hunter mountain hiking trails

The trail here is wide and relatively flat, luring you into forgetting that youre climbing a mountain. It took me seven minutes to arrive at the next junction, with the Yellow Trail. IMO, dawn is the best time to be on a mountain. I stood by the cabin, using it as a wind break. There are no blazes or signs on this side-quest and its possible to wander off trail so do not proceed with this part of the hike unless youre completely confident with your ability to navigate your way out of trouble on a mountain. In daylight hours, with friends and stops for selfies, you might well allow 2-2 hrs to get to the summit. Maybe there are better Catskill views somewhere else. The Kaaterskill Rail Trail (KRT phase 1) opened in 2013 after years of planning and fundraising. This was the view from the tower at 5:59 am, about half an hour before dawn. See Mirandas helpful comment below for a picture of the new-and-improved bridge, which is now large enough to serve as troll habitat.). Thank you for such a thorough and fun description. Cold Gear Want to report conditions for this trail? Ranked 6 out of 10 in intensity, this tour is perfect for: Experienced outdoor enthusiasts and hikers Intermediate hikers Fit adventurers This 8.2-mile trail included steep ascends and stunning unobstructed views from a historic fire tower. Notify me of follow-up comments via e-mail. Tremper review). All of that said, I feel like you might wanna do one of those things where you repeat certain warnings and caveats to your readers who are prone to skipping to the good bits (you know, like Mr. We rested as often going down as we had on the way up. I just did this hike on 10/31. From this junction, keep heading straight/right on the Blue Trail. 16. It is the second-highest mountain in the Catskills, after Slide Mountain. Im impressed that your eight-year-old son successfully did this one sounds like his hiking career is off to an awesome start . Take a left onto 214 and in just under a mile you'll see the trailhead parking for the Becker Hollow Route. Back on the trail, there are many wet spots on this side of Hunter Mountain. Anyway, on this Labor Day, even in the early hours, the parking lot was already quite full; a lot of people had obviously decided to camp out that weekend in the Catskills Wilderness. (The Snowshoe Basics post includes a list of places to buy or rent snowshoes.). From the falls, continue downhill and walk out alongside the West Kill river until you pass the West Kill trailhead. Great conditions for a hike and the view from the top was well worth the effort! Good infoso you made it up and down in three hours? - Mary Smith Road Someone in the party should go for help. Return to the junction behind the cabin. Keep them clean. From the exit travel east on route 23 to route 9W South which will take you onto 23A West. Hunter Mountain Trail (1.7 miles, yellow makers): The Hunter Mountain Trail connects the Devil's Path to the summit of Hunter Mountain. Absolutely not! Your comment made my day today, Darren thank you so much! 13. Using loud, boisterous, indecent, threatening, abusive, or insulting language. More. Youll come back to this spot. Yea about that, it was a real butt kicker of a hike though. Your feedback makes this site better. Had to go down parts backwards. The tower! DEC Backcountry Info. To the left, the trail leads down the east side of Hunter via the very steep and rugged Devils Pathto Stony Clove Notch. The higher we climb, the more fragile the environment. Similar Entries In:Catskills, The Moderate Hikes, Fire Tower Hikes, Hunter, Scenic, Single-Peak Hikes, Subscriber Content, Winter. This is the most difficult route up Hunter Mountain, but also the shortest climbing 2,000 feet in just 2 miles! Youll hear running water from the stream that passes next to it. Clouds rolled in. To the right, a short spur trail (yellow) leads to a nice overlook. My network is Verizon. Windham High Peak - This moderate out-and-back trail provides for great views from the top that stretch many miles through the Catskills. Catskill Visitor Center Reports As for this hike, as of this post the firehouse hut at the top has been re-opened and staffed which is nice to see. Tremper! - Beaverkill Road Elevations range from approximately 600 feet to 4200 feet. Developing the former rail bed into a public trail had been envisioned over many decades and thanks to the dedication of residents, not-for-profit organizations and government agencies, the trail officially opened on National Trails Day in June 2013. Hunters summit is enormous. So I was left with figuring out how to hike on my day off wednesday ( my bday) on my own. Here is what the junction looks like in daylight. 