Palenville Overlook

[ssjamk65]

I'm going to be at North Lake next week and one of the hikes that is on my agenda is the Moses Rock trail to Palenville Overlook. I am hoping to retrace the old trail from Palenville Overlook up to Boulder Rock. I was wondering if anyone has done this recently or are there even any traces of the old trail still to be seen?

Scott

[rkugel]

Good Morning SSJAMK65,

I don't have my maps of North/South Lake in front of me, but I'll help you as best as I can. You are actually referring to two different trails when you mention the trail to Moses Rock and the trail from Palenville Overlook to Boulder Rock.

Start at the North Lake campground and head down the old carriage trail into Pallenville. Shortly after descending from North Lake, the trail will sharply turn left (north) and will be fairly level. After a few hundred feet, you will see another trail branching away to the right and descending more steeply. This trail will take you to Pallenville Overlook and if I remember correctly, has yellow blazes. After descending a couple of hundred feet, the trail will turn sharply right (south) and will remain relatively level. A short distance after the sharp right turn, you may notice a vague trail heading to the left (east). I have attached a photo. That is the old trail to Moses Rock. Do not take this trail since it was severed when the Otis Cog Railway was built. Stay on the yellow-blazed carriage trail. After perhaps a quarter of a mile, you will cross the right-of-way of the Otis Railroad. Continue on the carriage trail for another 100 feet or so. Depending on rainfall, you will either come to a tiny stream or a muddy patch. At this point, turn left (east) and descend the hill a couple of hundred feet. You will come to Moses Rock. It cannot be mistaken for anything else. It is simply HUGE - about the size of a full 18-wheeler tractor/trailer.

After ascending back up to the carriage road, turn left (south) and proceed about a mile or so. The trail will fork (both legs of the fork closely parallel each other and both end at Pallenville Overlook). However, you want to take the right fork. A short distance later, you will see another trail branching off to the right and ascending a steep hill. I think this trail has red blazes. Take this trail uphill. After negotiating a couple of switchbacks, be on the lookout for a vague trail going off to the right (north). I attached a photo. This is the old trail to Boulder Rock. I've never actually taken it, but I think it's quite overgrown and may be difficult to follow. Also, if I'm not mistaken, you will have to first negotiate Fat Man's Misery and then make a hard left before arriving at Boulder Rock.

Hope this information helps. If you do the hike, please post a trip report. I would be very curious and interested to read about your experience!

Rich K.

2009-0725-MosesRock-02-2.JPG

2009-0905-MosesRockTrail-HorseTrail.JPG

2009-0905-FatManTrail-HorseTrail.JPG

[ssjamk65]

Rich,

Thanks for the info. You are right that I am referring to two different trails in my earlier post. I am actually planning on combining several different trails into one nice hike. After reaching Boulder Rock the plan is to visit the Kaaterskill Hotel site and then take the Harding Road down into Palenville. This will be my first time on the Moses Rock trail and the Harding Road and I plan on posting a trail report when I return home.

Thanks again for the info.

Scott

[mike]

the old trail that runs from Boulder Rock down to Indian Head is overgrown. Much easier to bushwhack down from Boulder Rock to Indian Head. There is a crack on the east side. Follow it down, and get below the ledge. Then hike down. Finding the crack down to Indian Head isn't difficult to find and will save a lot of hiking. You can then hike the short distance from Indian Head to PO.

I have not measured your hike, but I would guess it is around 15 miles. The Harding Trail is very nice when the leaves are down. Personally, I would skip the hike up to Boulder Rock and Kaaterskill Hotel site. I would do this on a different hike.

I would hike from PO to Indian Head. Then hike up steep bank to the crack via the old trail. Then hike up the trail, and take the Harding Trail down.

Sometimes you can see Barred Owls on the Moses Trail to PO. Lots of Barred Owls on the Eastern Escarpment.

Also beware that Timber Rattlesnakes are sometimes seen on the Harding Trail. Rare, but possible.

