Catskills from New York City: Directions?

[BigJax]

Hey all-

My girlfriend and I are taking a trip up to the 'skills this saturday to hike slide mountain. Does anybody have any tips on driving directions from new york city? Mapquest tells us to get on 87 north and exit to 28 west, but it seems to be a different way to get on 87 than I'm used to (taking 95 S over the GW bridge to the palisades parkway, which I've never been on, to 87). Can anyone verify that 87 is the way to go, and maybe outline your route for getting onto 87 from Brooklyn/New York City? Thanks in advance!

Jax

*edited to correct comments on mapquest directions.

 

[Jay H]

Can't comment on the best way to escape NYC, but I-87 is the same as the NY thruway at least west of the hudson river. So yes, your destination is to get onto I87 north to Rt 28west at Kingston (exit 19).

The NYNJTC catskills maps should show all you need to know to get to the trailhead afterwards.

From my paltry knowledge of NYC, from Brooklyn, that route sounds feasable, unless you want to go through the bronx to westchester county and white plains. I know I 87 goes south towards the Bronx on the east side of the hudson river and the tappen zee bridge, you could get to I-87 this way too if this is any better than going over the GW Bridge to the Palisades Parkway. Consider rush hour too.

Jay

 

[BigJax]

Rush hour shouldn't be much of a factor since we will be leaving Brooklyn on Saturday morning around 6:30 am. 278 runs up from Brooklyn right to 87 in the Bronx...I figure I'll just take that route and then follow 87 up to 28 west. Is 28 west exit 19 on 87? It seems that after being on 87 for 60+ miles we'd be at a higher exit number than that.

Jay- from your other posts I guess that you have probably hiked up slide mountain more than once. Can you comment on the trail that involves taking the Phoenicia-East trail to the Wittenberg-Cornell-Slide trail to the summit of Slide, then back down via a branching off on the Curtis-Ormsbee trail until we get back to Phoenicia-East and then the parking lot? I gather it's about 9.5 miles. Is it doable in one day if we are hitting the trail around 9:30 am? Are there any views or objects off the trail that I should be sure to see instead of passing them by without knowing of their existence? We are VERY excited for this hike, and don't want to miss any beauty because we didn't know it was there!

 

[lumberzac]

19 sounds about right considering Albany is exit 23.

 

[Rob S]

Yup, it's exit 19. The exits don't correspond to the mileage on this road.

 

[BigJax]

Ok great, that'll be my route then.

Anyone have any comments on the trail that I posted above? Especially the one-day-hikeability and off-trail things-to-see parts?

 

[insight]

Hey BigJax,
IMVHO, the view from Wittenberg is much more pleasing than that of Slide. I honestly didn't like much about Slide, and the trail down the west side of Slide (which leads more directly back to the Woodland Valley parking lot area, though there is a bit of unexciting walking aside a paved road for a bit of it), was rather wide, unattractive, and ROCKY the whole way down. I very very much preferred the route that goes up Wittenberg and Cornell first, and even though I've taken that route back down to the parking lot twice (and the loop just once), I'd rather take that route than the loop any day. Much more scenic, more variety in terrain (nicely wooded, some rocks, and small ledges to climb), and just many times more enjoyable, methinks. But really, it's a matter of preference, and perhaps there will be more foilage around this time of year than when I took it (mid fall, I believe).

As for driving directions....yes 87 (the NY thruway) will take you almost the entire way. Hop on that (for me, I take the Triboro, which leads to to 87, but the Whitestone is also an option for some), and head north till exit 19 / Kingston. It always seems like the exit number should be much higher, but after exit 14 or 15 or so, there's quite a bit of distance between each exit - a lot more than you'd think considering the relative closeness to NYC and the metropolitan area!

So yes - take 87 N, and get off at exit 19. Stay to the right as you go around the circle of the exit, and take 28 W (which I believe is the first right in the circle after the exit, AFTER the parking lot area you might accidentally pull into, like I've done in the past heheh). From there, I've forgotten the EXACT directions, but I've found this, which has gotten me there in the past on a couple occasions:

http://www.panix.com/~levner/camping/tohtml.cgi?nyparks/woodland.htm


Good luck! That was one of my first hikes (I'm still quite inexperienced, but learning with each trip!), and I LOVED it.........until I got up to the Adirondacks, that is.... But really, the trail up Wittenberg and the view from there is vey beautiful.. I'm sure you two will enjoy every second of it!

 

[Rob S]

We've done the end-to-end hike a few times, but not the entire loop. The end-to-end mileage (starting at Woodland Valley Trailhead and finishing at the Slide Trailhead) is about 9.7 miles. I don't know how many miles the loop involves, but I think Jay has done it so maybe he can give you more details.

You will enjoy this hike immensely, it's one of my favorites. It has everything ...... hardwood forest, rock ledges, ladders, open viewpoints, and a few good scrambles.

Hope to see some pictures and a trip report. Have fun!

PS - I agree with Insight, the views on Wittenburg rock!

