Spring was defintely in the air yesterday here in the Catskills and we couldn’t let such a glorious day go by without at least some time outside. Luckily we’ve got a great 3-mile loop that’s not too far from home that makes a perfect evening hike/walk. The hike is located inside the North-South Lake State Campground, which this time of the year is closed to camping, but open for recreation. When the campground is closed, there is limited parking available at the South Lake Dam, just down the road from the gatehouse of the campground (note this fills up quickly on a busy day).

From the South Lake Dam parking area, you follow a yellow marked trail along the northern shore of the lake, following a mix of old railroad bed, campground roads, and trails through small wooded areas on the shoreline. After about a mile you come to the eastern end of the lake near the North Lake Beach area. From here, you join with the blue marked Escarpment Trail and head south on that trail to the former site of the Catskill Mountain House.

The Catskill Mountain House was one of the grand hotels of the Catskills during the latter half of the 19th century. Welcoming guests first via stagecoach and then via railroads that ran all the way up into the mountains to deliver guests. Today that’s all gone, but the former site of the hotel, situated on the shoulder of South Mountain, offers amazing views for those who spend the time to walk up there (in the summer this is a short - less than half a mile - walk from the North Lake Beach parking area), and shows you just how quickly the Catskill Mountains drop off into the Hudson Valley.

The view at the former site of the Mountain House offers a 4 state view - New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont (some say you can see mountains in NH on an exceptionally clear day). It makes for a great picnic spot, or just a place to sit back and take in the history and the view.

From the former site of the Mountain House, you travel down the old carriage road to a large parking lot and a pavilion for the campground. From here, you follow the campground road back to the South Lake Dam and your vehicle.

All told, just over 3 miles round-trip, and less than 200’ of elevation change over the length of that walk.