West Kill Mountain in the Catskills
West Kill Mountain is the tallest peak on Devil’s Path at 3898 feet. It’s closest higher neighbor is Hunter Mountain that is 3.13-miles away at a Bearing 77.6° True or 90.7° Magnetic. It’s Isolation Limit Point is 3-miles away just below Hunter’s Summit. West Kill’s Isolation Circle Area is a large 27.7 mi² (71.8 km²). It was heavily glaciated and has many ridges with cirques in which small glaciers carved the slopes of this massive…
5 family and kid friendly hikes in the Catskills
What makes a hike great for young families? In our experience, it’s the small things. No really, small things. Bugs, cool plants, frogs, caves, water, and some views. Easier the better. Small children don’t care about peak bagging. They’re into simple fun. One of the best things you can do for your young hiker is let them hike. Pick hikes that your child can walk on their own, at least part of the way. Carry them…
Diamond Notch Falls a great family hike
This short hike from a remote trail head in the Catskill Mountains has it all. Diamond Notch Falls will give the young hiker a “wilderness” feel with a lot to see along the way. The reward after the 0.86-mile almost level walk is one of the prettiest waterfalls in these mountains. View from the base of the falls Diamond Notch Trail As you make the 0.86-mile hike along the West Kill Creek, make sure you…
Southwest Hunter Mountain aka Leavitt Peak
Southwest Hunter Mountain is also known as Leavitt Peak in honor of the Leavitt’s, two Catskill 3500 Club founders. However, in this writing I will refer to the mountain by it’s official name of Southwest Hunter Mountain to avoid confusion with maps. The peak was originally not part of the official Catskill 3500 requirement list as it was considered a spur ridge of Hunter Mountain. There was disagreement among the early club members and it…
Great Hikes: Hunter Mountain Spruceton Trail
The Spruceton Trail is a very popular approach to Hunter’s summit and with a return on Devil’s Path makes a great circuit hike. The Spruceton Trail follows the old jeep road that serviced the fire tower. This is a well-graded trail and has a few moderately steep sections. You can hike an out-and-back on the Spruceton Trail or extend your day on Devil’s Path and make it a wonderful, but more challenging loop. The trail…