Catskills, NY - Quarry Road-Inspiration Point-Harding Road Loop

ABOUT THE PARK: 

Kaaterskill Wild Forest - New York DEC

DIRECTIONS: 

GPS Coordinates 42.17655, -74.03047

Harding Road Parking off Route 23A

TRAIL MAP: 

Catskill Trails Map 141 - New York New Jersey Trail Conference

HIKE DISTANCE:  8.9 miles

THE HIKE: 

I don't normally hike in the Catskills in the winter but having seen a post a few days prior on the Catskill Trail Conditions Facebook page, it was noted that due to unseasonably warm temperatures, the trails used in this hike were clear of snow and ice.  

Taking the Harding Road Trail immediately going uphill at the gate.

Even Brodie found this old motor home strange along the trail.

The first half of the hike is pretty much uphill.

We would be returning from straight ahead, turning right in a minute, but first a stop at the trail register on the left just beyond the intersection.

Having returned to the intersection, left then at the fork, keeping left on the Quarry Trail which is only partially shown as a woods road with no name on the map.

No idea what this is but it looks fairly new. The sign says "Sorrentino's Range."

Beyond that building, the trail isn't clear like it had been up to this point but there was nothing difficult to get over.

The trail eventually becomes a footpath but it is easy to follow.

Passing old quarries where there was still some snow.

I was really glad this HUGE chunk of ice did not fall while we were passing by.

You can tell this was an old quarry road with lots of stone work still visible.

The winter views are very nice all along the ascent up the escarpment.

A view on the left then shortly thereafter ...

... Palenville Overlook.

There is even seating in front of the overlook.

To the right you can see and hear the crashing of waterfalls.

To the left Palenville and Route 28A down below with the Hudson River in the distance.

Continuing on...

... with a look back at the overlook.

Now the trail is marked with snowmobile and horse markers.  I saw no evidence of horse usage at all.  No hoof prints, no chunked up trails, no horse poop.

At this stone structure (not sure what it is) there is a faint trail to the left of it that leads to Indian Head.

Coming up on the Indian Head overlook ...

... the two resident Peregrine Falcons, known to dive bomb people, were circling.  That is until they saw Brodie then they took off.  Apparently they don't do dogs so we were safe.

Rock climbing ropes attached to the vertical surface.  Not in this lifetime!

We worked our way over to the left on some other faint paths and who did we find?

She did not look amused so we hurried on our way. I was actually zooming in to see if she was banded but she was not.

Heading back to ...

... that stone thing where we continued to the left.

A stretch of fairly flat trail for a while.

At the T-intersection we turned left.

Now the trail goes crazy steep uphill.  I had to wonder how it would be on a horse on this trail.  After all, it is a horse trail.

At the top the trail levels out again.

A tiny bit of a scramble.

After crossing the second waterfall there is an intersection with the Harding Road Trail at a sharp bend in that trail.  We would be returning to that point to descend after Inspiration Point.  For now straight on the Harding Road Trail

Left on the blue Escarpment Trail heading towards Inspiration Point.

We would be returning from straight ahead after looping around to Inspiration Point so for now, left on blue.

This trail was mostly wet and muddy from rain the previous day. 

Views from Inspiration Point.

Hunter Mountain Ski Area in the distance.

A short scramble along the way.

Turning right (this is looking back the way we came to see the sign) on the yellow trail.

This trail goes a short distance ...

... to where we turned right on the horse trail to take us back to the Harding Road Trail.

Passing by where we started the loop to Inspiration Point.

Now keeping right on the Harding Road Trail at the sharp bend.

Sometimes the surface is wobbly rocky, other times smooth.

It's a beautiful hike down with winter views.

Indian Head in the distance, home of the dive bombing Peregrine Falcons (unless there is a dog).

I had never seen a tick in the Catskills in the summer.  My first Catskill tick ever in early March.  Well, he should have stayed asleep because Brodie is treated and that tick is as good as dead just having crawled on him.  RIP.

Only saw one Long Path paint blaze on this trail but it is also the route of the Long Path.  In the Catskills the Long Path is usually only marked at intersections.

Having just signed out at the trail register, passing by were we turned left at the beginning of the hike.

Passing that old motor home ...

... all the way back down to the parking lot.