The falls are truly incredible…read more The trail down to the bottom of the falls, is a bit tricky. But so incredibly worth it. I would suggest not to believe the sign saying 189 steps.... it is definitely more! Take drinking water because you'll need that for sure. We went back in August and the heat was definitely there. The parking lot was pretty packed but throughout the trails people were pretty evenly spaced out. Not so much at the base of the falls themselves but there was still plenty of room to move around freely.

One of the tallest waterfall in NY, similar height to Taughannock Falls. Physical requirement is…read moredifferent tho, Kaaterskill Falls has about 500foot of elevation change and a lot of slippery stone steps at the end, if you come here when the weather is still cold. Parking: most people park at the Laurel-House Road parking area, because it is the closest. Or you can park at Mountain Top Historical Society, the old train station, which an extra mile. Starting from the old railroad station is nice, you can still see some old tracks on the ground. Walk to the overlook is fairly easy, once you get to the start point of Lower falls junction, it is where you need to be prepared. I recommend hiking shoe, especially in colder months where the ground is wet and iced. When you reach to the stone steps, they can get slippery. I am surprised no one fell in late March. Half of the steps were cover in ice and people were wearing regular sneakers. Once you reach the base of the two tier falls, the view is tremendous. If water levels are high, you can feel the energy of the water. There is a lot of spray from the falls when you get close. There is short trail to the middle tier pool. It was iced up during winter, spikes will definitely be useful. The end was amazing too. So close to the lead of the waterfall. You can keep going and follow Escarpment trail and follow the edge of the valley. There is monument for fireman Frank Layman who died during firefighting in 1900, at his monument, you can see route 23A bend around mountain. And if you keep going, there are a couple viewpoint to overlook the valley. Nice break points to enjoy the view and rest your legs.

DO NOT SWIM HERE -- This lake is known locally as Snake Lake. Water snakes and copperheads are…read morenumerous. There are also snapping turtles. The water quality is also low sure to a nearby quarry.

When you get there, you can drive on the gravel road until it dead-ends into a parking lot with a…read moreporta potty. If that lot is full then you can park in the one that's right off route 28. The trail is nicely shaded. We saw orange newts galore. It had just rained the night before so it was a little muddy in spots. We hiked the yellow loop trail and it was perfect for kids ranging in ages 7 to 13. Very scenic. We left in the early afternoon when the sun came out. Many others were just getting there to swim in the lake.

Just camped here again and was extremely impressed with the cleanliness of this campground. The…read morebathrooms and showers were meticulous, and every campsite in loop 4 was flat and well-maintained, perfect for any tent. While we were here, we saw staff removing tree roots that were impeding the campsite next to ours. I also appreciate that the DEC drives around and ensures that campers are abiding by the fire and bear safety rules and wish that other NYS parks did the same. There was SO much wildlife we saw just on the grounds - friendly deer, baby turkeys, and baby ducks. We were fortunate to have a few nights here without any neighbors and it was so serene and beautiful even in intense rain and fog. There are boat and canoe rentals on South Beach, and so many hiking trails that lead to breaktaking views. I really can't say enough good things about this campground and am already looking forward to our next trip here!

