Part of the Catskill 3500 challenge, Blackhead Mountain offers a great loop hike of about 5 miles from the Big Hollow Trailhead parking area. The loop hike also offers the opportunity to add a short hike from Lockwood Gap to the summit of Black Dome Mountain, another peak in the Catskill 3500 challenge. For this hike we did the loop and added Black Dome to the trip, resulting in a 6.2 mile hike.

From the Big Hollow Trailhead Parking Area you’ll follow the red-marked Black Dome Range Trail about 0.6 miles to the first trail junction. From that trail junction you’ll go straight ahead on the yellow-marked Batavia Kill Trail, passing the Batavia Kill Lean-to, and then at 0.9 miles, intersecting with the blue-marked Escarpment Trail. You’ll turn right (south) on the Escarpment Trail and steeply ascend about 0.9 miles to the summit of Blackhead Mountain and the intersection with the Blackhead Mountain Trail.

At the summit of Blackhead you’ll turn right onto the yellow-marked Blackhead Mountain Trail. While the summit itself doesn’t offer any views, a few tenths of a mile down the Blackhead Mountain Trail, you’ll come to several open rock ledges that offer tremendous views of Black Dome across Lockwood Gap and the surrounding mountains and valleys.

Continue on the Blackhead Mountain Trail to the trail junction in Lockwood Gap with the Black Dome Range Trail. Here you can either descend from Lockwood Gap or take a 1.2 mile out and back to also summit Black Dome Mountain. The 0.6 mile ascent from Lockwood Gap is steep, but it passes through some ledges that offer great views of Blackhead and the Hudson Valley beyond. Once you’re at the summit of Black Dome, return the way you came to Lockwood Gap.

From Lockwood Gap you’ll follow the red-marked Black Dome Range Trail down, quite steeply in places, and on loose rocks, to the trail junction with the Batavia Kill Trail you passed when you first started your hike. From that trail junction, continue out (left) on the Black Dome Range Trail and in 0.6 miles you’ll reach the Big Hollow Parking Area.

You can find more information about this hike with:

• The New York New Jersey Trail Conference's Catskill Trails Map Set

• National Geographic’s Trails Illustrated Map for the Catskill Park

• The Catskill Trails Guidebook

For additional information about the Catskill Park and outdoor recreation in the Park, visit the Catskills Visitor Center.

Don’t know where to start with hiking, backpacking, and camping? We can help you! Visit our professional Outdoor Hiking, Backpacking and Camping Guide Services Company at Hike On Guides.

Gear we used on this hike:

• Osprey Talon 22 Pack

• Osprey Kestrel 38 Pack

• Altra Lone Peak Shoes

• Deliberate Life Designs Sandals

• Black Diamond Trail Back Trekking Poles

• Darn Tough Quarter Midweight Hiking Socks

• Sawyer Squeeze Water Filter

• Nalgene 32-ounce Wide-Mouth Water Bottles

• Energizer LED Headlamp

• NEMO Chipper Reclaimed Closed-Cell Foam Seat Pad

Hydration and nutrition for this hike:

• The Complete Cookie

• Gatorade Endurance Carb Energy Chews

• GU Energy Roctane Ultra Endurance Energy Drink

• Jelly Belly Sport Beans - Energizing Jelly Beans

• GU Energy Roctane Ultra Endurance Energy Drink Mix

• NUUN Sport + Caffeine Hydration Tablets

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