mama’s Boy Burgers hits the spot, especially after a day of hiking. Their ice cream offerings are a perfect compliment to their local, grass-fed burgers.
Of course, as the Catskills’ busiest tourist town, Tannersville offers much more still, with a variety of restaurants and cafés covering the culinary spectrum, a winery, a performing arts center, antique shops, and perhaps most importantly, a scenic Main Street backed by mountains, ideal for a late afternoon of strolling. Nearby are a number of hotels and bed-and-breakfasts should you wish to stay the night (but not in a tent). Like the mountains that surround it, Tannersville is a charming, timeless destination that is not to be missed.
Perhaps the most overtly touristy destination in the Catskills, and certainly the most enthusiastic about its hippie roots, Woodstock actually had little to do with the famous music festival that shared its name. The festival was named Woodstock after the investment group that funded the concert—Woodstock Ventures—but took place on a dairy farm in Bethel, in Sullivan County, more than 40 miles southwest of the town of Woodstock. Of course, the town is still famous as a home for arts and culture, and maintains a vibrant, eclectic music scene. Tinker Street and Mill Hill Road serve as the town’s main drag, with dozens of businesses and several small parks adding up to an easily walkable, scenic shopping district.
Bread Alone is the place to go if you’re in the mood for coffee or pastries (or, of course, a fresh loaf of bread), and nearby Catskill Mountain Pizza is a great choice for a delicious posthike meal on a budget. Woodstock and Bearsville are home to a wide array of sit-down restaurants as well, from the casual to the upscale. In addition to dining, the town offers everything from books to boutiques. With Overlook Mountain rising to the north of town, Woodstock truly is a lovely destination on its own, and you’ll find plenty of offerings for food, drink, shopping, and entertainment—something to cater to almost every taste, but especially those with a fondness for tie-dye.
PHOENICIA
Miles from the interstate, deep in the interior of the park—at almost its exact center, in fact—Phoenicia has a curious backwoods charm. With only a few hundred inhabitants, it is a thriving tourist town located about as far from tourists as you can get. Phoenicia secured its status in the region by railway, originally—when the Ulster and Delaware Railroad serving the Catskills landed at Phoenicia as one of its first stops, the town quickly adapted to accommodate the influx of visitors. In the modern era, a handful of nearby ski resorts have helped Phoenicia to retain its status as the destination town in the central Catskills region. This popularity has been further secured by a compact Main Street offering plenty to do, just off the scenic Esopus Creek.
While significantly smaller than nearby Woodstock, Phoenicia offers a similar mix of dining and shopping to appeal to day-trippers and locals alike. A few blocks from the town center, the Empire State Railway Museum educates visitors on the history and significance of the region’s railroads. Just outside of town, the busy Phoenicia Diner offers a more upscale, locally focused take on traditional comfort food, and is often packed on weekends with travelers from all over the region.
SHOKAN
Just north of the Ashokan Reservoir, the hamlet of Shokan is barely large enough to register as a town when you’re driving through: It appears more like a collection of roadside businesses. But on your way into or out of the central Catskills, Shokan makes for a nice, low-key roadside visit, especially if you aren’t in the mood for a more crowded destination like Phoenicia. Olive’s Country Store and Café sells a variety of snacks and groceries, along with an eclectic mix of touristy gifts—think lots of bear statues and wood carvings. Down the street, Winchell’s Pizza & BBQ is a homey, quiet spot for filling grub, with a friendly owner whose passion is unmistakable.