13 minute read
THE GREAT OUTDOORS IN THE CATSKILLS
By Jeff Senterman
Have you been enjoying the summer in the Catskills? The month of September brings cooling temperatures and by mid-month, hints of the vivid leaf colors that will peak in October. While September signifies a slow end to summer, it is a great time to get outside and enjoy the region. Crowds are starting to thin, the temperatures are moderating, and there is generally good weather, all of which make it the perfect time to take the hike, ride a bike, visit a farmers market, have a picnic, or partake in any other Catskills adventure you had been planning!
One thing though, the Catskills have been busy. We’ve seen high levels of use throughout the region, especially at our most popular trailheads and destinations. When you are enjoying the great outdoors in the Catskills, we need you to act responsibly and take care of the great outdoors. The Catskill Park is a “Carry It In, Carry It Out Park,” and that means you won’t find trash receptacles along trails or at trailheads—what you bring in, you should pack back out and take home to dispose of properly. If we all do our part, we can maintain the environment and protect the important natural resources of the Catskills.
Most importantly, we all must work to Leave No Trace when we visit the great outdoors. There are seven principles to the Leave No Trace message, but the overall message is the most important. When you visit an area, leave it as good, if not better than when you arrived. That means staying on trail, not damaging natural features, bringing all of your trash out with you (including those orange peels), and being aware of your impacts on the environment and your fellow hikers.
Please do your part and make sure the forests, trails, swimming holes, and even our roadsides aren’t covered in litter!
Loving the Catskills to Life!
We often hear how a place is “loved to death” and can easily see how overuse or high use can negatively impact the natural areas that people want to visit. As part of anything that we do, we want to make sure we are able to welcome more visitors to the Catskills to enjoy our important places, all without harming those places! We want to make sure our visitors help invest in and regenerate our natural areas—we want to love the Catskills to life!
In my mind we can all take a few steps in that direction:
1. As residents or visitors, we need to ensure that we do not just take from the Catskills. We need to find ways to give back, whether they are large or small. When you’re hiking and see a candy bar wrapper, pick it up and pack it out! Thinking bigger? There are lots of volunteer opportunities in the Catskills tackling everything from invasive species to trail maintenance to staffing a fire tower!
2. We need to raise our voices for the Catskill Park with all of our elected officials. We need to continue the good work that has been
accomplished in Albany and ensure continued funding to improve the infrastructure of the Catskill Park. These improvements make the Park more accessible, but at the same time help ensure natural resources protection and make for a better Park experience.
3. We need to pass on our love and appreciation for wild areas and the Catskills to new users and generations while understanding that those we talk to may have none of the experiences we have had, and that their frames of reference are likely completely different from ours. We need to move forward together for the Catskills with understanding and compassion on all sides.
4. We need to help the communities of the Catskills. When we enjoy the great outdoors, we need to make sure we also stop on main streets and enjoy our local communities. Get a coffee at a local shop, buy a sandwich at a deli within the Catskills, stop for dinner on your way home in the Catskills. Outdoor enthusiasts need to use their economic potential for good in the Catskills!
Do your part and love the Catskills to life!
Permits Needed to Visit Peekamoose Blue Hole
A permit is required for all visitors to the Peekamoose Blue Hole and the entire nearby Peekamoose Valley Riparian Corridor along the Rondout Creek, including campers, picknickers, hikers, and anglers everyday between May 15 and September 15 of each year.
Permits are $10, and must be acquired at least 24 hours in advance, but no more than a week in advance. Only advance registrations will be accepted. No walk-in registrations are available. Permits must list the names of all members of the visiting party when making the registration. Names can be changed up to one day in advance. Each permit will be linked to a vehicle, and the permit must be displayed on/in the vehicle. Permits can be acquired from Reserve America at: newyorkstateparks.reserveamerica.com/.
For more information on the Peekamoose Blue Hole and Riparian Corridor permits, please call the Catskills Visitor Center at 845 688 3369.
The Catskills Are Busy! What Is The Catskill Center Doing to Protect Them?
At Kaaterskill Falls, Peekamoose Blue Hole, Platte Clove, the Devil’s Path, and at our Catskill Park Fire Towers, the Catskill Center’s Stewards can be found educating visitors of the region how best to have a safe and enjoyable visit without leaving a trace.