I don't normally write reviews especially a negative one. We had a very upsetting experience at…read moreNorth-South Lake. We drove over two hours to visit my husband's childhood campground for the first time with our three kids (ages 5, 7, and 9). When we arrived at the entrance, we were asked if it was a day visit, and we said yes, we were only staying for the day. We paid the fee, received a map, and drove in. My husband was so excited to finally share this place and create memories with our children. Looking for a place to park, we thought we were lucky to find an empty campsite in one of the loops where he used to camp as a child. We parked the car hoping to enjoy the view of the lake, take a walk, and maybe make the kids a couple of s'mores before heading home. At around 2:15-2:30 p.m., the "SUPERVISOR" in the white Kia approached us in an extremely rude and nasty manner, speaking as if we were committing a serious crime and comparing our situation to "sleeping in someone else's hotel room." She asked us if we had a reservation; we said no. She said, "Someone else reserved this spot." We were very apologetic, embarrassed, and immediately put our stuff in the car. I said they could have told us; we would have moved right away. I'm sorry. She said, "They aren't supposed to talk to you; that's why they send me here." She told us we had ten minutes to leave, waited there while we put our chair, blanket, and s'more cookies in the car, and refused our 9-year-old daughter access to the bathroom while we packed up our three things, and even followed us out of the loop to make sure we didn't park elsewhere. My daughter came to us crying because the lady told her she couldn't use the bathroom and had to get in the car. Well, she had an accident in the car right as we were pulling out. We were mortified and apologetic. My husband even offered to leave the firewood we had just purchased for the next campers, but she was dismissive and harsh about that as well. The following day, I called and asked to speak with a manager to explain how we were treated. The manager was just as unfriendly and miserable sounding as the supervisor. I was told they had been looking for us "for hours" and that it's "common sense" not to park in a campsite. She actually said it's considered trespassing. So, a friendly warning for first-time visitors: Apparently, if you don't know that "day use" doesn't mean "park in any empty campsite," just for the day, you're officially a trespassing criminal--at least according to the manager. Yes, really. Reading the website now, I see that check-in for people with reservations is at 2 p.m., which was the time we were trying to make a small fire, so unless someone left their site and returned, it's unclear how they could have been looking for us "for hours." We were right there at 2pm. The website also states: Day Use * Anyone who is not camping is a day-user. Day-use hours are from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Day-users are not allowed between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. We were not camping but didn't realize we couldn't park in an empty campsite. I think "common sense" would be to inform DAY USE visitors at the ENTRANCE to use public parking, especially for families or first-time visitors who may not be camping experts. Bottom line: this was my husband's childhood family spot. We just wanted to take a beautiful fall drive and have a special day with our kids. We understand now that we needed to reserve the parking spot ahead of time, and it was an honest misunderstanding. I would have even offered to pay for the campers' stay for their trouble. What we wish for is that the staff had approached us respectfully and explained the situation instead of treating us like criminals. Imagine being such a miserable person and working in such a BEAUTIFUL and peaceful place for families. This was meant to be a special family day, honoring memories of my father-in-law and creating new ones with our children. Instead, it became stressful and humiliating. Sadly, this is what our children will remember about the day and about North South Lake The photo is the space we took up and the stuff we had with us. Lol

Love hiking here! If…read moreyou're in this part of the Catskills, I highly recommend this trail. It's easily accessible and an easier hike to do. The trail is well-groomed and very walkable. There aren't any scrambles or large boulders, which is good.. The view from the top is pretty epic, and the fire tower which has been closed every time I've hiked the mountain has great views too. I would highly recommend this hike.

This place is absolutely amazing! I've hiked all the Catskills mountains three times over through…read morethe years and I had never been to overlook because there was no reason to but I had heard so much about this location I just had to visit and satisfy my curiosity on why this place is so popular. First off the parking lot is medium sized and parking on the road (even off the road) is risky because certain spots you are not allowed to park so arrive early, get a legit parking spot and save yourself the wasted trip or the hassle of returning to your vehicle to a ticket or it completely gone (towed). The hike up and back for Overlook is approximately 5 miles so everyone is spot on mentioning the distance. It's fairly steep all the way up and while you don't have any views on the way up, you do encounter some old ruins which is a neat break along the way. Once you do make it to the top you are met with a small shed that has some very minor historical information inside and on peak weekends you'll find stewards that can assist with information about the area and hiking tips. The fire tower can't be missed to the left after the small shed and the view is to the right of the shed. I have to say, I've been atop many mountains and it's been a long while since I've had my breath taken away but when I saw the view at Overlook it was breath taking. What made the view so beautiful and different than other mountains I've hiked is that the view is expansive with no mountains obstructing so you can see as far as the eyes can see. It's truly a remarkable view being so high up and seeing so far out. This mountain is known for its rattlesnake population. Sadly I never got to see one because I always hike in the early morning hours and they normally come out at around high noon when the sun is the hottest.

My first hand resume in the Catskills mountains is, I've hiked ALL 35 peaks when both Graham &…read moreDouble too were still accessible! I've been all over the Catskills so this listing is super vague and inaccurate. I can only hope Yelp begins to maintain accurate listings and not rubbish like this. DO NOT use address in this listing to venture out to Catskill mountains because the address listed takes you to "The Pantry on Main" in the small town of Tannersville. Look up the Catskill visitor center if you want correct info on the Catskill mountains. I can't tell you how many times I've run into people at a Catskill trailhead whom followed mis-information. This listing is just pointless! Catskill mountains? Really? So what portion of 1,000+ square miles of land is this listing for? How do I get there? Like I said, useless listing cause Catskill Park which is the entire region spans over 1,000 miles and 700,000 acres of land.

