Stats
Name: North/South Lake Campground
Length: 8 miles
Ascent: 1,675
Route Type: Loop
Trail Type: Marked/Blazed
Log Date: 7/22/2023
Rating (1-5 Trees):
Highlights
Trailhead Information
I avoided this mess by taking advantage of my Empire State Pass to park in the lot en route to South Lake. This spot is a great stopping point for visitors who don’t want to wade through the bustle of the beach area. Available as a one, three or five-year (or lifetime!) membership, the Empire Pass covers a single vehicle day use fee at any DEC New York State Park. A great investment for the adventurer with a roaming spirit.
Trailhead Location (GAIA GPS)
Trail Features
Vistas
Review
Rushing mountain waters. Sweeping Hudson Valley vistas. Remote peaks and cozy campsites. These are the sights, sounds and feelings of the Catskill mountain range. There’s so much to explore across 700,000 acres of upstate New York wilderness. North/South Lake Campground & Day Use Area, in Greene County, is the best place to sample all the mountains have to offer.
I confess a deep personal connection to North Lake, as I grew up calling it. My earliest memories of the outdoors take place there. Evergreen plantations were platoons of highland giants standing at attention. Rock scrambles were mountain passes to the top of the world, where I ate peanut butter and jelly on an erratic throne. It’s the kind of place created for making memories.
Nestled away in Haines Falls, NY, part of North Lake’s charm is its accessibility. Winding mountain cloves provide a secluded feel but the park is just around three hours drive from New York City. Western New England is within range. Green Mountain and the Berkshire explorers will find the eastern Catskills around the escarpment familiar. The wild air of northern Greene County, though, doesn’t limit its enjoyment to the daring. Some of the best views in upstate New York are a mere stroll up the path.
My planned route primarily ran the southern section of the Escarpment Trail. This way boasts several rocky outcroppings, so the prospect of some great photos was exciting. A variety of connecting paths and spurs led me to various sights throughout the day. This meant a winding path through the woods. The trails in this area are well marked, though, with colored blazes and signs giving directions at key trail junctions. Also, remember that DEC foot trail markers are color-coded. Blue trails run roughly north/south. Red runs east/west and to fire towers. Connector and spur trails are marked in yellow. It’s an elegant system to help guide the intrepid on their way. Even for veteran hikers, the familiar dots provide a sense of comfort and safety in the wild. I was glad for them before the day was out.
Lower Sunset Rock and Inspiration Point, kicked off a flight of vistas on the day. These southerly facing viewpoints provide a great view down Kaaterskill Clove, overlooking NYS Route 23A as it winds along the creek up the mountain. They're particularly stunning in the morning, as the notch of the clove opens to the southeast. Inspiration Point, indeed. And, of course, Sunset Rock earns its name in similar fashion.
The next couple of miles follow the edge of the famous Escarpment Trail, stepping up the southern slope of South Mountain. This area is a photographer's dream from any angle. From afar, the escarpment appears as the legendary Wall of Manitou, best viewed from the east banks of the Hudson. The range consists of a dozen named peaks, cutting an imposing line in the sky across the river valley. No wonder artists like Frederic Church made their homes in Columbia County. It’s the best view of the Catskills not in the Catskills.
Looking east from the escarpment itself, explorers are treated to sweeping views of the Hudson River Valley. In some places, points ranging from Albany to Kingston can be seen in the same panorama. The Berkshires, in western New England, are visible on a clear day. It’s the type of scene that makes it nearly impossible to take a bad picture. Some of my best shots from this area have been quick cellphone snaps. You’ll find plenty to inspire you on the way to your next discovery.
Boulder Rock is one of those places that teach us just how special the Catskill Mountains are. The overlook rests on the shoulder of the Escarpment Trail where it turns north along the river valley. The view from the mouth of Kaaterskill Clove is breathtaking, especially in the morning. Palenville, NY rests at the foot of South Mountain. Aside from the vista, the most prominent feature is an enormous glacial erratic which dominates space. This namesake Boulder is prime evidence of the ice age glaciers that carved out the Catskills plateau millennia ago. You’ll find them scattered all throughout the upstate New York wilderness but few stand out like the sentinel of Kaaterskill Clove. Your next discovery lies less than half a mile further along the path. After a steepish descent, you’ll arrive at the former site of the (in)famous Catskill Mountain House. The site had long been famous for its views of the river valley, playing muse to the likes of James Fenimore Cooper, Washington Irving and Thomas Cole. The story of the hotel itself is somewhat less inspirational. A product of the so-called “Fried Chicken War”, the luxury resort that hosted presidents and celebrities in the late 19th and early 20th centuries was constructed at great expense when its magnate owner was dissatisfied with his dinner at another establishment. The ensuing rivalry between hoteliers ended in equally noble fashion. After thriving until the mid-1940’s, the Mountain House declined during the ensuing decade. In the end, the State of New York purchased the hotel site and surrounding land in 1962. The structure was razed in 1963.
What remains today is a flat patch of grass atop bedrock that hosts a picnic area and the easiest viewpoint access in the Catskill mountains. I took the long route on this day but the vista my grandmother and I called “Grover’s Whole Wide World” is a casual half mile saunter from the South Lake bathing and picnic area. It really is a great way for newcomers and ability impaired to experience a quintessential Catskills adventure with a world class payoff. Taking the Mountain House Trail back to the beach leaves you with a day on the escarpment worth remembering. For the intrepid explorer, further discoveries await.
The Escarpment Trail skirts the woods behind the North Lake bathing area before heading back into the wilds. This section of the path is unique. It crosses the ridge of North Mountain a couple times, offering stunning views to both the east and west. On the eastern face, you’ll first arrive at Artist’s Rock. You might guess its namesake. This and other points along the escarpment were popular with Thomas Cole and painters among the Hudson River School. Picture media may have changed over the centuries but the nature of inspiration hasn’t. You’re likely to encounter a few fellow landscape photographers. About a mile and a half further north on the escarpment is Newman’s Ledge, which presents a slightly different angle on the same vantage. Both, though, are worth a woodland trek.
In between these two checkpoints, a short spur (yellow marker!) leads the way to Upper Sunset Rock. Just a 0.2 mile detour, the path loops around to the south, then to the west. At the end of the spur you’ll arrive at one of my personal favorite spots. This elevated version of Sunset Rock is another example of several geological features common to the Catskills plateau. There’s the usual bevy of erratics, from pebbles to boulders. The whole area is known as a “dance floor”, granite bedrock scraped flat and smooth by long receded glaciers. And, then there’s the view. Facing west, you’ll get a full look at North/South Lake. As with most points on the Escarpment, the inspiration behind Sunset Rock’s moniker speaks for itself. Watching the sun dip behind the South Mountain and Kaaterskill High Peak is a bit of Catskills magic.
The remainder of my day was spent engaged in that time honored hiking tradition; getting back home. A little less than a mile past Newman’s Ledge, the Escarpment Trail proper breaks off to the north. This is the way to North Point and the rest of the escarpment to Windham Mountain. Adventures for another day. My route took me west then south as I made my way back down into the North/South Lake basin. Trekking through the deep forest is always a joy, especially when heading downhill. The downside is there are no vistas. The Mary’s Glen trail passes Ashley Falls but there was no water flow to speak of on this day.
Roughly eight miles and six hours or so found me back at the South Lake road parking area. With a half dozen viewpoints and countless treasures to be found along the path, it’s tough to find a better way to spend a day in upstate New York. Even if you don’t consider yourself the outdoors type, North/South Lake offers something for every inclination. So take an upstate trip and enjoy the best of the Catskills.--
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