The Catskill Park has been at the center of American tourism since the early 1820’s. Fresh air, mountain houses and nature-inspired art made the scenic Catskills a refuge. Much like today, travelers in the 1800’s sought the wilderness and expansive views of upstate New York—a reprieve from their NYC daily routines.
The iconic views in the Catskill Park have been made witness to another, more recent, surge of the tourism industry. With pristine waters, exceptional landscapes, and a plethora of amazing agricultural tourism, it’s no wonder the Catskills were named “number two” in Lonely Planet’s Top Regions, Best of Travel for 2019. Visitation provides a needed economic driver for Catskill communities, and the increase in sightseers brings people and their travel dollars to our rural towns, as well as our natural spaces.
Two of the most iconic, visited, and cherished destinations in the Catskill Park are Kaaterskill Falls and the Peekamoose Blue Hole. A quick internet search of, ‘things to do in the Catskills’ yields a top recommendation of visiting Kaaterskill Falls … and for good reason! The natural gem boasts a drop of over 260 feet over 2 tiers. The stream continues past the main falls area over numerous smaller falls and ledges before cascading over the final falls of this section of stream, Bastion Falls. Needless to say, if you’re one to hike, take pictures in nature, or just looking for a big waterfall, Kaaterskill Falls is the place to visit.
After the inaugural 2018 season of stewardship at the Peekamoose Blue Hole, the Catskill Center has continued to improve the Catskill Stewards Program by identifying other high-use locations in the Catskills and taking what was learned from the Blue Hole to adapt their language, outreach technique, and ultimately the size of the program to better meet the needs of other locations.
Stewards are on site to:
• Welcome people to the Catskills
• Provide information on where to explore and what to avoid
• Describe impacts that are harmful to each location
• Educate how everyone can help reduce their impacts
• Inform people of the most important rules and regulations
• Be a resource for any questions people have about these areas and others across the Catskills
Visitors will continue to come to the Catskills in ever increasing numbers, and bring with them the reminder that everyone needs the tools and skills necessary to enjoy the outdoors responsibly. When stewards are not present, litter increases, natural resources are harmed, and people are less informed about the intricacies of the unique landscape they’re visiting.
Next time you visit one of the stewarding locations, take a moment to introduce yourself to a steward and perhaps thank them for their time and commitment to protecting the pristine quality of the Catskills. After all, the Catskills belong to all of us, a beautiful resource of public lands to enjoy, and protect, for future generations to come.
The Catskill Stewards Program is a program of the Catskill Center, supported by funds from donations by their members and donors. Stewards are paid seasonal staff of the Catskill Center who are trained specifically to meet the demands of welcoming tens of thousands of people to the Catskills annually.
Visit the Catskill Park’s Visitor Center
Located at 5096 Route 28 in Mount Tremper, the Congressman Maurice D. Hinchey Catskills Visitor Center (CVC) is the official visitor center for the Catskill Park. A program of the Catskill Center, staff are available at the CVC with information, maps and all the advice needed to plan a Catskill adventure. The CVC is open every day in the summer months from 9:30 am to 4 pm. Visitors can get their Catskill questions answered in person, receive tourism literature, and make purchases at the CVC’s shop that includes hiking maps, regional books, and much more. CVC staff are also available to answer questions about the Catskills and the Catskill Park via email at info@catskillcenter.org or phone at 845 688 3369 during normal business hours.
In addition to tourism services, there are 1.5 miles of trails on the CVC’s grounds, including the 0.5 mile long accessible Interpretive Loop Trail, which are open to the public daily. The 80-foot tall Upper Esopus Fire Tower is also open daily to visitors, offering unrivaled views of the surrounding mountains and Esopus Creek valley. Picnic tables are available on site for those wishing to enjoy a picnic lunch.
Visitors can explore the ever expanding resources available online for the CVC on the web at catskillsvisitorcenter.org, the CVC’s Facebook page at facebook.com/catskillsvisitorcenter, and the CVC on Instagram at @catskills.visitor.center.
