Walk back in time on one of our popular hikes through the High Peaks of the Catskills.  These were America's first hiking trails whose beauty was immortalized in the novels of James Fenimore Cooper and romanticized in the poetry of William Cullen Bryant.  The breathtaking views seen along these trails today were first captured in the 19th century by the premiere artists of the Hudson River School of art, our country's uniquely American school of landscape painting.

MTHS hikes are conducted by volunteers knowledgeable about the area and include historical narrative and insider information, the result of years of study about the area’s trails, overlooks and historic sites.  Robert Gildersleeve, author of the Catskill Mountain House Trail Guide, is a frequent hike leader. MTHS President, Larry Tompkins, has been leading hikes in the area for 35 years. Bob Titus, the Catskill Geologist and author of The Catskills: A Geological Guide, leads a few hikes every season as well.

The trails, the views and the history are still here, preserved by New York State's designation of the Catskills as lands to remain forever wild.  A walk through the woods with MTHS makes the past come alive for those who are adventurous and want to see and hear the story of America's first wilderness for themselves.  All hikes are free and the public is invited. Please wear proper hiking attire and boots (no sneakers!), pack a lunch, don't forget rain gear or sunscreen, and bring plenty of water. Well-socialized pooches on leash are always welcome, too.*

2012 Schedule

April 14 - Waterfall Hike A combination auto and foot tour of the most scenic waterfalls in our area.  Meeting place: Historical Society Campus Route 23A Haines Falls, NY.  9:00 am return 3:00 pm. Vertical Rise: Several short climbs. Distance: Total about 3 miles.  Difficulty level: easy to moderate.

May 12 - Hike Rip’s Retreat. Using the society’s collection of photos, postcards, maps and, interviews with local residents who worked at the 1950s tourist attraction at North Lake, we will explore the site to see where exhibits and presenters entertained visitors in the Dutch village built on the shore of North Lake. Meet at the MTHS Campus in Haines Falls at 12:00 noon. Following our tour, the society will offer a program of events at our 1913 Ulster and Delaware train station at 4:00 including a reenactment of the puppet show that was presented at Rip’s Retreat, a dinner, at 5:00 and at 6:00, Cubby Chapman will discuss his days working at the attraction. The hike is considered Easy with an optional short bushwhack to locate the path of the miniature rail ride. Reservations and a charge of $15 are required for the dinner. For dinner reservations call 589-6657 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

June 2  - National Trails Day – Circuit of South Mountain. Takes us past some of the more unusual sites in the North Lake area including parts of the 19th century trail system no longer in use. We will pinpoint some of these sites. An Easy to Moderate bushwhack of about 3 miles with some short climbs.  Meet at MTHS Haines Falls Campus at 10:00 AM. We will return to the Campus at approximately 3:30 PM to hear Alan Via author of Catskill 67, A Hiker's Guide a newly published guide to the Catskills lesser known peaks.

June 23  - Hunter Mountain from Spruceton Valley Led by Jennifer Ment, we will follow the access road and trails to the Hunter Mountain Fire Tower. Meet 9:00 AM at the West Kill flag pole (intersection of State Route 42 and County Route 6 in the Town of Lexington) Return by 5:00 Difficult. Round trip distance approx 7 miles. Elevation gain 1900 ft.

July 7 – Gertrude’s Nose and Millbrook Mountain. From Lake Minewaska. The beautiful conglomerate ledges of the Shawangunks and views into the valley of the Wallkill River highlight this moderate hike. Meet at the Exit 18 NY State Thruway parking lot in New Paltz at 9:00 am. Return 4:00 pm. Distance 6.7 miles Elevation gain 600 ft. but with several ups and downs.

July 21 – Hotel Kaaterskill Grounds and Trails Using 19^th and early 20^th century Maps and photos we will locate the footings of the hotel, it’s annex, many of the out buildings and structures and some of the many trails at what was said to be the largest wood-frame mountain hotel in the world. Following the hike, there will be a light meal with dessert at the society’s train station and a slide presentation on the Hotel Kaaterskill, Meet Mountain Top Historical Society at 1:00 pm. Reservations and a charge of $10 are required for the meal. For meal reservations call 589-6657 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

August 4 – Silver Lake This beautiful little lake near the top of the Mohican Trail in East Windham was formerly the site of a summer resort and for the past 75 years has been used as a summer camp facility for Girls Quest, a not-for-profit youth development organization located in New York City whose mission is to build social and academic competence in girls and young women by teaching critical life skills, helping them build self-esteem, confidence, and sense of purpose. We will look at the geology of the lake and its surroundings and learn more about Girls Quest’s 75 year old summer experiential education and development program. Meet at the state trailhead parking area Route 23 Windham 10:00 am.

August 18 – Dutcher Pass Dr. Robert Titus, The Catskills Geologist, will lead us from Colgate Lake, past the remnants of the long-abandoned community of Spruce Woods, described in Doris West Brook’s book The Old Eagle Nester, to the glacial spillway between Stopple Point and Blackhead Mountain. Moderate. Elevation gain 400 ft. Distance round trip 8 miles. Meet Colgate Lake parking area on County Route 78 in East Jewett 9:00 am return by 3:00 pm.

September 8 - Slide Mountain History Hike Walk in the footsteps of the Catskills renowned naturalist, John Burroughs, on a history-filled hike to the top of the Catskills highest peak (4,180'). Led by local historian and Catskill 4000 Club hike leader, Paul Misko. You will hear some great stories about Burroughs, Jim Dutcher, and others, and learn some good tips on hiking as well. Meeting place: Slide Mtn.Trailhead parking lot on Rt 47, which is 9.4 miles from Rt. 28 in Big Indian, headed towards Frost Valley, past Lake Winnisook. Meeting time: 10:00 a.m. Sharp. No Dogs Please. This  hike is rated "Strenuous/ Difficult", contains some rocky and steep sections, and will be about 6 miles and 7 hours total. You must pre-register by 8:00 p.m.,Friday, Sept. 7^th at   This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  Must have good hiking shoes, sweater, hat, rainjacket, lighter, flashlight, lunch, and 2qts of drinks. Distance 6 miles. Elevation gain 1750 ft.

October 13 – Poet’s Ledge. A beautiful wooded walk along the south rim of Kaaterskill Clove with unusual views of the clove and perspectives of the more-familiar north rim ledges. We will pass several waterfalls on our way to a classic view looking west toward Haines Falls. Meet Mountain Top Historical Society Campus 9:00 AM return 4:00 pm. Moderate to difficult. Following the hike, the society will offer a harvest themed dinner at its historic Train Station at 5 pm, and at 6 pm a talk and slide show by Robert and Johanna Titus, The Catskills Geologist, about the Hudson Valley in the Ice Age introducing their new book. Moderate. Round Trip Distance 7 miles Elevation gain 700 ft. Reservations and a charge of $15 are required for the dinner. For dinner reservations call 589-6657 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

*On hikes going through the North Lake campground, dogs will require a currently valid rabies vaccination certificate.

MTHS does not require membership for hike participation. We do, however, request that you register for each hike. Participants can register by going to the Contact Us page or calling 518-589-6657.  Please tell us your name, phone number and total in your party. The schedule is subject to change. Call Bob (518) 734-9701 or Larry (518) 734-4264 or check mths.org. Notification of changes, including cancellations due to weather, will be made up to the day of any given hike.