Home ⎟Hikes & Wanderings ⎟New York⎟Catskill Edition⎟North Point + Stoppel Point + Ashley Falls

Distance: 8.5 miles

Time: 5.5 hours

Difficulty: Moderately Strenuous

★ Includes Artist’s Rock, Sunset Rock & Newman’s Ledge

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Description: This hike begins in the North-South Lake Campground in Palenville, NY about 20 minutes from the NYS Thruway.  North-South Lake is lies on a 2,250 feet escarpment above the Hudson Valley.  On the hike up North Mountain to North Point, views abound to the East beyond the Hudson River all the way to Massachusetts, and South over the escarpment.  You’re basically overlooking a large lake on top of a mountain in a valley, it’s pretty spectacular and well worth the effort.  Admittedly I thought this hike would be easier than it was, but it was quite challenging, taking 1.5 hours longer than initially predicted. I’d do it again in a heartbeat, and will once the fall foliage is in full force.

Hike Directions: From the North-South Lake Campground beach parking lot, walk back down the road you drove in on for a few hundred feet to a building with vending machines and restrooms.  Turn directly to the RIGHT (and away from the building) as you enter the woods on an unmarked but clearly visible spur path that leads to the BLUE-BLAZED Long Path.  Once you hit the Blue Blazes turn LEFT to follow them north to the first views from Artist’s Rock.  Continue beyond Artist’s Rock to an intersection with the YELLOW-BLAZED Ledges Trail that takes you to Sunset Rock, one of the most beautiful views of the whole hike.  From here, you can see Kaaterskill High Peak, the escarpment, as well as North-South Lake & North Mountain. After taking in the views, retrace your steps and turn RIGHT back onto the Blue Blazes.  Continue to Newman’s Ledge, providing views similar to Artist’s Rock, yet more expansive.  From here you’ll re-enter the woods to the RIGHT, sticking to the BLUE BLAZES and all the way to North Point, which provides views similar to Sunset Rock, just higher up and farther away, with the Hudson River winding like a silk thread around the Eastern side of the Escarpment. From North Point, continue to the summit of North Mountain (just 180 more feet!), then continue to Stoppel Point just half a mile beyond the summit. Retrace your steps back to North Point, and continue down to the intersection with the RED-BLAZED Mary’s Glen Trail.  Turn RIGHT to follow the RED BLAZES to Ashley Falls (a YELLOW-BLAZED spur trail to your LEFT).  After Ashley falls, find the Red Blazes and continue down the mountain to the campground road.  From here you’ll turn LEFT and continue back to your car.