 

[BigJax]

I don't have my trail maps on hand so I'll have to talk from memory (unless someone can point me to an online map of the slide/wittenberg area). Our plan was to do Phoenicia-East to Curtiss-Ormsbee to Wittenberg-Slide to the summit of slide, then back via Wittenberg-Slide to Phoenicia-East to parking lot. I am starting to think I've actually OVERestimated the length of this loop. And, I do not believe this loop goes to Wittenberg at all, but simply hits the summit of slide and then turns around and heads back down. We only have one car...is it possible to do a day hike that summits both Slide and Wittenberg but loops back to the same trailhead that it started on?

 

[Jay H]

http://www.catskillguide.com/hike-6.htm

That will give you a rough guide to the miles and stuff. I've never been a stickler to details.. I hardly ever know how many miles I did in a hike. Usually I'll calculate it if I write a trail report, otherwise, I just guestimate the length and go from there! Probably not the best person to ask for mileages.

I believe from a friend of mine that has done the loop from Woodland Valley up the JB trail to the PE trail back says it's something like 16 miles or so. Can be done in a day. I do not remember if that is taking into the account that there is part of Slide Mountain Road you either have to walk down or you can avoid by using the road that goes through the Winnisook Lake property. It's marked I think on the TC maps as a dotted line and its fairly obvious a road when you see it.

Blueberries at Wittenburg, nice views, feel free to check out the Terrace Mt shelter, it's kind of in a neat area and a good break before it really heads uphill.

Ladder on Slide (fairly new) before the summit on the east face. John Burrough's Plaque that you can't miss before the summit. You'll see the concrete foundation of an old fire tower that used to be on the summit of slide.

Nice DEC campsites between Cornell and Slide and a small stream that is the water source.

And as far as exit 19, route 28 west is the first right off the circle which you never enter. When you exit from I-87, just keep to the right most tollbooth that you can use cause the exit for Rt 28 West is right there.

Take a look at that huge-ass RV store (Camper's World?) and marvel at how much $$$ in RVs that must be. The better view is actually when you return to the NYS Thruway south because the jughandle will bring you with a good view of the RVs...

Be careful of cops on Rt 28w from the NYS Thruway to perhaps after it merges into one lane. I always see lots of cops there, especially around the Ashoken Reservoir area.

I've been to the ADKs, I still love the Catskills.. Nothing wrong with loving both!

[edit ] I just saw your reply... There are three logical trailheads to do Slide, Woodland Valley (off Rt 28 directly near Phoenicia).. Slide Mountain Road (CR47) which is halfway on the PE trail near the switchback (also allows access to Panther and Rocky Ledge as a dayhike)
or Denning Rd.

Doing the whole loop as I said above is strenuous, 16.5 miles, 3 peaks is tough but it is doable if you both are fit and get an early start.. Preferrably earlier than 9:30

I think a much nicer hike to Slide if you only want to do Slide and not do Cornell and Wittenburg would be to start at Denning and go up the PE to the Curtis Ormsby to the John Burroughs trail to Slide. Shawn (Snowshoe) and I did this in the winter and it is awesome. It is less of a road walk as the trail from Slide Mountain Road is and the C-O is a very nice through the dense evergreen forest. Don't miss the little stone memorial of Rev. Bill Curtis and Allen Ormsby at the junction of the P-E and the Curtis-Ormsby trail. For an interesting read, you can also pick up "Now Without Peril" which is about Mt Washington but both Curtis and Ormsby both died on. Their story of their deaths was written up in that book by Nicholas Howe

Jay

 

[Mark Schaefer]

BigJax, If I am reading your plan correctly, you intend to start from the trailhead south of Winnisook Lake on county route 47. From that trailhead to the Slide summit it is 2.75 miles (using the Wittenberg-Cornell-Slide trail). Returning using the Curtis-Ormsbee trail will be 3.8 miles. Total trip of 6.55 miles and 1740' elevation gain. You should have no trouble doing that hike in a day starting at 9:30 am.

Coming down the Curtis-Ormsbee trail is an excellent idea. The Wittenberg-Cornell-Slide trail is an old jeep road and has a lot of loose rock which is not bad going up, but can be a pain coming down. There are also several viewpoints on Curtis-Ormsbee trail, and none on the lower portion of the Wittenberg-Cornell-Slide trail. The best of those viewpoints will be about 3600' elevation, 0.95 miles on your way down the from the junction. It is know as Paul's Lookout and reached by a short 75' path. I believe the path is still unmarked, but easy to see.

 

[Daniel Eagan]

Rush hour shouldn't be much of a factor since we will be leaving Brooklyn on Saturday morning around 6:30 am. 278 runs up from Brooklyn right to 87 in the Bronx...I figure I'll just take that route and then follow 87 up to 28 west.

The alternative is to take 278 to 87 to the George Washington Bridge, then the Palisades Parkway until it rejoins 87 near Nyack, which is I think what Mapquest was suggesting. It's a question of which bridge you want to take, GWB or the Tappan Zee. I live in Manhattan and prefer the GWB. Take the upper deck and get off at the first exit and you're right on the Palisades, a pretty road that's usually not crowded. You skip all the traffic around the Tappan Zee, which can be horrendous.

