Home ⎟ Hikes & Wanderings ⎟ New York ⎟ Catskill Edition ⎟ Kaaterskill

Distance: 10 Miles

Time: 6 Hours (9 Miles & 5 Hrs. with 0.25 Mile Bushwack)

Difficulty: Strenuous

Elevation Gain: 1,855 Feet

Dog Friendly: Yes.

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Trailhead Directions: Going north on the NYS Thruway, exit right at exit 20 for NY-32 toward Saugerties. Use the right lane to turn left onto NY-212 W/NY-32 N. Go 1,000 feet and turn right onto NY-32 North. Then go 6 miles and continue straight onto NY-32A North. Go 1.9 miles and veer left onto NY-23A West. Continue 6.5 miles and turn left onto South Main Street. After a half mile, turn left onto Spruce Street, then continue straight onto County Road 16 which becomes Platte Clove Road ager 5.4 miles. The DEC Trailhead parking area is on your left just past Josh Road and Plattekill Creek.

Trailhead Directions: 2425 Platte Clove Road Elka Park, NY 12427

Hike Directions: 1.5 hoursFrom the DEC parking area off Platte Clove Road, follow the blue/teal blazed Long Path into the woods and uphill. In a mile you’ll reach an intersection with the yellow blazed Huckleberry Point Trail (another great hike, and a great add-on to this one if you have the time). Veer left at the intersection, continuing on the blue/teal blazes. After another mile, the trail flattens and widens. You’re surrounded by thick forest on both sides. As you continue another 1.3 miles to an unmarked trail on your left. Go 500 feet an make a right at a three-way intersection. After 300 feet, turn left at a fork. This trail will lead you to the summit of Kaaterskill High Peak (in 0.37 miles), gorgeous Hurricane Ledge (half a mile from the intersection), and the ruins of crashed airplane from the 1970’s. From Hurricane Ledge you’ll have amazing views south to the mountains of the Devil’s Path, and from this high up, the Hudson River is but a string under the clouds. After enjoying Hurricane Ledge, continue downhill for a quarter of a mile on the unmarked path to a 4-way intersection. Turn left onto the unmarked loop path leading around Kaaterskill High Peak and continue  around on the unmarked trail, or if you’re feeling brave, depart from the unmarked path after three-quarters of a mile and walk to the right off-trail for 800 feet before meeting up with the Long Path (this cuts off 1.8 miles from the hike if you’re short on time, but remember the forest is very thick here and it’s easy to get disoriented). I’ve taken both the bushwack route and the unmarked path route, and I’d honestly recommend either, just be careful to stay your path if you bushwack. If you don’t bushwack, continue another 0.78 miles on the unmarked loop trail to the three-way intersection, then turn right and go 500 feet, returning to the Long Path. Make a right on the blue blazed Long Path and continue across the ridge for a mile before descending 2.3 miles back to the DEC parking area and your car.

Scenery: 10/10

Video from Hurricane Ledge, Kaaterskill HP: