In any event, thar be Kaaterskill Falls: 260 feet of two-tiered awesomeness. The entrance to the trail that leads to Kaaterskill Falls is located on … It’s free to park and clearly marked for Kaaterskill Falls. This is an easy hike along a well marked trail to the viewing platform and lower falls that experienced hikers and newcomers alike will enjoy. Thanks for being awesome! The Kaaterskill Falls hike almost a “rite of passage” hike for Catskill hikers. Hope you enjoyed your trip! The Deadly Waterfall in the Instagram Age. So there’s no more construction going on? The New York-New Jersey Trail Conference offers concise, excellent advice on hiking during this crisis here: The New Hiking How-tos. 6. My wife and I hiked around the blue trail up to Inspiration Point and came back around Beautiful pictures and great info. See these tragic headlines that occurred after the initial safety improvements (more fencing and signage were added in late 2017): I do not know the individual circumstances in all of these incidents, but when you read many of these stories, a common thread emerges: almost all (maybe exactly all?) Wonderful views and a fantastic short and easy 20 minute hike. Always wear proper footwear, and use caution near ledges. I think a reasonable answer is: No, as long as you stick to the trail, you are not at risk any more than you would be on any other hike. Very dangerous, coming down was more difficult than going up. Thanks for taking the time to drop by and share your concerns. That quote was in reference to the surprising amount of traffic buzzing right past Kaaterskill Falls on a cold November evening, but I understand your frustration with some of the most popular natural places around here being crowded. I think the falls around here are a little low at the moment (they could probably tell you at the guard shack to North-South Lake), but it’s a gorgeous spot even when they’re not roaring. A friend of mine just posted this and I was happy to come across it. Wow, harsh much? **WARNING** While most Hudson Valley parks and trails have reopened, there are still a few notable closures and parking restrictions to be aware of. I was there with my siblings and great friends. And whatever you do, don’t attempt to hike Kaaterskill Falls Trail in your high-heels. So would u do this instead of the normal hike or would you do this as well to take u behind and to the top viewing of the falls? Kaaterskill Falls is one of the Catskills most famous and frequented destinations. Kaaterskill Falls Trail is a 2.6 mile heavily trafficked out and back trail located near Elka Park, New York that features a waterfall and is rated as moderate. Following the signs from the upper viewing area, the trail passes through the woods and past an area where a hotel once stood decades ago. Hudson Valley trail closures and parking restrictions due to COVID-19. Kaaterskill Falls is a beautiful double falls located in the Catskills. Here’s the view from Inspiration Point if anyone is curious, definitely worth going out there! Quick Note: When you park, if you have to park along the road, stay to the right of the white line. WHAT A VIEW!! had a great time. You did a fine job presenting this amazing location, Kaaterskill Falls. Kaaterskill Falls Trail Map & North/South Lake Map provided by the Trail Conference This free map of the area around Kaaterskill Falls and North/South Lake in the Catskill Forest Preserve is provided by the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference. What a thrill to see the falling water and the rock mountain as your drone slowly ascends and descends. Does anyone have still images or video clips of the Historical Carvings on the rocks? If you click the links to read about the individual accidents here, the problems invariably occur when people venture off-trail. Here’s one great way: Visit the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference homepage and click on Volunteer, Donate, or Shop! Before heading out for your next adventure, please check my Hudson Valley trail closures and parking restrictions due to COVID-19 page to make sure that your intended destination is open. Always looking to get the word out about safety and access, so thanks for having that information out there. Drive down to the large parking lot. Stay on the joint Escarpment Trail/Kaaterskill Falls Trail until you reach a fork. I think the thing I most appreciate about the time and effort put into this site is being able to judge whether a chosen hike will pleasantly challenge my abilities or if it ventures into the do-not-do-this-you-will-have-a-stroke-and-die range. Cars will be expecting you to walk along the left side of the road, so that’s where you should try to be. While the trail guide below is still perfectly valid, I recommend you check out my updated trail guide for Kaaterskill Falls II (upper trailhead), which is, in my opinion, a much better route. The quick, steep climb is totally worth it once you reach the 260 foot cascade and pool at the end. I dunno who wrote this (the Kaaterskill Falls review), but it’s a BRILLIANT piece of nature writing. from the Balsam Lake fire towe, or the winter scene of the Ashokan from Wittenberg. All the railings, stairways and WARNING! We opted for the upper lot which was pretty packed. We are interested in using some shots of the Historical Carvings in a new TV series. I send out a hello to my old Levittown New York friends who joined me at this special place on earth.! Whammo! 