The Mountain Top Historical Society is offering four great hikes during the 8th Annual Hikefest.  Join us for a fun day in the forest as part of the larger Catskills “Lark in the Park” event. Hikes and walks to several destinations.

Hike One:
This is a moderate hike about 4 miles long with leaders Pete Senterman and Paul LaPierre exploring the area around Kaaterskill Junction on State Route 214. Park on the U-shaped driveway at 4282 route 214 at 9:00 AM. There is a sign planted in the grass marking the Junction. You will be stepping back in time to the days when the Kaaterskill and Stoney Clove Railroad came up to the Junction from Phoenicia and then split to the west on the Hunter Branch and headed east on the Tannersville Branch toward the Hotel Kaaterskill. Your host Gary Dufel, along with Senterman and LaPierre will also be joined by Mike Kudish, author of Where Did the Tracks Go in the Catskills? to give the story from 4 points of view.

GPS: 42.1909, -74.1853

Hike Two:
Join an easy walk with leader Nancy Allen as she reminisces about growing up in Tannersville. Meet at the west end of Rip Van Winkle Lake at the entrance to The Huckleberry Trail next to Darryl Legg’s Garage on County Route 16 at 9:00 AM. The walk to Bloomer Road and back is about 2 miles long and mostly flat.

GPS:  42.1912, -74.13478

Hike Three:
This is a challenging hike for energetic fast-moving hikers. And it has great views and good history. Meet hike leader, Pete Preston at Scutt Rd parking lot, on North Lake Rd right before the campground entrance at 9am. Taking the Escarpment Trail, we will follow the up-and-down cliff top of Kaaterskill Clove and we will tour the site of the Kaaterskill Hotel. We will return to Scutt Rd via South Mt. Throughout the hike we will pause along the way when history beckons, but otherwise we will be moving fast. Total estimated time: about 3 to 3.5 hours. Bring water and calories.

GPS:  42.2016, -74.0578

Hike Four:
Bob Gildersleeve and Robert Titus will lead an approximately 3 mile hike around North-South Lake. Gildersleeve will describe the cultural history, including sites related to the railroad, ice harvesting, sawmill, early camping and the 1950s tourist attraction Rip’s Retreat, while Titus will be sharing the geological history. Considered an easy to moderate hike because of its length. Meet at the South Lake dam parking lot at 9am. Length of program: 4 hours.  Please note that entry to North-South Lake State Park is $10 per vehicle.

GPS:  42.1965, -74.0509

Event Duration: hike distances and durations vary.  See hike descriptions.

Level of Difficulty:  Easy to Moderate: see hike descriptions.

Leader(s):  See hike descriptions.

Bring: lunch, bug spray for ticks, something to drink. Dress appropriately for the described hike.

Registration required by October 5, 2022.  Please contact the Mountain Top Historical Society at (518) 589 6657 or email mthsdirector@mths.org.  Be sure to leave your contact information — phone number or email.

PLEASE contact the Mountain Top Historical Society at  (518) 589-6657 or email mthsdirector@mths.org and cancel if you are not able to come as others may want to take your place.

Each group size is limited to 15, so register early.

Fee:  See hike description for Hike 4.

Dogs allowed:  No

Questions about this event can be directed to:  Please contact the Mountain Top Historical Society at (518) 589 6657 or email mthsdirector@mths.org with general questions.

Questions for individual hike leaders will be forwarded to the leader(s). Be sure to leave your contact information — phone number or email.

Covid-19 Guidelines:   We ask participants to socially distance,  to be vaccinated and to cancel if they or members of their household are or have been ill with covid-like symptoms within the past ten days.   Other guidelines may apply, depending on event. The event leader will inform participants.

Driving Directions:  See hike descriptions.

GPS coordinates: See hike descriptions.