76 trails with 1 photos [Skip to Content] close. Thank you so much for all of the details (and humor!) - Roaring Kill Road Thanks for all the work you put in to this site. Mt. My husband and I are close to 60 years old. Winter Gear 2778 Spruceton Rd Lexington, Town of NY 12492. Instead, turn right and follow the red blazes of the Devils Path toward the Lean-To, South West Hunter and back toward Spruceton. The views are worth the effort. Use the logs people have dropped to make your way across. There was 2 volunteers there, in the fire tower we talked with John, who is a volunteer. Its a little steep, and there is a small rock channel to pass through, but the lean-to is obvious and easy to find. (I also got up before the crack of dawn and arrived at the trailhead just before daybreak, so if you wake up at a sane time, youll probably have more company up there.). Take me to food. Reaching 4,046-feet, Hunter Mountain is the Catskills' second highest peak. There is a wealth of area hiking information including maps, trail descriptions, photos and more on the internet. Standing in front of this sign, youve now climbed 1,708 feet over 1.9 miles. Total Distance 44 miles Total Descent Distance 24 miles Total Descent This is the easiest route to climb Hunter Mountain. You may be able to pinpoint it on a map, or aid rescuers in doing so. The landowner has granted permission to use the trail, but he requests that the public do not camp, picnic, hunt or fish on his property. As it was, the ascent was so easy, I managed to scoot up to the summit in just 1h 45m. Follow the blue blazes. Clean droppings away from trail and camping areas. Personally, Id rather climb the extra 300 and chop off three miles, but you can find a nice write-up of the Spruceton Road route on this trail guide from CatskillMountaineer.com. Hunter Mountain Hiking Trail. If it is open you could climb the fire tower at the top for 360 degree views including down towards the Hunter Mountain Ski area far below (it's a small ski resort). Forecasts The views were great from the fire tower. Cha-ching! Instead we ate by the creak right after the old dam at the bottom, which is a beautiful place to stop. Note: The hike detailed below shows you the shortest, steepest route to the top of Hunter Mountain. Sorta nearby address for your GPS: As far as I can tell, they dont appear to be too big on addresses out this way, but Bear Creek Landing Restaurant is right on the intersection of Rt 214 and Rt 23A. My hiking time formula projected 2h 30m to get to the summit, so I parked at the Hunter Mountain trailhead at 3:45am. No conditions reported in the past 7 days. However, this was in the dark so I didnt stop much, or take many photos, and I didnt visit the John Robb Lean-To which I hear is lovely. Get Directions Hunter Mountain via Spruceton Trail Catskill Park This loop hike climbs to the second-highest peak in the Catskills, with outstanding views from the fire tower at the summit and from several other viewpoints along the trail. Just did this hike today, 10/23/21. Lots of leaves covering loose rocks so walking with caution is advised. Popular Hunter's Creek Mountain Biking Trails status title difficulty rating; CT - Hunter's Creek: East Green New: East Green: Lower North Red . 5. Bring a camera and high expectations, but you can leave your snowboard at home. (UPDATE June 2019: This bridge has been rebuilt since my visit. In terms of difficulty, this loop straddles the upper end of moderate and the lower end of difficult. These sections are posted with signs stating that the trail is on private land. Arrive as early as you can, especially on busy weekends or public holidays. Due to the topography of this region, major water supplies tend to be found only in the lower elevations. They are taking precautions with letting only one group up the firetower at a time, so i would recommend getting there a bit on the early side to avoid a line. These streams and occasional springs are the only available water supply. You can verify that youre going the right way in just a moment, when youll stroll across a large, flat rock, and pick up a blue blaze entering the woods on the far side. When the snow is fresh and deeper than 8, or not packed down hard, always wear snowshoes. That shouldnt take too long, eh? Was a nice day with blue skies and puffy clouds. These streams and occasional springs are the only available water supply. Next time through I'd prefer taking my time as it's a 2000 ft climb in about 2 miles. You did it! On this trip we will summit West Kill Mountain and Hunter Mountain. Thanks for the great review. Hunter Mountain - Take the Scenic Skyride to the summit and walk the short distance to the large carving of . Hunter Mountain via Becker Hollow Trail Catskill Park This hike follows the shortest but steepest route