3. Come prepared in order to make the most of your trip. Thanks so much for sharing! Your email address will not be published. Cliff ledges, steep rocky trails and rocks made slippery from a nearby waterfall’s spray are dangerous. I can tell you having grown up here, I am always amazed and in awe of this area. There is a fair amount of parking. Inspiration Point was the best East facing view I’ve seen so far in the Catskills. Hiking to Kaaterskill Falls – Walking the Hwy 23A Road. And if you give it a go, I hope you all have a great time! I thank you for this write up and the great pictures presented here. We hustled to get off the road as quick as we could, slightly harried and very surprised at the volume of traffic in a pretty remote area. A little muddy and wet as we got towards the fall. After the bridge the trail is on the right. Hi there! Background you can feel free to skip: If you’re the kind of person who likes a good waterfall and you haven’t visited Kaaterskill Falls yet, you really should get in the car right now and just start driving toward the trailhead. People often underestimate this hike since it’s officially only a half-mile to the falls from the trailhead. Drive past the overcrowded and dangerous parking lot up from the lower trail head. Took the trail to the base of the Falls, and decided to try and scale the slope on the right, to reach the middle ridge. Enjoyed all the peoples initials and dates-including a couple of old artists.One more item, 2 teens were sitting on the edge,to the right of the stream,legs dangling, just “shootin’ the breeze”-crazy, crazy! Going to the Falls was great but it’s a short up and back that left us wanting more. We parked at the Laurel House lot thanks to Jennifer’s comment…. You just visited the awesomest one of all. Drivers here are generally respectful, and they expect to see hikers along this section, but to me, it’s not an ideal way to start and end a hike. Great views, was very muddy in certain areas. Sorry for being such a downer. You can also subscribe without commenting. They’ve put in some excellent carriage road style trails down to a nice, safe viewing platform for the upper falls (marked as .3 miles from the parking lot) and there is also a trail about .4 miles down to the bottom of the falls from this area. Or there they are? **UPDATE August 2018** The DEC has adopted some new common-sense safety regulations at Kaaterskill Falls that shouldn’t at all affect the behavior of responsible hikers, including staying six feet from cliffs edges, not entering the water within 150 feet and the top of the falls, and not being allowed to play music except with earbuds (thanks especially for that one, DEC!). Thanks for the awesome guide. With the exception of last weekend, we haven’t had much rain since then, so I don’t expect the situation would be too much improved now. Hi, Deeeon! I thank you so much for this drone video.! on the yellow trail before visiting the observation deck and making our way down to the lower falls. Subscribe: Notify me of follow-up comments via e-mail. Bastion Falls - ~0.5 miles roundtrip, three drops, located on Route 23A trail to Kaaterskill Falls; Ashley Falls - 0.6 miles roundtrip, scenic, located via Mary Glen Trail I wouldn’t say we were hiking, but we were there for hours, relaxing and imbibing the beauty and the peace of the extraordinary place. I just couldn’t leave writing of this quality without a comment! I’m having a hard time finding the official policy on swimming here, but I believe that if it was ever legal to swim here, that must have been a long time ago. Great lesson in: write what you feel. At the intersection with the trail to Layman’s monument, walk to the right trail There is a new 200 step staircase to get you down to the money shot. As a bonus, after you visit the falls it’s only 1.2 miles out to Inspiration Point from the top of the steps leading down to the falls. Yes, there are joys to behold: I remember watching sunrise over Slide Mtn. Trails was mostly good, a kilter mud in some areas but easy to walk through or around. From there, went back to my vehicle and drove around to the top of the Falls. Thank you! It is a 5 minute walk on a wheelchair accessible carriage path to the new viewing platform. Hi, Jennifer and Joel! Thank you, Jean! The improvements here have made this hike so much better, and the money spots so much more accessible. There is no “safe” mountain hike when you are wearing flip flops, flats, most sandals, and most tennis shoes. Hi, Pure Logik! Please stay on the trail. Reco parking at the the Scott road parking lot. That warning is still tragically relevant. I have no idea where or how I missed it, but the tape indicated that it was some kind of trail or whathaveyou that I was on.. anyone know?? I was wondering does anyone know