[rkugel]

Good Morning Scott,

Glad I could be of assistance. Looking forward to your trip report, though I have to agree with Mike that you should save the Kaaterskill Hotel site for another day. Doing the Moses Trail and Harding Road all in one day will still be quite ambitious. What's nice is the Harding Trail is a delightful walk. I can only remember two places that were eroded. The rest of the trail is a beautiful and easy walk - you may even be tempted to break out into a jog.

Mike, I would love to hike the old trail from Indian Head to Boulder Rock some time. Perhaps we can add that to our "to do" list. Regrettably, the weather this Saturday is not looking too great. The prediction is mostly cloudy with showers and maybe even a thunderstorm.

Rich

[ssjamk65]

I probably should have mentioned that we'll be spotting a vehicle at the parking lot in Palenville. That should make the hike more manageable. My brother and I will be camping at N. Lake all week so we should have plenty of opportunities to get in as many trails as we can. ( Weather permitting of course, and hopefully my knees hold up ).

Mike, I appreciate the warning about the snakes. I was wondering if they were in that area or not or just down in the clove.

Also, thanks for doing such a great job with this web-site. I live over 700 miles away and do not get to the Catskills as much as I'd like. However reading all of the trail reports makes it much easier.

Scott

[mike]

Rich - Saturday looks gloomy. 80% chance of rain. Probably not enough to make the streams flow good either.

Scott - NSL campground is a great kick-off point. I would do the following hikes:

North Point (lookout #1 and Lookout #2). Great views. Lookout #2 is better then Lookout #1. So, continue on for another 1/4 mile or so.
Bears Den - Newman's Ledge - Badman's Cave. I think on the maps/DEC signs call Bears Den: Artist Rock. Easy to miss. But, great views
Pine Orchard and Boulder Rock. Check out the 3rd ledge trail (not an official DEC trail)
Palenville Overlook and Indian Head
Harding Road
The southern part of the Eastern Escarpment (Kaaterskill Falls to Boulder Rock).
Kaaterskill High Peak

If you need help finding a particular spot, just let us know.

Very few rattlers seen in the Kaaterskill Clove. But, about once a year someone sees one. Last year, a friend of mine saw one on the Harding Trail. The year before one was seen on the Rip Van Winkle Trail. We have been told that there is a den below Hawkeye on the ledges. This is just north of the Kaaterskill Amphitheater, but before Palenville. Somehow they are making it into the Kaaterskill Clove. I have never seen them anywhere on the Kaaterskill Mtn Range. The probability that you will see one is pretty close to zero.

Hope this helps. Have fun, and be safe.

[ssjamk65]

Mike, Thanks for the recommendations. I will definately add the 3rd Ledge Trail to our agenda.

Time to go pack.

Scott

[rkugel]

Hi Mike,

Good thing we didn't meet up Saturday. The weather was awful with humid, cloudy skies, punctuated with tropical downpours. Parts of New Jersey and New York City even had confirmed tornados!

Scott, looking forward to your trip reports.

In regards to rattlesnakes, yes, you need to be vigilant in the lower elevations of Kaaterskill Clove. However, some perfectly harmless snakes will rapidly shake their tails in the leaves and other ground clutter to "simulate" a rattler and fend off predators.

Rich

[LJ2484]

My girlfriend and I decided to drive up to the Catskills from New Jersey on Saturday and spend some time driving around and checking out some towns and trails to waterfalls that were more or less road side so in the event that the skies decided to open up we wouldn't be too far from the car.We lucked out because right as we got onto Spruceton Rd. to head to the Diamond Notch Falls trailhead sheets of rain started to come over the mountain and the wind was fairly intense for a little while.Luckily we were safely in the car and in an open enough area to no have to worry about a tree falling.This is the second time that torrential rain has ruined an attempt to see the falls.Slightly defeated we headed back out Spruceton Rd. with the rain still falling and decided to head up to 23A and drive through Hunter and Tannersville so we could drive through Kaaterskill Clove as it is one of our favorite places in the Catskills to drive through.And that was our best decision all day.Because as we were heading out of Haines Falls the sky began to clear and we suddenly found ourselves with a rare treat.Having Kaaterskill Falls completely to ourselves.Not too often that you drive past that parking lot empty.So all in all a great day in the Catskills