Catskill Mountains Lark in the Park

Trail Update 10-22-20 Brown, bronze, and gold are the colors of late October in the Catskills. While the leaves are just past peak, the colors are still bea...utiful. This weekend should be mild during the day and cool at night, with highs in the 50s and 60s, and lows in the 30s. Sunsets are at about 6:04 pm. Trail Conditions:There are fallen leaves and pine needles on the trails right now which can be a hazard when descending. Carrying trekking poles and wearing hiking shoes are both recommended to help with foot traction and when encountering rocks. Turkey hunting season began this past week, continue to carry clothing or accessories that are blaze orange when traveling through the woods, and consider avoiding colors like red and blue in your wardrobe! Don’t forget to do a tick check, as ticks are active when the temperature is above freezing (32). For more information on trails, hiking, and some important upcoming events, please visit: http://bit.ly/CatskillParkTrailConditions10-22-20 #catskills #catskillmountains #leavenotrace #trailupdate #fallfoliage

Catskill Park Trail Update 10-15-20 - Enjoy this fall weekend, it may be our last peak weekend in the Catskills. The fall time foliage looks amazing in the Catskills at the moment. With rain in the forecast for Friday we may start to see the colors fall, so enjoy your favorite trails and be prepared for wet and muddy conditions. Please continue to follow recommendations on safety and social distancing from New York State and the CDC. Use your best judgement when traveling and... keep alternate plans in mind if you’re visiting a trailhead that happens to be very busy. Trail Conditions: Be prepared for some puddles, mud, and especially slippery leaves and pine needles on the trails and cliffsides. As always, the better prepared a hiker can be for these conditions (think gaiters, boots, and even trekking poles), the better their experience will be while hiking in the Catskills. Fall conditions are in full swing albeit on their way out; cooler temps, slippery leaves and pine needles will present some trail hazards.

The 3 day weekend is here and the weather is perfect for getting outside. The Lark in the Park will go out with a bang as you can see in these photos of this year's spectacular fall foliage. These shots were taken at the Palmer Hill Trail, one of the six CMC trails you can hike to earn a gorgeous embroidered patch. Visit https://catskillslark.org/ for more self-guided hiking trips plus cycling, paddling, touring and more. Be sure to observe social distancing guidelines.

Catskill Park Trail Update 10.8.20 -- After some high winds on Wednesday and Thursday, there may be some blowdown on Catskills trails and there will likely be lots of fallen leaves on the trail. Look overhead for potential widow makers (trees likely to fall), especially when you're setting up camp. Be aware of more slippery terrain -- hiking boots and trekking poles help a lot with traction. As we move further into fall, temperatures are gradually going into the 40s and 30s ...at night, with highs generally in the 60s during the day. Bring synthetic or wool layers that you can take on and off during the day. Sunrises are at about 7 am right now, while sunsets are currently at 6:25 pm. It's suggested that you pack a headlamp, even if you only plan to hike during daylight. For more information, including weekend weather and seasonal hunting information, please visit the Catskills Visitor Center website: http://bit.ly/CatskillParkTrailConditions10-8-20.

The first weekend of the Lark is past and we had some nice weather for hiking and cycling. On both days the parking area at the Shavertown Trail was full. Cyclists were out all around the Pepacton Reservoir. This picture was taken on the Pepacton Range at Split Rock. Less than 1.5 miles from the Holiday Brook/Berry Brook Rd. trailhead, this is a easy-moderate hike on a trail less traveled. For more quiet hikes, check this page: https://catskillslark.org/hikes/

Catskill Park Trail Conditions 10-1-20: Fall, fall, for all! This weekend marks the peak of seasonal fall foliage for the western Catskills. The next two weeks ...will be peak for the eastern Catskills and upper elevations. Please continue to follow recommendations on safety and social distancing from New York State and the CDC. Use your best judgement when traveling and keep alternate plans in mind if you’re visiting a trailhead that happens to be very busy. Trail Conditions: Rain storms moved across the Catskills earlier this week, making for wet conditions this Thursday. Be prepared for puddles, mud, and especially slippery leaves and pine needles on the trails and cliff-sides. As always, the better prepared a hiker can be for these conditions, the better their experience will be while hiking in the Catskills. Fall conditions are in full swing; cooler temps, slippery leaves and pine needles will present some trail hazards. Consider wearing bright orange on the trails as bowhunting for deer begins today Thursday, October 1st. Please visit our website for more information: http://bit.ly/CatskillParkTrailConditions10-1-20 #catskills #huntingseason #trailupdate #trailsafety #knowbeforeyougo #autumninnewyork