Western Catskills, NY - Palmer Hill Trail

 

ABOUT THE PARK:
Department of Environmental Protection and Catskill Mountain Club to Open Hiking Trail at Palmer Hill - NYC Environmental Protection

The trail register asks if you have an access permit.  It is not required for hiking but the DEP is interested in knowing if trail users have one.  You can apply online and print the permit right away, throw it in your backpack and you have it if you ever do need it.

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 42.195327, -74.743428

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Parking is at the scenic overlook.

TRAIL MAP:
Palmer Hill Trail Map - Catskill Mountain Club

HIKE DISTANCE:  3.6 miles
Hiked together with the Shavertown Trail - 5.4 miles about a 10 mile drive away.

THE HIKE:

This hike starts off with a bang at the Catskill High Peaks overlook.

Catskill High Peaks

The trail starts to the right of the sign on the mowed path.

Heading towards the power cut.

Don't forget to sign in at the trail register.

Farmstead Intersection

Taking the red Upper Meadow Loop first.  There are old stone walls in amazingly good condition.

Old growth trees really stand out among the younger trees.

This one must have been young when the wire fence was installed.

Views across the meadows when the trail exits the woods and if you look very closely a little to the left...

... you can check on your car in the parking lot!

A nice break spot with beautiful scenery.

Other visitors to the scenic overlook and there were actually several while I was watching from our break spot.

A few insects where still fluttering around.

Continuing on through the fields ...

... back to the Farmstead Intersection and ...

... on to the blue-blazed Lower Meadow Loop.

Awesome hike and awesome day.

Somebody had a great time.

Western Catskills, NY - Shavertown Trail

ABOUT THE PARK:
Department of Environmental Protection and Catskill Mountain Club Open Hiking Trail at Pepacton Reservoir - NYC Environmental Protection

The trail register asks if you have an access permit.  It is not required for hiking but the DEP is interested in knowing if trail users have one.  You can apply online and print the permit right away, throw it in your backpack and you have it if you ever do need it.

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 42.089376, -74.818613

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Parking is right at the Shavertown Bridge at the entrance to the boat lunch.

TRAIL MAP:
Shavertown Trail - New York New Jersey Trail Conference

HIKE DISTANCE:  5.4 miles
Hiked together with the Palmer Hill Trail - 3.6 miles, about a 10 mile drive away

THE HIKE:

It is a short road walk from the parking area to the beginning of the trail up ahead on the right.

Cross a little footbridge and sign in at the trail register.

The trail is blazed with red discs.

Uphill through saplings ...

... then the trail turns right on a woods road.

The woods road leads to a meadow with various weather instruments.

Snake Pond and scenic overlook intersection.

Scenic overlook of the Pepacton Reservoir.

Snake Pond

Continuing on.

I had intended to do this hike during peak foliage but missed it.  Must have happened very fast because the week before this area was "near peak" and the day before, just one week later, it was at "past peak" on the foliage map.  But it did allow for some views that otherwise would have been obstructed.

The loop at the end of the trail.

Some partial views to the north from the loop.

Heading back down.

Just had to stop at Snake Pond again on the way out because it was so peaceful and pretty.

The overlook bench across from Snake Pond.

Snake Pond

It was a good place to take a nap, too.

Nabbed a hitchhiker!

This appears to be an American Dagger Moth caterpillar.

Pepacton Reservoir view from a second bench.

Continuing on down ...

... through the meadow ...

... down the woods road ...

... through the saplings.

Since we had another hike to do and Shawnee won't eat breakfast on hiking days because she just gets oh so excited, I packed us a lunch and we walked down to the boat launch at the reservoir to eat.  Put chicken baby food in Shawnee's kibble to be sure she would eat and well, that does the trick :)

No chicken for me!  This has Trader Joe's beef-less ground beef in it and Shawnee tried to unsuccessfully mooch some.  See, it even fools a dog!

Shavertown Bridge from the boat launch.