We looked like deer in headlights when I spotted a black bear hunter couple decked out in…read morecamouflage, neon orange Beanies and rifles slung over their shoulders at the Catskill Forest Preserve. My initial thought in my head was, "we come in peace". But they were so darn friendly. Seriously. The lady even broke it down for me and told me about her bear stews. I'm not joking. Just be on the lookout for walkable and non-walkable indicators- as was the case when we noticed a multimillion dollar home being built a hair away from the Catskill Forest Preserve line. Aside from our recent two visits, the Catskill Region is spectacular, breathtaking, extremely dense and COLOSSAL with 7,000 ft high mountain peaks and beyond, plus a gazillion marked trails and creeks to keep you busy. Hubs and I don't do major hikes, but I like to take a calming break, focus on life's pleasures, think, hear the creek flowing and be one with Nature. Bring yourself and your boots.

Wow, talk about a beautiful drive to get here! Completely isolated with the surrounding town…read morebringing you to the past. The narrow zig-zag roads getting here from the east are a blast to drive on. Taking the devil's path is no joke if you're doing the whole trail. Highly suggest packing light for the hike. Totally regretted my 35lb backpack setup. The elevation spikes and drops will put your knees and ankles to the test. The look out points are gorgeous. Each one deserves to be taken in during a break. The biodiversity is incredible here. You'll notice the nature changes at different points of the hike. Including the areas casted in darkness from the dense trees. The next drinkable source of water from the beginning is a far distance so make sure you pack accordingly. The devils tombstone is the halfway point which is where most people set up camp. Cant harp enough... snacks, snacks, snacks. Stay safe if you choose to part take on this hike! One of the best hikes I've been on.

The infamous Devils Path! This trail is infamous for being extremely difficult. Is Devils Path…read moredifficult? No and yes! For any experienced hiker doing any of the shorter trails it is fairly straight forward and I'd say fairly easy (for an experienced hiker). What makes DP extremely hard or difficult is when you attempt the entire length in one day. You go up and down five mountains throughout the trip and while any experienced hiker will say going down the mountains can be worst than going up, after you are on your way up the 5th mountain doing DP you will welcome downhill really fast. LOL! I hiked Devils Path with a group of 4 strong experienced hikers for a day trip. We started at Prediger Road, left a car in the middle of our planned route at Stony Clove Notch and finally we left car at our end target Spruceton parking lot. We had lunch at Stony Clove where we refilled our water supplies with the water spout we found there. We assessed our personal abilities and decided we were all in excellent shape and able to keep pressing forward to complete our goal to finish DP in one day. Best advice I can give anyone that is daring to attempt this in a single day is (1) be experience with the distance having done at least 15 miles minimum in the past and (2) bring FOOD, lots of food (leave the diet at home). Also, plan a bail out point in case you realize the distance is too great for you. Devils Path to me isn't so much a hard trail to do but it most certainly is a trail that will test your endurance to the max! My group did car spotting at 4:30am, started our journey about 6:30am and completed the full trail about 6:45pm just before sunset. Would I do this again? Probably not but I am proud to be in the small percentage of people to have completed this in a single day. The sense of accomplishment is resounding. I COMPLETED DEVILS PATH IN ONE DAY!! Woohoo!! :o)

Amazing easy/moderate hike in. No idea it existed and not that far away from Troy/Albany…read more Surprisingly big waterfalls and rock formations. Was told cause of all the rain it was not normally as high. Really peaceful. Thankfully no trash or other distractions from people. Will be back many times I'm sure.

I almost don't want to write a review for this conservation area because then it could become…read moreinundated with people. Simply put, you don't have to walk very far for some incredible views. We visited right after a heavy summer rainstorm so the trail right down to the falls was a bit hard to traverse (high water, slippery rocks, etc) but it was worth the treachery. But you don't have to hitch yourself down to get the full magic of these falls, you can also go for a slightly longer walk to see them at eye level. If you're visiting close to the Hudson area, a visit to the High Falls Conservation Area should be on your list! Then grab a drink in town.

Amazing guide. Very friendly, informative and an overall great experience. I would highly recommend.read more

Greg at RVW Adventure Guides is a talented adventurer and excellent mentor to those seeking deeper…read moreconnections to the outdoors. I highly recommended utilizing his expertise when planning your next adventure in the beautiful Catskills Mountains.

Such a beautiful trail with a great view! I completed the labyrinth course of a rock scramble…read more There is a walking trail for those who are looking for a calmer hike to the top. One of the best rock scrambles I have done! Bring bug spray!!!!

Beautiful park with plenty of open space, clean paths, and peaceful surroundings. Great spot to…read morerelax, walk, or enjoy time with family. Well-maintained and perfect for a quiet escape outdoors.