Hike to the Old Catskill Mountain House Site

Haines Falls, New York

Save

View all 4 photos

All 4 photos

Save Review Directions Add Photo

Details

Distance

0.5 miles

Elevation Gain

750 ft

Route Type

Out-and-Back

Description

Added by Tiffany Young

Enjoy the view that the old Mountain House must have loved.

Once upon a time, this very spot was home to one of the most glamorous hotel for travelers in the United States. Now it's a historical site with one hell of a view of the Hudson River, the far away hills of Vermont, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and of course the beautiful Catskills valleys.

If you're in the Catskills of New York and happen to be camping at North Lake Campgrounds (and South Lake), check out this easy stroll up to what was once the site of the old Catskill Mountain House.

From the campgrounds, this lookout is a short 10-15 minute steady incline up and is a part of the famous, more strenuous, Escarpment Trail.

The old Catskill Mountain Hose was built in 1823 and it lasted until 1963 when it was burnt down by the state because it was a safety hazard.

Walk around the site and imagine the old Mountain House still there. You can probably understand why this hotel was so popular.

Download the Outbound mobile app

Find adventures and camping on the go, share photos, use GPX tracks, and download maps for offline use.

Get the app

Features

Chillin

Photography

Running

Hiking

Bathrooms

Dog Friendly

Easy Parking

Family Friendly

Forest

Groups

Lake

Picnic Area

River

Romantic

Scenic

Reviews

Have you done this adventure? Be the first to leave a review!

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

Nearby

Camp at North Lake Campground

During an unplanned road trip, we arrived at the North/South Lake Campground out of curiosity and without a doubt, it was totally worth the stop! (We only saw North Lake.) To visit this campground, there is a fee for a day pass, unless you had just came from another campground in the Catskills like we did earlier in the day (a ranger from the Devil's Tombstone Campground had signed a receipt fo...

Hike to Newman's Ledge

Located in the beautiful Catskill Mountains, this is an outdoors-mans(and woman's) dream spot! Although this hike is accessible year round, if you decide to go during the summer you should expect crowds. Luckily, there are so many different trails and activities that it won't even matter. North-South Lake offers a campground right by the lake that makes this place very family friendly. It is al...

Summit North Mountain

Have you ever wanted to feel as if you were hiking two different locations at once? If so, then North Mountain is definitely somewhere to check out. Take the birch tree forests around Aspen, CO and pair it with the spruces/pines of the Adirondacks and you'll have this route in the Catskills.Parking can be found on Scutt Road but get there early if you want a spot, otherwise park at the Visitors...

Fawns Leap

Please be respectful if visiting this local swimming hole. Pack out what you pack in, carry out others' trash, and familiarize yourself with Leave No Trace principles. Hidden in the Catskill Mountains is one of the coolest cliff jumping locations I have ever been to. The first time I went was a failed attempt on finding the legendary cliff called Fawns Leap. On my second trip, I didn't want i...

Layman's Monument and Kaaterskill Falls

Kaaterskill Falls

Although this is a super short hike, it is definitely a tough one! The quick, steep climb is totally worth it once you reach the 260 foot cascade and pool at the end. Hike along the trail, hugging Spruce Creek all the way to the falls. If you hike in the spring, the creek and the falls will be raging but you can't go wrong all year. There's great ice climbing in the winter and the fall leaves a...