Question on where a group can camp in the Cats

[adirobdack46r]

Hi all, I need some help from all of you well versed with the Catskills. The majority of my hiking is in the Dacks. Only been to the Cats twice so I'm not all that familiar with the area.

Here is my dilemma. I'm a co-advisor of an outdoor recreation club at a college up in Watertown, NY (hour north of Syracuse). Roughly 10 of us plan to spend three nights Memorial Day weekend in the Cats and doing some day hiking. We had hoped to stay at North South Lake NYS campground but they are all full. As is the case from what I'm finding with all other NYS campgrounds in the area. KOA has some spots but is a little expensive for school money.

Can anyone recommend somewhere we can camp? A small private campground? Areas just off some back roads? An area just down a trail from a trailhead (half mile or less in)? We'd like to stay near North South Lake campground so it won't be a long haul to go there, pay day use fee, to shower and get cleaned up. Any help or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

If you have somewhere specific in mind, I'm not that familiar with the area, and we might have a car coming down later in the evening, so if possible could you please mark it on a screen capture of a topo or other map and PM it to me. It would be much appreciated.

 

[DSettahr]

The problem with a group of 10 is that you'd need a permit to camp at large on State Land, even if it's a roadside campsite or a site just down the trail from the trail head. The overnight group size limitation without a permit is 9. Such a permit can be obtained from the local forest ranger.

I dont know of any easily accessible or road side sites in the vicinity of North-South Lake, but I do know there are some in the Western Catskills. There's a couple of sites on the Neversink River at the Biscuit Brook trail head, no more than a 5 minute walk from the parking area.

 

[daxs]

There are free campsites at Sundown which is on Peekamoose Rd which would accomodate a group your size. In the past there have been portapotties there. However, it really is not close to the North South campground or pay showers. Maybe JayH will chime in and help you out with info

 

[adirobdack46r]

Thanks DSettahr, yeah we know the general DEC regulations. We won't know our group size for sure till the day comes. People tend to drop out at the last minute. We can't find in the regulations by what distance groups have to be separated by to not be considered part of the same group. If we have 10 or more we will have to split, but we hope both groups can be in the same relative area.

 

[Mark Schaefer]

Colgate Lake primitive camp sites and Catskill maps

Similar to the free primitive camping sites near Sundown that daxs mentioned; free campsites are available on state land near Colgate Lake. Colgate Lake is approximately midway between the North Lake area and the Blackhead Range in the northern Catskills. There are three parking areas on state land near Colgate Lake shown approximately at the three markers on this acme map. The driving distance from the Colgate Lake trailhead (Marker C on the acme map) to the North Lake State Park campground is approximately 9.5 miles.

Marker B is the boat launch site for the lake. In prior years there has been a port-a-john at this parking area. I am not certain it will be there this year given the state funding cutbacks. There is not much opportunity for camping near this lake access parking area.

Marker C is the trailhead for the Colgate Lake Trail to Dutcher Notch. The trailhead is 1.7 miles (on County Route 78) from East Jewett (junction of County Routes 23C and 78). There is a very large meadow on state land at the trailhead which could provide several campsites. During a few recent years the port-a-john has been located here, but generally during most years it is has been at Marker B. The Colgate Lake trail provides access to the Blackhead Range and Stoppel Point, although it is a long haul to either destination on the marked trails. If you are hiking the Blackheads you will probably want to drive to either of the two Blackhead Range trailheads (at the end of Big Hollow Road or at Barnum Road).

Marker A has several smaller open meadows which are often used as camp sites by hunters in season. However, camping is open to anybody.

The standard DEC rules apply at the campsites at any of these sites.

If you do not already have Catskill trail maps, there are two excellent GPS based trail maps. You should ample time to order from any of the online websites:

Venture Out Catskill map (2009 edition). This is one large, tear resistant map; very similar to the National Geographic trail maps for the Adirondacks. It may be a bit large and cumbersome to use in the field, but it is the most comprehensive and detailed Catskill trail map available. It covers all of the Catskill 3500' and Hundred Highest peaks. It covers all DEC and DEP lands within the Catskill Blue Line and many areas outside the Blue Line. It is good for hiking, fishing, camping, bicycling, and hunting:
Venture Out Catskill map, the publisher's website
ADK Club website: Venture Out Catskill map
The ADK Club website still shows the older 2008 edition. I would recommend calling the ADK Club store if you order from them to ensure you are buying the new 2009 edition of this map which corrected a number of typos. Or it might be better to order directly from the Venture Out publisher website to ensure that you receive the new and current 2009 edition.

New York / New Jersey Trail Conference, Catskill Trails 6 map set (2010 edition). Smaller Tyvek maps and easier to use in the field. However, the map does not cover as much terrain as the Venture Out map. For instance it does not cover as many of the Catskill Hundred Highest peaks, but the new 2010 edition now covers all 35 of the Catskill 3500' mountains:
NY/NJ TC website: Catskill Trails 6 map set (2010 edition)
ADK Club website: Catskill Trails 5 map set (2005 edition)
The ADK Club website still shows the older 2005 edition. I would recommend calling the ADK Club store if you order from them to ensure you are buying the new 2010 edition of this map set. Or it might be better to order directly from the NY/NJ TC website to ensure that you receive the new and current 2010 edition.

I personally have and use both the Venture Out and NY/NJ TC maps. They are both excellent for their slightly different strengths.

 

[DSettahr]

Thanks DSettahr, yeah we know the general DEC regulations. We won't know our group size for sure till the day comes. People tend to drop out at the last minute. We can't find in the regulations by what distance groups have to be separated by to not be considered part of the same group. If we have 10 or more we will have to split, but we hope both groups can be in the same relative area.

It's one mile of separation. Remember, you can get a permit for a group up to 15 from the forest ranger who's district you'll be camping in, provided it's in a wild forest and not in a wilderness area (the DEC I believe has stopped handing out permits to large groups for camping in wilderness areas).

 

[Jay H]

There are some sites at Allaben on Rt 28. The sites at Biscuit brook probably aren't big enough for any kind of large group. So Sundown is probably the largest but is in the southern cats, a bit far from North/South lake.

I can't really say i've stayed a private campground that I could recommend, but there are private campgrounds around near Phoenica, and there are places up by Acra in far northern Cats that I've stayed at before.

jay