When I know I need to get outside but I don’t know where to go, I often revisit the same places. I’ve hiked Hunter Mountain probably two dozen times. Another place I often revisit is North-South Lake Campground. Today’s light snow made another visit to North Lake an easy pick.
The campground is located in Americas very first vacation destination and the region gave birth to one of our country’s first art movements, the Hudson River School. Artists from the region began painting the wilderness which made this region an early destination for vacationers prior to the civil war and up until the middle of the 20th century. Naturally, people still visit this region but at it’s peak it was the destination in the young nation.
Several grand hotels were located on the land that is now occupied by the campground and adjacent state forests. In order to cater to their visitors desires to see the Catskill wilderness a large network of trails and woods roads were created. Many of these trails remain today.
These hotels and the region were so popular at their height that railroad lines were constructed to get to the hotels. The depot of the Delaware & Ulster Railroad has been restored and is at the start of the Kaaterskill Rail Trail
Today’s walk began at the historic train depot and follows the rail trail for over a mile before coming to Kaaterskill Falls. This is the only rail trail I’ve visited that still has many wooden ties left in place. You need to watch your step, particularly when it’s wet or icy.
After about 1.5 miles the trail comes to the site of the former Laurel House Hotel and an observation platform for the Kaaterskill Falls. Over the past few years these falls have become very popular and often feel like they may be in danger of being loved to death. It’s easy to see why as you can park and walk a 1/2 mile to an amazing view.
After leaving the falls, there are a number of trails and old roads that wander through the woods. With no particular destination in mind I followed the old rail line farther until I reached the lakes themselves.
If current conditions persist, in a few weeks the lakes will be busy with snowmobiles and ice fishermen. There was still a bit of open water today. I had the park virtually to myself, seeing only a handful of other people.
For over a century people have visited these woods and scenes like this.
At the east end of the lakes is the former site of the original great hotel of the Catskills, the Catskill Mountain house. The original drive to the site remains as well as remnants of the gates and assorted out buildings
Guests would arrive up this road to the hotel situated on a cliff overlooking the Hudson Valley. The hotel stood for 140 years before becoming a hazard and being removed with a controlled burn by the DEC in 1963.
At the former hotel site, there are several displays that show what it looked like along with images of the other nearby hotels.
It’s possible to visit a few hotel sites in this region and back in the woods a bit to the west of the Mountain House is the site of the Kaaterskill Hotel. That hotel is also long gone but the area still shows the old roads and foundations where it stood.
It’s always great to see the woods transformed by the first snows. At some point our winters tend to overstay their welcome but in the early season it’s great to get out and just walk in the snow.
Todays walk was mostly flat gaining only 470 feet over 7.9 miles of walking. It was about 28º and snowing the entire time.
For an idea of how many times I’ve visited North Lake here is my GPS tracks for just the past two years. At this point I’ve covered all but a few miles of the trails in the region and many I’ve walked several times.
