The Escarpment trail (North Lake)

On the 23.9 mile Escarpment Trail, which rides a thin lip of stone above the picturesque Hudson River Valley, it can truly be said that a hike imitates art. These are the fabled mountains where Rip Van Winkle slept. Rip Van Winkle Hollow, at the south end of the Escarpment Trail, is where legend holds that the drowsy Dutchman dozed undisturbed for 20 years. Artists and Sunset Rocks above North Lake, also along the Escarpment Trail, are where nineteenth century artists Thomas Cole and Frederick Church found inspiration for art masterpieces that now hang in the world’s leading museums. 

From a hiker’s perspective, the Escarpment Trail is challenging terrain over ever changing scenery with mixed hardwood forests, dark hemlock groves beside swift-flowing creeks, hardscrabble pitch pine at southern-facing outcrops, and a spruce-fir cap on the higher peaks. The Escarpment Trail forms a link in the 340 mile Long Path. 

The Escarpment Trail can be hiked end to end in a weekend, but be sure you have a vehicle at both ends of the trail or arrange a shuttle. Pad your hiking schedule, though, because Catskill miles are not regular miles. The soft sediments underlying these ancient mountains were carved vengefully by glaciers some 22,000 years ago, creating elevation changes both sudden and steep. Around here, it’s not the elevation extremes that count, but the cumulative gain in between. 

Also, allow extra time to come down off the high ridge, and fill up water bottles at perennial springs in nearby coves (the Escarpment is pretty dry). Many hikers sidetrack across the Blackhead Mountains to summit Black Dome and Thomas Cole Mountain. From these and other vantage points, you can make out the southern Adirondacks and Green Mountains, the Berkshires and Taconics, the Hudson Highlands around West Point, and the chalky white Shawangunks.

Trail Information: The blue marked Escarpment Trail is 23.9 miles long and makes for a great 3 day backpacking trip or the trail can be hiked in a really tough, weekend trip. The trail travels along some of the Catskill Mountains most scenic territory. It is 3940 feet at its highest point on the summit of Blackhead Mountain. It crosses seven summits over 3000 feet on some of the most rugged terrain in the Catskills. The North-South Lake area to North Point is full of history as it was the birthplace of hiking in the Catskills.