Short Hikes in the Western Catskills

It will be getting warm (but not yet buggy) in the Catskills, and you can hike several smaller hills in one day.

We'll drive Friday afternoon to the western Catskills and park and camp at Little Pond State Campground N. of Hwy. 152/54 Beaver Kill Road in the Middle Mountain Wild Forest.

Saturday morning, we’ll make a loop hike of Touchmenot Mt. and Cabot Mt. (3-4 miles round-trip), then drive SW on 54 and 152 (Beaverkill Road), then N. on Smith Hill Rd. and park between Middle Mountain and Mary Smith Hill. We’ll go and down Middle (3 miles R/T), then to a scenic view to the W. of the parking lot (1 mile R/T). Time permitting, we'll drive E. on 54 and Mill Brook Rd. and park on the latter, and hike SW to Balsam Lake Mt. firetower, and then to the overlook N. of Beecher Lake (8 miles R/T).

If we don't hike Balsam Lake Sat., we'll do it Sun. morning. If we do hike it on Sat., on Sun. we'll park on Hill Rd. and hike NE to viewpoints on Dry Brook Ridge and back (4 miles), then drive home.

We can cook at the campsite, or go eat N. in Margaretville, Arkville or Fleischmanns. The weekend should be less hot and buggy than ones in June and later, but no promises. If the weather is bad that weekend, rain check for two weekends later, at the end of May.

As usual, the MU Location feature is r@t@rded, and won't recognize the campsite address, but puts it in Brooklyn! (Actual) campsite address: 549 Little Pond State Campground Road, Andes, NY 13731.

**Campsite reservations link: https://newyorkstateparks.reserveamerica.com/camping/little-pond-campground/r/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=NY&parkId=495**