what the orange tape around the trees is? This trail is a short hike to a waterfall. I’ve updated the beginning of the trail guide with a link to your comment. Especially after the rainfall we had on the previous day. In about 20 minutes, there it is. Seems a bit longer then that.. I’ve never seen or heard of tape used as a trail marker – probably because it can be easily removed. You approach from the top of the falls, rather than the bottom, and can access both the top and bottom of the falls without having to hike along the road. While my first Kaaterskill trail guide is still perfectly valid, the construction around the upper trailhead at Kaaterskill Falls have made that old route, in my opinion, totally obsolete.. One more note of caution: Kaaterskill Falls is not a well-kept secret. (Then you can volunteer, donate, or shop, depending on your mood.). Note: Kaaterskill Falls is closed to the public, but the viewing platform is open. You can wade in the lower pool or climb to the viewing area at the top, but that’s it for now. Makes for a great weekend trip from New York City. I’ve seen photos of the platform at the top of the falls, and it looks fantastic, but can’t find anything official on the completion of the other work. However, it is no longer necessary to park on 23A and take your chances in traffic! A major lowlight for this hike is that it encompasses perhaps my least favorite trail section in the entire Hudson Valley, which is the 5-minute walk from the parking area to the trailhead along Route 23A. Here’s an update from the DEC that I just stumbled upon — looks like there’s still a ton of work going on there now: https://www.facebook.com/NYSDEC/posts/10154171081585956, 2.63 miles from the parking lot to the platform and back. It’s super easy and fun to make this ‘easy’ hike into 5+ miles with some rocks to climb up. I have included that setting in one of my paintings-“The Land of the Mohican”. Pingback: NYC Escapes: Your Ultimate Catskills Weekend - Jessie on a Journey, Pingback: 50 Things to Do in Westchester This Fall - Wee Westchester. Although there’s a lot of hiking around the water, swimming is also discouraged. Kaaterskill Falls is the most popular trail hiked in the Catskill Mountains. I managed to do this hike in October 2013 so at the time, the only option I had to experience Kaaterskill Falls was to do a two-mile round-trip hike from the so-called “lower trailhead”. Jennifer! Marked Kaaterskill Falls Trail Head on the map, this is the beginning of the 1 mile round trip hike on the Yellow Trail to Kaaterskill Falls. The trails are narrow and steep and the rocks can be slippery. It’s an awesome spot if you’re up for it! Nice! Chicago teen Abraham Mendoza dies in fall from N.Y. waterfall, Dutchess County woman, 23, falls 180 feet to her death in Greene County; 2nd fatal accident on trail this summer, New York-New Jersey Trail Conference homepage, https://hikethehudsonvalley.com/hikes/kaaterskill-falls-ii-upper-trailhead/, NYC Escapes: Your Ultimate Catskills Weekend - Jessie on a Journey, 50 Things to Do in Westchester This Fall - Wee Westchester, https://www.facebook.com/NYSDEC/posts/10154171081585956, http://www.watershedpost.com/2015/kaaterskill-falls-closed-summer-2015, http://nynjtc.org/map/catskill-destinations-kaaterskill-falls-trail-map, Another nice write-up (with user comments) on. I”ve hiked the Catskills for the past 40 years and live about 30 minutes from the falls. If you stay on the marked trails, there is no greater danger here than you’ll find on your average staircase. I still today carry the vibe of the river and these mountains. Spending hours relaxing at the first pool below, wine, cheese, sandwiches etc. The same hubris that leads them to hike in flip-flops makes them ignore safety warnings – “It won’t happen to me” or “That doesn’t apply to me” is the mindset. Even after the improved signage, trail extensions, and safety fencing were installed, several people have gotten killed or hurt here. The hike to Kaaterskill Falls is short at 1.4 miles roundtrip, and hikers are strongly encouraged to stick to the marked path due to the treacherously slippery rocks located at the top of the falls. Finally! A good hike, workout on the legs. it was beautiful. It goes to North/South lake campground but before the campground is Laurel Road. The falls are amazing! The views are absolutely incredible! You can also get directions by checking out the Kaaterskill Falls entry on the HiketheHudsonValley.com Google map. Is it safe to carry her with us to revisit? Specifically famous ones like one from Ulysses S Grant? We just missed each other — I brought the kids here on Saturday, and they loved it. Snowy day, very slippery. Happy Trails. Eventually it was all down hill and I stopped passing people and thought “he says stay on the yellow trail but the yellow trail is getting really hard to distinguish.” I eventually saw old, faded orange tape around the trees that marked a “trail” that I followed. It’s a very safe spot for panoramic photos of the mountains. To get to the plunge pool at the bottom of the main falls go back up the carriage road and you will come