Stay Safe, Respect Others, and Protect the Environment
Welcome to the Catskills
The Welcome to the Catskills webpage is the place to go if you are interested in learning more about the Catskill Mountains. It provides information about the Forest Preserve and conservation easement lands, outdoor recreation opportunities, and Leave No Trace. Be sure to check out the links to additional information and tips for recreating safely and minimizing your impacts on natural resources, recreational infrastructure, and other backcountry users in the Catskill Mountains.
For a safe and enjoyable outdoor experience on public lands in the Catskills and New York City's Catskill/Delaware Watershed, please consult DEC's regular updates, seasonal notices and general information below.
Catskill Updates
Attention Catskill Hikers: Heavy rain has led to flooding conditions in the Catskills. For your safety, avoid trails with stream crossings and never attempt to cross high, fast-moving water. Please be advised that the trails are very wet and easily susceptible to damage and erosion. Hikers should travel in the middle of the trail, even if it is muddy to prevent trail widening and visitor created trails.
Temperatures are expected to be below freezing overnight. Traction devices are highly recommended for safe travel on icy trails. Plan ahead and check the weather before heading out on your adventure. If weather conditions are poor, consider visiting another time.
- Catskills Visitor Center: The Catskills Visitor Center is open every day from 9:30 AM - 4:00 PM with all new interactive exhibits. Stop by for a visit before your next adventure. Have your questions answered, get trip planning advice or pick up maps and local information and more! Contact the Catskills Visitor Center for more information at 845-688-3369 or email [email protected]. Additional weekly trail conditions are available from the Catskill Visitors Center.
- Kaaterskill Wild Forest and Indian Head Wilderness: Please be advised that the Town of Hunter has parking restrictions on Route 23A and Platte Clove Road. Park only at designated DEC parking lots. Come prepared with backup options and move on if the area's parking lot is full. Any illegally parked vehicle may be ticketed and towed to the Town Hall Impound Lot.
- Delaware Wild Forest: In partnership with the DEC, volunteers from the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference will be completing maintenance and repairs to two lean-tos and privies located at Trout Pond.
- The lean-tos may be unavailable from September 7th through September 10th. Nearby primitive tent sites will still be available.
- Stewards in the Catskills: DEC has partnered with several organizations to provide trailhead and mountaintop stewardship throughout the Catskills during the spring, summer and fall of 2023. Stewards will be provided through partnerships with the New York New Jersey Trail Conference, Catskill Center for Conservation and Development, Catskill Mountainkeeper, Catskill 3500 Club, and the Student Conservation Association. On the ground stewardship is an effective way to provide outreach and education to visitors of the Catskills.
- Sundown Wild Forest: Permits are necessary to recreate or camp in the valley from May 15th - September 15th each year.
- Peekamoose Blue Hole & Riparian Corridor: DEC has issued special regulations for the Blue Hole and Peekamoose Valley because of the huge increase in visitors. The purpose of these regulations is to increase public safety and reduce the impacts to the environmental resource. The special regulations are:
- Require visitors to obtain a permit for a $10 fee through Reserve America, consistent with the fees for other recreation-oriented Day Use areas in the Forest Preserve from May 15th - September 15th;
- Each permit will be linked to a vehicle, and the permit must be displayed on/in the vehicle;
- Limit parking to designated parking areas only. Parking along the shoulder of the road is prohibited by the Town and is a Tow Away Zone; and
- Users are required to use portable restroom facilities for human waste disposal and the dumpster for all other waste.
- The following are prohibited at the Blue Hole (limited use will be allowed at nearby designated camping areas only):
- Except for the nearby designated camping area, the Blue Hole is only open to the public from one half hour before sunrise to one half hour after sunset;
- Camping;
- All fires (including charcoal fires, wood fires, gas grills, propane stoves or other portable stoves);
- Use of portable generators;
- Alcohol;
- Glass containers;
- Coolers larger than 12" in any dimension; and
- Radios and other audio devices.
- Kaaterskill Falls: The Molly Smith parking area on Route 23a in the Town of Hunter has been closed to improve visitor safety. Kaaterskill Falls can still be accessed from Laurel House Road, Schutt Road, or North South Lake Campground.