to the summit of Hunter Mountain, the second highest mountain in the Catskills. Overlook doesnt have much of a view, steep terrain. Amazing fall color and cold temps- snow flurries yesterday! Its just a straightforward uphill hike. Impatient yours truly). Long grueling uphill with no breaks. The hike from Diamond Notch up West Kill is similarly lovely and offers the amazing view from Buck Ridge Lookout. All Rights Reserved.Mountain-Hiking.com is a designICU project. If that lot is full, you can try the lot for West Kill which is about 1000 ft further down the road, on the right. After reaching the summit so much ahead of dawn, I kicked myself for not bringing my tripod. Can't wait to do it again. Disclosure: Links to external websites on this page may be affiliate links. Yes, the warnings about rattlesnakes should be taken seriously. Do not widen the trail. I should warn readers that it is difficult when ice forms on these steep hills. Easy start, rocks get bigger and bigger, scramble almost all the way with a lot of loose rocks covered by leaves right now until the last bit when its scramble and climb mix. The average is between 4 and 5. Welcome to the Hudson Valley! All of your descriptions of each hike have been spot on. We stopped counting how many breaks we were taking somewhere around 20. Now is a good time to start prepping your winter hiking gear. Elevations range from approximately 600 feet to 4200 feet. More Trail Conditions As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. New to the area, and have not connected with a new community of hikers yet. Don't wash dishes in streams. Cold Gear After 1.35 miles of steady descent, youll reach this junction. Sunset Apx:5:49 pm, Summit Weather Eventually, youre climbing up about a 40 degree slope for over 40 minutes and the trail is less of a trail and much more a path littered with medium sized thin stone shards hovering over marble like rocks splashed with plenty of running water and mud. Streams and springs are our only water supply. We got to the parking area at 10am and it was pretty much empty (so not that early even), when we finished at 1pm it was completely full. Old logging roads and jeep trails are not my favorite hiking terrain, so I was glad to be able to do the first few miles of this hike in the dark. Relentless is one way of describing it. (Make sure youre not following the Yellow Trail off into the wild green yonder, which would happen if you visited the ledge view, then accidentally turned right onto the Yellow Trail. The summit has a beautiful pine forest. 18. We finally made it to the top and boy oh boy was it worth it! If youre a machine, you can probably do it in 3.5 to 4 hours. I also stay active on Facebook and Twitter. this hike was NO JOKE!!! Did this hike yesterday. After a long hike, you might really enjoy tapping the 10 Best Post-Hike Hacks. From the parking lot (see Directions to the trailhead below), head over to the kiosk and see if you cant learn a thing or two. The top of this mountain has a little cabin, picnic table and a great fire tower you can climb for unbelievable views in all directions and down to the ski trails lower on the mountain. Relaxed with lunch at one of the picnic tables. Hello again, car! This moderate and very scenic hike can be completed in 3-5 hrs. Clouds were tearing overhead like waves of fluffy SUVs. Weve been coming to this site practically every weekend to get hiking ideas to keep us sane. The trail looks like it carries on straight, via an old road, so make sure to turn right and start heading up. The following roads are seasonal and are not maintained during winter months: On your recommendation, Ive added Mt. Sign in at the register, a very important safety protocol. Both lots serve very popular destinations, even in winter. See you there! I worried theyd ruin the dawn but I just waited it out. Start off on the Becker Hollow Trail. Conducting yourself in a manner suggesting immoral acts, or to be offensive or injurious to the morals of any person. Trails Mountain Bike 26 Trails Hike 28 Trails Trail Running 26. However, there were lots of loose rocks closer to the summit, as well as some deceptively muddy areas. So if you pop this landmark into your device, itll take you just one mile from the trailhead, then you can head southwest on 214 to the pulloff described in Directions to the trailhead above. But well marked. My network is Verizon. ), 9. They are dangerous. Thanks for making my day, Miranda! Hike Length: 6.9 miles (11.10 km) Total Ascent: 1,884ft (574m) Intensity: Moderate Catskills Hike Route Type: Out-and-Back Includes: Blazed Trail Parent : Hunter Hunter Mountain summit cabin Challenging trail but the view was worth the effort. (Well come back to this spot later via the other trail to complete the one-mile loop. Hiked Hunter 08/15/2018. Pack out what you pack in. Was this trail guide useful to you? Nice conversation with John, the volunteer at the fire tower, and his daughter. 