to a new footbridge on your right that takes you safely across the stream. This hike’s location and length makes it popular, and it may seem like an easy, “safe” hike. Advanced features of this website require that you enable JavaScript in your browser. Parked along highway and walk up to entrance and was met by a nice waterfall and a challenging beginning. Are the trails open all year round? I know it’s been dry lately so I wanted to know if the falls were worth going to right now. New York State Division of Tourism, One Commerce Plaza , Albany, NY, 12245, Phone: 518-474-4116 This is a historically significant location painted by Thomas Cole as well as other artists of the Hudson River School. Stay safe. I urge anyione with a senser of awe and adevntulre to come here and have awesome memories iof their stay; but please, prepare yourself and gailn experience before you tackle the terrain that awailts you. We are looking to do this hike next weekend? The parking area is busy due to this being one of the more popular hiking trails in the Hudson Valley, so arrive early. Look sharp out there while supporting the trails! **UPDATE May 2018**  The DEC has made several recent trail and safety improvements at Kaaterskill Falls. I am planning to visit the falls in July…hopefully! Both trailheads can take you to the same destinations, but the upper trailhead is a much friendlier approach to the falls, no car-dodging required. Beautiful!!! (You can see my trail guide for Kaaterskill’s upper trailhead for more details on the platform and scenery at the top.). Although the tragedies that occur each year at Kaaterskill seem to garner the headlines, there is no shortage every year of the mountains claiming the lives of the unwary or unprepared. Started at the viewing platform then made the trek to the lower falls. Will follow your recommendations on my next visit and get this trail guide updated one of these days, hopefully soonish. Favorite waterfall hike in the area!Beautiful trail along the water leading up to a stunning waterfall and not too crowded. I understand why they have to do it because it is a narrow road. Wear high visibility during darker hours. I can’t recall how the trail was like and not sure if bringing our one year old is possible. Do not park illegally or you may get towed. Great views to be had even away from the falls. But, at high water you will see the same view as the pictures displayed below. Hike through Kaaterskill National Forest to New York's tallest waterfall at 260 feet. I will work on getting that hike written up here as soon as I can. A family friendly walk in the woods to see an awesome waterfall! Hi Kylie — Here’s a link to a shot from the site’s Facebook page that shows the falls slowed to a trickle on August 30. It takes advantage of all the new awesomeness at Kaaterskill Falls, and saves you the road walk detailed below. Although this is a super short hike, it is definitely a tough one! Whatever route you choose, happy adventuring out there! There’s a tiny bit of mild rock scrambling and a few warm up views on the way out to the Point. This was a week day, no other hikers around. There are two parking areas, the lower one has the better views but required more trekking. A piece of advice for anyone traveling a distance and would like to do a little more hiking in the area. I’ve visited Kaaterskill a few times, and during 2016 the upper trail was closed for maintenance. Hi Albert — I have lugged my own child on my back up this trail, and it was great, but I certainly wouldn’t make a blanket recommendation for everyone to do the same. First time ever seeing Kaaterskill falls, they are beautiful, but can be fatal, so please be safe and wear hiking sneakers. Does anyone know how many miles it is from the base enterence up the overlook and back? Highly recommend yaktrax, very slippery in some areas. The Catskill mountains are beautiful in all season’s and can keep you coming back year after year. Also, I had just driven an hour and a half and wasn’t ready to go home yet! The New York Times also covered these new regulations in this article: “The Deadly Waterfall in the Instagram Age.“. We visited on July 23 and the platform is completed at the top of the falls. Had to pay $200 plus the $50 ticket, BEWARE. Today a friend and I did the entire thing and would love to know .. Hi, Amanda! Kaaterskill Falls - 1.4 miles, moderate. Sorry for the late response here, Leslie, but I can confirm that everything is open now. I would not go without good traction shoes. Moderate hike. Today was in the 40s and there was no ice or snow on the trail. We need to get out more. Wonderful writing! The falls can slow to a trickle, so you’d be best to come here in a different season, or after there’s been some decent rain.). Continue up the hill another .3 miles to find the large parking area on your left. We are NOT serious hikers, but I am looking for an easy morning walk before lunch in nearby Woodstock. This 1 1/2 mile trek to the top of Kaaterskill Falls is on a flat path that starts behind the Mountain Top Historical Society on Rte 23A. 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