Leave No Trace
Help Us, Help Nature
Use established, designated trails whenever possible. Each step you take off trail has the potential to damage sensitive vegetation and can contribbue to trail and bakside erosion, especially in riparian zones. Riparian zones are areas where vegetation is found along streams and other water bodies. The surrounding plant life is essential for maintaining and improving water quality and the overall ecosystem's health. So, as you head to your favorite strea, or lake this summer, be sure to stick to the trail and help protect New York's natural spaces.
Enjoy your world & Leave No Trace
Follow the Seven Principles of Leave No TraceTM to maintain minimal impact on the environment and the natural resources of the Catskills. Use proper trail etiquette to ensure an enjoyable experience for yourself and others.
Emergency Contacts
Report back county emergencies, such as lost or injured hikers, and wildland fires to the DEC Forest Rangers at 833-NYS-RANGERS (833-697-7264) or call 911.
Camping
- Backcountry camping is allowed year-round on state forest preserve lands at designated sites (look for yellow and black "Camp Here" markers) and anywhere below 3500 feet as long as you are at least 150 feet from a waterbody (lake. pond. stream), road or trail.
- Backcountry camping for more than three nights, or in a group of ten or more requires a permit from a Forest Ranger. See the Forest Ranger roster for Ulster and Sullivan Counties or the Forest Ranger roster for Delaware and Greene Counties.
- Campfires are allowed below 3500 feet in elevation. Use only dead or downed wood.
- Campgrounds: Seven of the DEC campgrounds in the Catskills are closed for camping for the season. The campgrounds remain open for day uses such as hiking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and ice fishing. The campground parking lots at Mongaup Pond, Woodland Valley, and Kenneth L Wilson are open.
DEC Backcountry Regulations
- There are regulations and quarantines which apply to the transportation of firewood that have been put in place to prevent the spread of invasive insects and tree disease.
- Special use regulations are in effect for the Peekamoose Valley Riparian Corridor, including the Blue Hole, in the Town of Denning, Ulster County.
- See all State land camping and hiking rules.
Stay Safe, Respect Others and Protect the Environment
- Backcountry hiking trails can be rugged and rough. Keep in mind that wilderness conditions can change suddenly.
- Properly prepare to ensure that you have a safe hiking experience.
- Hiking safety for all seasons.
- Always practice Leave No Trace principles to minimize your impacts on the natural resources and others.
- Dealing with bears: Be aware that you may encounter black bears while hiking in the Catskills. The use of bear-resistant food canisters is recommended, but not required. Hanging your food between trees at least 15 feet above the ground is also effective. See more on how to avoid or reduce human-bear conflicts.
- Fire safety when camping.
Access to NYC DEP Lands in the Catskill Forest Preserve
Hiking, fishing, hunting, trapping and boating are allowed on some of NYC Department of Environmental Protection's DEP) watershed lands that are marked with DEP signs stating "Entry by Permit" or "Public Access Area."
A free DEP Access Permit is required for areas marked "Entry by Permit". You can get your Access Permit online and print it out for immediate use. Access permits are good for five years.
To help outdoor enthusiasts find access to the City's lands and waters, DEP has developed an interactive mapping tool that provides information on the size, location, topography, and allowable uses at each recreation site in the Hudson Valley and Catskills.
- Hiking: Allowed at Public Access areas and at other upland watershed lands with a valid access permit
- Fishing: Allowed on the Schoharie, Ashokan, Neversink, Rondout, Cannonsville and Pepacton Reservoirs with DEP access permit and DEC fishing license. All boats must be steam cleaned and registered with the NYC DEP.
- Non-motorized boating: Canoes, kayaks, row boats and sail boats are allowed on the Schoharie, Cannonsville, Pepacton and Neversink reservoirs from Memorial Day through Columbus Day with a DEP access permit. All boats must be steam-cleaned before use in the reservoirs.
- Hunting and Trapping: Allowed on most Public Access areas and "Entry by Permit" areas in season, with NYC DEP access permit and appropriate license from DEC.