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DISTANCE: 8.6 miles TYPE: Out and back TOTAL ELEVATION GAIN: 385 feet MAXIMUM ELEVATION: 2,550 feet DIFFICULTY: Easy HIKING TIME: 4 hours |
Despite its length, the Colgate Lake to Dutcher Notch hike may be one of the easiest hikes you’ll find in the eastern Catskills. Colgate Lake itself is a popular weekend destination in summer, crowded with families and swimmers. But a quarter-mile removed from the lake, the trail leading to Dutcher Notch is generally quiet—its lack of summits or vistas makes it far less popular than other nearby hikes. It is a lovely, peaceful hike nonetheless, a leisurely outing with diverse surroundings, winding through numerous meadows and bogs and over bridges. While it’s not recommended to do this hike in the spring, due to wet conditions, the hike is ideal for the warmer summer days or to take in the fall foliage and can be cross-country skied in winter.
In addition to swimming and boating (Colgate Lake allows hand boats, but no motors), the lake is popular year-round for trout and features an accessible fishing platform. The lake is stocked annually.
GETTING THERE
Take Exit 20 (Saugerties) from the New York State Thruway, then turn left onto NY-212/NY-32. At the traffic light, take a right onto NY-32 North. In 6 miles, continue straight onto NY-32A. In 1.9 miles, turn left onto Route 23A and drive up the winding mountain road toward Tannersville. After driving through Tannersville, turn right at the traffic light onto Hill Street (County Route 23C). Head north about 3 miles to East Jewett. Make a right onto Route 78, then drive another 1.7 miles until you reach Colgate Lake. You will pass the larger of two DEC parking lots on the left side of the road just before the lake, but continue past down the stone roadway to the second, smaller parking lot. This lot connects directly to the trailhead.
GPS SHORTCUT
Type “Colgate Lake” into Google Maps and your GPS will navigate you to the northern tip of the lake. Continue on Colgate Road for about half a mile to reach the parking lot on the left side of the road.
THE TRAIL
From the north end of the DEC parking lot, head out onto the trail into a large open field. Some of the best views of the hike come at the very beginning, with the surrounding mountains, including Blackhead and Arizona, dominating the horizon.
Walk for 0.2 mile through the field to reach the edge of the forest, where you will find the DEC registration box. The many oaks in this area cover the ground with acorns in early fall. As a result, there may be higher than average bear activity here during the autumn season, as bears will turn up to eat the acorns during the day.
From the registration box, the trail is flat and easy to follow. You will meander through a series of bogs and over bridges for the next several miles, reaching the first bridge around 1.2 miles into the hike. Ignore the logging roads, which lead onto private land, and follow the yellow trail markers and signs.
INDUSTRIAL DEBRIS ALONG THE TRAIL TO DUTCHER NOTCH
Around 2.3 miles in, the trail cuts through the largest of the bogs, though it is not hard to traverse during drier months. From this clearing, you will be able to see West Stoppel Mountain in the background.
Upon leaving the bog, follow the arrow markers and take the trail to the left. You will soon come across the third bridge and a quiet, well-shaded stream. More bogs await after you leave this idyllic spot, until just after mile 3, where you will pass a large field. In this open, beautiful space, apple trees from an old orchard still grow. Off the trail in the field, there is a fire pit and small clearing for campers. Close to the trail, but hidden from sight, is a 15-foot waterfall. Listen closely for the sound of water, as the waterfall is very easy to miss.
The trail will begin to gain in elevation as it approaches Dutcher Notch, but it is never steep. To the left of the trail, the ground drops off sharply into a bank, with a large wall of rocks rising to the right.
Upon reaching Dutcher Notch, you will come to a prominent trail sign marking a four-way intersection of trails. The trail to the left heads north to Arizona Mountain and Blackhead Mountain. Right will take you to Stoppel Point and North Mountain.
When you are ready to return, retrace your steps back to your car.
INTERSECTION WITH THE ESCARPMENT TRAIL