Hike the Catskills with the Hiker Trash Husbands
For years, my husband and I have been trying to find ways to better communicate the love that we have for the outdoors and for hiking, to our friends and family who don’t necessarily get out as much as we do. One way was to start a YouTube channel about our hiking adventures. Thus was born the idea for The Hiker Trash Husbands, which you can now find with lots of hikes in the Catskills at youtube.com/thehikertrashhusbands.
For both of us, The Hiker Trash Husbands is not only a way to show friends and family our hiking adventures, but an effort to provide positive LGBTQ+ representation in the hiking world. We love showcasing our own hiking adventures, along with finding other queer outdoors folks to highlight. You can learn more by visiting our website at hikertrashhusbands.com.
If you’re in the Catskills and have cable TV provided by MTC, you can catch our videos on CatskillsAir, MTC Channel 1.
Catskill Park Advisory Committee
Chaired by the Catskill Center, the Catskill Park Advisory Committee (CPAC) was established to facilitate communication within the Park. It consists of representatives from local governments and organizations and provides a forum for communities, user groups and stakeholders of the Catskill Park and the Catskill Watershed to discuss issues of regional importance. The purpose of the Committee is to provide assistance, advice and guidance to the DEC, the New York City Department of Environmental Protection and other land managers in the management of the New York State Forest Preserve, the Catskill Park and the Catskill Watershed.
Meetings are held quarterly and are open to the public. If you’d like to learn more, join the mailing list or attend the next meeting, please contact the Catskill Center at 845 586 2611 or email them at cccd@catskillcenter.org with CPAC in the subject asking to be added to the mailing list.
Catskill Park Updates Now Available Online
Local recreational opportunities are always changing, and by visiting the Catskills Visitor Center’s Trail Conditions page you can now see updates related to the Catskill Park, Catskill trails, Catskill campgrounds and camping, Catskill boating, skiing, and more at catskillsvisitorcenter.org.
Give Back to the Catskills
The natural beauty, the majesty of the mountains, the protection of the Catskill Forest Preserve, the region’s natural and cultural resources, all need your help! By supporting the work of the Catskill Center, you support: stewardship of our Catskill Park and its vast natural resources; the Center’s collaborative spirit as we convene, create partnerships and facilitate discussions that benefit the region; and the Center’s work to support education, arts and culture throughout the Catskills.
To support the work of the Catskill Center, become a member online through their website at www.catskillcenter.org/ donate or donate by mail: Checks made out to the “Catskill Center” can be mailed to Catskill Center, PO Box 504, Arkville, NY 12406.
#RecreateResponsibly in the Catskills
Time in nature, and outdoor recreation has proven to be essential for all.
Especially during uncertain times, all of us, from seasoned outdoor enthusiasts, to families heading out to their local park for the first time, can turn to community and simple reminders about how to safely & responsibly recreate outdoors while caring for one another.
The Recreate Responsibly guidelines came together to offer a starting point for getting outside to keep yourself and others safe while working to maintain access to our beloved natural spaces.
Read on to learn the primary tips on how to responsibly recreate outdoors. Each edition of the guidelines have been developed by bringing together topline issues and experts to distill key concepts that when implemented, build a community of care in the outdoors.
Learn more at recreateresponsibly.org
Know Before you Go
Check the status of the place you want to visit for closures, fire restrictions, and weather.
Plan and Prepare
Reservations and permits may be required. Make sure you have the gear you need and a back-up plan
Build an Inclusive Outdoors
Jeff Senterman is the Executive Director of the Catskill Center for Conservation and Development in Arkville, NY, a member of the Board of Directors for the Catskill Watershed Corporation, and the Central Catskills Chamber of Commerce. Jeff graduated with a degree in Environmental Science from Lyndon State College and worked for many years as an Environmental Planner in New England before coming back to New York and the Catskills working in the nonprofit sector. To learn more about the work of the Catskill Center in the Catskills, visit www.catskillcenter.org.
Be an active part of making the outdoors safe and welcoming for all identities and abilities.
Respect Others
There is space for everyone and countless outdoor activities. Be kind to all who use the outdoors and nature differently.
Leave No Trace
Respect the land, water, wildlife, and Native communities. Follow the seven Leave No Trace principles. Learn more at LeaveNoTrace.org
Make It Better
We all have a responsibility to sustain the places we love. Volunteer, donate, and advocate for the outdoors.
