DEC trail posted as private land in the Catskills? (fishing lodge patrolmen)

I ran accross this thread in another forum, I was woundering if this is for real? Can they do this? Anyone been in this area lately or know about it?


http://forums.backpacker.com/thread.jspa?threadID=85387&tstart=0

DEC trail posted as private land? (fishing lodge patrolmen)
Posted: May 19, 2006 7:09 PM Reply


Catskills Area:
Neversink-Hardenberg
Mongaup-Willowemoc
Long Pond-Beaver Kill

A few weeks ago my girlfriend, a friend and I went on a 3 day 2 night loop hike that we'd read about in the rec.backpacking newsgroup and we encountered some difficulty with private property. The loop is in the southwest part of the Catskills and is clearly marked on my set of NY NJ Trail Conf. topographic maps (which I got in the summer of '00)

After our first night aside Tunis Pond hiking along Neversink-Hardenberg trail(which unfortunately is a dirt road) we encountered a roadblock which stopped vehicle traffic, but the foot path went on, as did the yellow DEC trail markers so we continued. As we walked along DEC markers were interspersed with no tresspassing signs belonging to hunting lodges, and eventually the trail markers dissapeared all together.

After another 3-6 miles and repeated map/compass checking we picked up a more traveled dirt road awhich once again was intermitently marked with DEC tags but we were still confused.

finally we got to the suspension bridge and junction of Mongaup-Willowemoc trail and relived to be "back on the map" so to speak, and with a clear landmark to give us our bearings. We enjoyed our lunch on the hilslside just across the bridge and when I was filtering water from the river for our long hike over the montain to the Long Pond LeanTo when I was approached by a somewhat gruff man who told me I was tresspassing and demanded to see my ID. When I asked him who he was and what organization he was with he was vague answering t "I'm the one that patrols this area, you're on private property" I was polite and walked over to talk with him explaining our situation and assuring him that I was just filtering water to hike over the mountaion before nightfall. He demanded my ID again. and to avoid further delay I let him take down my name, after dragging out of him that he was part of the "Beaverkill-fishing Lodge" and that they "own this river and that trail you were walking on"

Missed a turn, and they were trespassing

Sometime between the 1989 and 1996 editions of NY/NJ TC map #43 the yellow blazed Neversink-Hardenburgh (NH) trail was relocated. On the 1989 map the western end of this trail ended at Quaker Clearing, the point at which the Beaver Kill Road climbs away from the main stream, 1 mile before the end of the road. On the 1996 and later editions of the map the new trailhead is at the end of Beaver Kill Road (also the trailhead for Balsam Lake Mt., southern end of the Dry Brook Ridge trail). The old abandoned trail is no longer shown on the 1996 and later maps. The original trail was an old road which for the most part was the edge of a strip of private land along the Beaver Kill, owned by the Beaver Kill fishing club (lodge). Apparently these hikers missed the marked turn on the new trail, and continued on the old trail. Some old yellow DEC markers remain on the abandoned trail. All of the land below this old road is private, and is heavily posted. If at any time the hikers went down to the Beaver Kill to pump and filter water they were indeed trespassing. The Beaver Kill fishing club heavily patrols this strip of private property along the Beaver Kill. They are very protective of this prime fishing stream.

As an aside many hikers have begun to refer to the new trailhead at the end of Beaver Kill Rd as Quaker Clearing although the name refers to the old Neversink-Hardenburgh trailhead.

Thanks Mark, I knew you'd have the answer. I'll have to check my new map set to see exactly where the changes were made so I don't make that mistake, it's been a very long time since I've been there.

The 2005 edition of the ADK Catskill Trails guidebook places the new/old trail intersection 0.1 mile west of the bridge over the Tunis Pond outlet stream. If you are heading northwest on the trail, there is only a yellow trail arrow and disc marking the turn from the old road onto the new trail (no additional sign wording). Unfortunately the trail description on the back of NY/NJ map #43 does not describe this turn at all. It is very easy to miss the turn. It needs to be better marked on the trail and ought to be described on the map.

Back in the very late 70's or early 80's I had a run in with the fish nazis on the public rd. in this area while searching for a snowed under trailhead to Balsam Lk. Mt. We were harassed and threatened by a gun toting gentleman, whose brother was the judge and another the constable. We were still on the road before the gate to the Balsam Lk Club. For a while it looked as if we were going to jail. I have met others who have had similar experiences.
Stay away from the stream from above Vly Pond outlet to the BeaverKill Campground. It is heavily posted and patroled. Alot of the rds and trails got changed when the state purchased the land around the streams, the clubs keeping the stream sides and it can be very confusing. The clubs haven't taken over any public trails.When I bushwack in the area I will go out of my way to make sure I am on state land. This is a beautiful and little used area.

Mark Schaefer said:

Some old yellow DEC markers remain on the abandoned trail.

Click to expand...

Seems like they should buy the patrolman a nail bar and there would be fewer hassles. And a big sign at the turn.