 

[BigJax]

So the Palisades p'way hits 87 after the GW then rejoins it up north more? What is the road number of palisades? Or would signs actually say 'palisades parkway'?

 

[Daniel Eagan]

So the Palisades p'way hits 87 after the GW then rejoins it up north more? What is the road number of palisades? Or would signs actually say 'palisades parkway'?

No, 87 North is the Major Deegan Expressway in the Bronx. If you wanted the Palisades, from there you'd go West on 95 (the Cross Bronx Expressway) four exits to the George Washington Bridge. You have to take the upper deck. First exit off the bridge in New Jersey is the Palisades Parkway. You follow this about thirty miles until it hits 87/287. Follow the signs for "Albany" and they will take you right to 87 North.

Depending on where you are in Brooklyn, it might be easier to go up the West Side Highway in Manhattan (which feeds right into the GWB) or the FDR/East River Drive/Harlem River Drive, which feeds into the Cross Bronx three exits from the GWB.

I don't think the Palisades Parkway has a route number, but it's an extremely well-marked interstate. Hope this helps.

 

[BigJax]

beautiful

Thanks Daniel for the specifics, all that's left is to choose the route! Much appreciated.

 

[Jay H]

Maybe a bit off topic:

[History of the palisades parkway

You'll go through some rich areas of Bergen county, such as Alpine... You probably wont be able to see but to the east of the palisades and the Hudson River, you will parallel the Long Path which starts at Fort Lee by the GWD and you'll also pass some nice hiking trails above and below the cliffs til the NY State border and beyond.

If you were to continue on the Palisades, you will go by Bear Mountain and Harriman State park, you'll go by the AT right by the Anthony Wayne Rec center. Interesting side note that there is an AT journal in the median between the north and south bound lanes of the Palisades Parkway and usually a chair there to spend some time to read it while cars are whizzing by you left and right... Kind of unique in an urban way!

Jay

 

[Artex]

More useless info

And if you take I-87 south towards NYC from the Palisades, you'll also drive past the second biggest mall in the U.S. in Nyack. If you keep driving, you'll also end up near where you started.

BTW, it's a beautiful drive up I-87, lots of open country. The Wittenburg-Cornell-Slide trail is my favorite in the Catskills, you'll undoubtedly have a great time. Best of luck.

 

[BigJax]

Thank you

Thank you everyone for the replies, they have been a huge help in choosing the route. We are now leaning towards starting at the other end of the Burroughs trail and hiking first up Wittenberg, and then on to Cornell. If we still have enough legs (taking into account the return trip) we MIGHT (might) continue past Cornell to Slide. Then we'll backtrack. We initially wanted to go straight up Slide, but after hearing more about Wittenberg, as well as reading through a guidebook I bought, the views sound too good to pass up. Slide will still be there the next time we go up!

And also, I enjoy reading all the 'useless' info and little details that everyone has. Those are the things that are the most interesting, and that give you a feeling of closeness with the landscape and area that you may not otherwise find. Again, thank you!

 

[ken]

i go upstate every weekend (every other weekend in the winter) and i always take the taconic - it takes the same amount of time, is more scenic than I-87 and has no highway tolls (and the hudson river crossing is only $1) - i don't know where in brooklyn you are coming from but you get to the bronx river parkway the best way that you can (whitestone or triboro bridge) and it will run into the sprain brook parkway which will run into the taconic parkway - from the taconic you take NY-199 to kingston - from kingston you take NY-28 toward pine hill - - - - - - - - - - you can also take the taconic to the adirondacks - for the adirondacks you stay on the taconic till the end (I-90) and take I-90 to albany (make sure you stay on I-90... if you follow the thruway signs it will cost you more than $.35 and will take you longer - once you get into albany watch for I-87 north (exit 24) and you are on the northway (if it is near rush hour or heavy weekend traffic, right after crossing the hudson you should take I-787 north to cohoes and take NY-7 west to I-87 north).

 

[askus3]

Ok - its my turn to pipe in with the directions especially since I give them all the time on my job at the Harriman Toll Plaza on the Thruway. To go to Slide trailhead south of Winisook Lake, why do you go so far north, then west then south? I always approach the south end of the Catskills via NY 17 West to exit 107. Go north on this county road which runs into NY 42 North and take it to its end at Grahamsville, NY. here make a left on NY 55 West. Make a right turn on County 47 to Claryville and just before Claryville make a left on the route to Frost Valley and the trailhead for Slide.

They raised the speed limit on NY 17 (Quickway) to 65 about a month ago, so you can do much better time without worrying about where the cops are hiding.

And if you take the Palisades all the way past Anthony Wayne and then US 6 West, which flows into 17 - you don't have to worry about any tolls after crossing the Triboro Bridge.

By the way, anyone know about the cave just below the summit on Wittenberg. I camped in it in 1971 when I spent the night awake finding out that I shared it with a family of raccoons. I camped there and at the lean-tos on the summit of Slide before the "no camping policy over 3500 feet came into effect". The cave is still a nice haven to winter camp on Wittrenberg since the opening faces east. I have an old DEC brochure describing the Wittenberg-Cornell-Slide Trail which mentions this cave for camping. If you make it to Wittenberg - you might want to look for it.