Weekend of November 4th

A warm weekend is in store for the Catskills! Expect mostly sunny skies Friday and partly cloudy skies Saturday then turning overcast and rainy at times on Sunday. Foliage is past peak in the Catskills with noticeable leaf loss on trees and mountain ranges. You can still catch beautiful foliage views, though, with yellows, greens, browns, and the occasional pop of red remaining. Trails will be mostly dry but use caution where leaves have fallen. Leaves can become slick which causes a falling hazard. The trails may still be muddy in some spots, and temperatures are steadily becoming cooler, especially at night. Be sure to stick to trails and walk directly through mud puddles to reduce trail widening impacts.

Trail Conditions: A warm weekend is in store for the Catskills! Expect mostly sunny skies Friday and partly cloudy skies Saturday then turning overcast and rainy at times on Sunday. Foliage is past peak in the Catskills with noticeable leaf loss on trees and mountain ranges. You can still catch beautiful foliage views though with yellows, greens, browns, and the occasional pop of red remaining. Trails will be mostly dry but use caution where leaves have fallen. Leaves can become slick which causes a falling hazard. The trails may still be muddy in places, and temperatures are steadily becoming cooler, especially at night. Be sure to stick to trails and walk directly through mud puddles to reduce trail widening impacts. Prepare for your hike with boots, ankle gaiters, and trekking poles to ensure easy travel through the middle of muddy sections.

Sunrise is at 7:33am and sunset is at 5:47pm. Always bring a headlamp or flashlight with you and never rely solely on your phone flashlight.

Weekend Weather Forecast (reporting for Mt. Tremper, NY): Friday: Sunny skies except for a few clouds in the afternoon with temperatures hitting 69 degrees. Winds SW at 5-10mph. Friday night: Overnight temperatures around 56 degrees with increasing clouds. Saturday: A high of 70 degrees with mostly cloudy skies and a 24% chance of rain. Winds SW at 5-10mph. Saturday night: Overcast with showers at times overnight with temperatures settling around 59 degrees with a 50% chance of rain. Sunday: Expect considerable cloudiness with rain showers early, with near record high temps of 70 degrees. Chance of rain 60%. Winds S at 5-10mph. Sunday night: Mostly cloudy skies early with a high of 56 degrees and a 24% chance of rain. Source: Weather.com

THIS WEEK’S HIKING TIP: DISPOSE OF WASTE PROPERLY.

• Pack it in, pack it out. Inspect your campsite, food preparation areas, and rest areas for trash or spilled foods. Pack out all trash, leftover food and litter.
• Utilize toilet facilities whenever possible. Otherwise, deposit solid human waste in catholes dug 6 to 8 inches deep, at least 200 feet from water, camp, and trails. Cover and disguise the cathole when finished.
• Pack out toilet paper and hygiene products.
• To wash yourself or your dishes, carry water 200 feet away from streams or lakes and use small amounts of biodegradable soap. Scatter strained dishwater.

Catskills Fire Tower Challenge 2022: the DEC has announced the return of the Catskill Fire Tower Challenge for 2022! Starting on January 1st, 2022, and going through December 31st, 2022, hikers can earn a prize and a certificate for completing all six of the fire towers in the Catskill Park: Overlook, Red Hill, Balsam Lake, Mount Tremper, Hunter, and the Upper Esopus. Learn more by visiting the Catskill Fire Tower Project website and the DEC’s Fire Tower Challenge website.

I Love NY Fall Foliage Report:

Hunting Season Notices: Regular hunting season has ended, however, some small game is still in season.  Please review the DEC hunting season map for specific information.

Fishing Season Notices: 

• From October 16th to March 31st, trout fishing is permitted for catch and release only. Valid fishing licenses and artificial lures are required.
• From April 1st to October 15th, trout fishing is permitted for harvesting with a valid fishing license. Three fish are allowed per day, with one over 12″.

Trail Register Information: (the books found inside metal boxes at the start of all hiking trails): The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation encourages all visitors to continue to sign in and out at trail registers. These provide important information on trail usage and hiker safety.

Seasonal Roads and Trailhead Closures: The following are seasonal roads and are not maintained during winter months and are generally closed from November to April 15th of each year:

• Platte Clove Road – Indian Head Wilderness (Town of Hunter)  – closed November 1st to April 15th
• Roaring Kill Road – Indian Head Wilderness (Town of Hunter)
• Big Hollow Road – Windham-Blackhead Range Wilderness (Town of Windham)
• Russell Brook Road – Delaware Wild Forest (Town of Colchester)
• Mary Smith Road – Delaware Wild Forest (Town of Colchester)
• Ploutz Road – Dry Brook Wild Forest (Town of Middletown)
• Molly Smith Trailhead on Route 23A – Kaaterskill Wild Forest (Town of Hunter)
  DEC recommends visitors access Kaaterskill Falls by parking at the Laurel-House Road, Schutt Road, or South Lake parking areas.

Temporary Closures: The following destinations are closed in the Catskills. For any information or clarification, please feel free to call (845) 688-3369 or email info@catskillcenter.org:

– DEC has temporarily stopped issuing permits for backcountry camping for groups of 10 or more (link to: the DEC’s website). As of June 11, the DEC resumed issuing permits for groups of fewer than 10 people who would like to stay for more than three nights at one location on state lands. DEC is also temporarily restricting lean-to use to members of a single household at a time.

• 511NY road closure map (updated daily)
• Catskills Trail Conditions Facebook Group (updated regularly by locals and visitors to the area)
• Catskills 3500′ Club Facebook homepage with updates
• Ulster County Road Closures

Doubletop and Graham Access: As of Wednesday, January 13th, 2021 public access to the two peaks, Doubletop and Graham Mountain ended. We at Catskill Center are thankful to the landowners who have made their property accessible to hikers for many years and respect their decision. The Catskill 3500′ Club has decided that the remaining 33 peaks will make up the collection of Catskill mountains to be hiked for membership of the club.

Carry It In, Carry It Out: The Catskill Park is a carry it in, carry it out park—please be sure to hike out all of your trash and dispose of it properly! Note that most trails will not have any garbage receptacles. Always be prepared to take any garbage back in your car with you.  

Weather: Be aware of and prepared for changing weather conditions in the Catskills. Stay current with the National Weather Service Weather Forecast. The NY Mesonet has stations in and just outside of Catskills that provide real time weather data and forecasts. Hudson Valley Weather provides detailed forecasts for the Hudson Valley and the Catskills.

In An Emergency: Report backcountry emergencies, such as lost or injured hikers and forest fires to the DEC Forest Rangers at 518-408-5850 or call 911.

The Congressman Maurice D. Hinchey Catskills Visitor Center (CVC) hosts a weather station in the MesoWest Network. Check the current weather conditions. The Center is located at 5096 Route 28 in Mt Tremper, NY. The Visitor Center building is open from 9:30 am-4:00 pm Trails open from dawn to dusk. Email us at the Catskills Visitor Center: info@catskillcenter.org, or call us at (845) 688-3369. The Center’s online store carries trail maps, trail guides, and more for purchase.

Most Recent Trail Update | NYSDEC Catskill Backcountry Info | CVC Online Gift Shop

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