4. (Unless you have a water filter with you in which case, happy pumping, and bottoms up!). Took us about an hour and a half to reach the summit. Lovely views on the fire tower; Not quite as nice as some Adirondack views, but the hike is every bit as hard. check out the hunter mtn overlook off the main trail at the top for pretty, leafier, views. Here, youll follow the sign straight ahead, toward State Rd. Last hiked 41 years ago what I remember it was tougher down than up. Somewhere between the John Robb spur and the junction for Colonels Chair, the pine smell hits hard. Explore this 4.7-mile out-and-back trail near Hunter, New York. Stuck behind a giant slow moving crane on Route 214 we randomly (ahem, impatiently) decided to check out the Hunter Mountain Fire Tower hike instead. Hike over Hunter's massive, gorgeous and super-scenic summit to descend via the Devil's Path for a rugged walk-out with a short side-quest to Southwest Hunter. Monday:Clear, windy, cold / 30s 20s. It took me two hours to get to the viewpoint. If an immobilizing injury happens to a member of your party: First aid should be administered and the injured person made as comfortable as possible. I cant speak to the overgrowth up top. Thank you so much, Karla! Fun underground stream heard but not seen along the way. Road Closures All features and obstacles are exciting enough to challenge and thrill beginner to intermediate levels of off-road enthusiasts. As the trail wraps underneath the tower, youll see a funky wooden structure straight ahead (I asked my friend about this, and he explained that this is a stand for making it easier to mount/dismount from a horse, to help make the Spruceton route up here more handicap-accessible, which is a pretty cool goal, and a better explanation than funky wooden structure), then youll emerge into the clearing with the rangers cabin and the tower. I fell dozens of times going down. This is the easiest route to climb Hunter Mountain. Perhaps five minutes after the bridge, youll see the remains of an old dam on your left. Very steep on the second half on the way up. So the trail was fine. We knew what to expect and planned accordingly. Thanks for continued great reads, and a very happy trails! Im kinda jealous, you have so many great spots to see for the first time. Not too buggy. The alternatequick route (up and down via the Spruceton trail) is moderate 7 miles. For speed hikers, its only a few hours. If you do encounter a bear, try to frighten it away by shouting, banging pots & pans, or blowing whistles. Be mindful of your knees, while going down. This trail will really put it to you, but the views at the top are amazing. Order Online. Friday:Sunny and windy / 30s Still went as high as I could and caught a beautiful view. We mistakenly thought the warm weather and rain would have obliterated the ice and snow. Lovely hike though challenging but worth it. Steep in parts. Inhale. Increasingly spotty again as you descend. Would I do it again? This guide to hiking in the Catskills is reproduced from a NYS Department of Environmental Conservation packet entitled "Catskill Trails.". I signed in and decided to snack and rest before the hike down to Diamond Notch. Accurate location of the injured person is the most important single fact needed by the rescuers. Stay on the main trail which turns into a dirt road. I pictured the chair lift dropping off people next to the fire tower all summer long, and having to elbow my way through the flip-flop-wearing masses to get to the view at the top. HUNTER MOUNTAIN HIKING TRAIL - 28 Photos - 2778 Spruceton Rd, West Kill, NY - Yelp Hunter Mountain Hiking Trail 3 reviews Unclaimed Hiking See 28 photos Black Dome Guide And Rough Riders Ranch Mountain Top Arboretum Mawignack Preserve Devils Path Ripvanwinkle Adventure Guides High Falls Conservation Area Comeau Trail Overlook Mountain Beautiful, uphill, and very windy at the top! Please allow at least 3 hours round trip for this moderate 4-mile hike. Locate your camp at least 150 feet away from the trail or water. When youre done letting your eyeballs marinate in the view, head back down. Need to Know Part of this route follows the Devil's Path Trail which is known for some gnarly sections, but there was no scrambling required on the stretch used here. Do you ever do any hikes in the Catskills or Adirondacks? If you got up ridiculously early this morning, you might even catch some leftover sunrise to your left, through the trees. Appreciate you taking the time to share here!

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