Plateau Mountain from Devil’s Tombstone
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DISTANCE: 6 miles TYPE: Out and back TOTAL ELEVATION GAIN: 1,840 feet MAXIMUM ELEVATION: 3,840 feet DIFFICULTY: Strenuous HIKING TIME: 4 hours |
True to its name, Plateau Mountain’s level summit is a pleasure to hike, as you ridge walk the length of the mountain. Getting to the top is no easy feat, however, as the ascent follows the Devil’s Path seemingly straight up for the majority of the hike, gaining almost 2,000 feet of elevation. That being said, the trail is very pretty, especially in the fall when the leaves are changing color, setting the hills ablaze in a spectacular show. Devil’s Tombstone State Campground is located at the base of the mountain and is open May through September, making it possible to turn a day hike into a weekend base-camp adventure. While not the easiest way to reach the summit, the route described here is the most direct and offers more in the way of vistas than other options do. If you’re planning to hike Plateau Mountain in the winter, the trailhead on Notch Inn Road (Guide #23) offers a more mellow ascent, although traction devices are still highly recommended.
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. From Tannersville, continue another 2.5 miles on NY-23A until you reach the intersection with NY-214. Take a left onto NY-214 South and continue for 3 miles. The parking area will be on your right, just after passing Notch Lake.
GPS SHORTCUT
Type “Notch Lake” into Google Maps and your GPS will navigate you to the appropriate trailhead.
THE TRAIL
From the parking area, cross the road and head into the woods on a short staircase cut into the side of the hill. This is the Devil’s Path, a 24-mile red-blazed trail that spans the length of the mountain range, crossing six peaks over 3,500 feet in elevation along the way. You will stay on this trail for the entirety of your hike. Follow the red blazes for about a tenth of a mile, gaining elevation moderately, before coming to a bend in the trail next to the stream to your right. Descending to the stream, you can see small cascades further uphill.
Continue following the Devil’s Path and begin hiking uphill on a very steep grade. For the next 1.2 miles, this incline will take you relentlessly upward, climbing 1,450 feet in the process. The hillside to the right of the trail drops off sharply into the valley below. In autumn, the climb can be especially tricky, as leaves on the trail will make it slippery and you will be unable to see the rocky path underneath, adding an element of surprise to each step. To make the climb more manageable, there are stone steps on certain portions, and short switchbacks occasionally, but neither of these will likely do much to distract you from the fact that the trail is very, very steep. What else did you expect of a hike that started out by the Devil’s Tombstone? Take your time, and remember to enjoy the mountain (you’re having fun, right?). You will know you are through the worst of it when the trail begins to bend to the right, edging the rim of a ravine. Continuing on, you will make an abrupt left turn and start to ascend much more gently than before.
VIEW OF THE BLACKHEAD RANGE FROM PLATEAU MOUNTAIN
A quarter of a mile from the turn, you will reach an easily surmountable stone ledge. The trail goes up the ledge, bringing you to your first vista, at Orchard Point, which rewards you for your climb with excellent views of the Stony Clove area below. Hunter Mountain and Southwest Hunter Mountain (sometimes called Leavitt Peak) dominate the view to the northwest. The viewing area is fairly large and can accommodate a few groups of hikers.
When you are ready to resume your hike, keep following the Devil’s Path as the trail levels out, becoming much easier to walk. At this point you are essentially on the Plateau ridge and will climb infrequently and only moderately to reach the true summit on the southern tip of the mountain. Roughly a quarter of a mile from Orchard Point lies the second viewpoint of the day at Danny’s Lookout. While not as expansive as the previous vista, Danny’s Lookout gives you an entirely different perspective, as it faces northeast. Easily identifiable Kaaterskill High Peak and Round Top Mountain are visible to the east, and off in the distance to the north lies the Blackhead Range. A little way beyond Danny’s Lookout is another viewpoint, although it is mostly overgrown. You may be able to catch a glimpse of Sugarloaf Mountain from here, but there is a much better view of Sugarloaf near the true summit.
Continue to follow the red blazes along the ridge of the mountain, through densely wooded evergreen forest. You will feel like you are walking through a tunnel as the trees make this portion of the trail dark, peaceful, and somewhat narrow. In 1.7 miles from Orchard Point, the trail will meet with the Warner Creek Trail on your right. Stay on the Devil’s Path, and in half a mile, you will reach the true summit of Plateau Mountain. There isn’t much to see from this point, but a little further on, about a tenth of a mile, you can catch a good view of Sugarloaf Mountain and the Platte Clove Valley to the east. To reach this vista, continue following the trail, as it turns to your left and descends about 100 feet of elevation, until you reach a small viewing area atop a large, flat boulder.
When you are finished taking in the sights, turn around and retrace your steps along the ridgeline and descend to your car at Notch Lake.