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    Falling Waters Preserve

    4.4 (15 reviews)
    Closed 7:00 am - 7:00 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

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    Brian G.

    Awesome! This small preserve has several short and fairly easy trails. No huge jumps in elevation, though the one by the river is a little narrow and a little steep at times. We did this with some littles (5 and 6) and they were great. Much of the trail borders privately owned land so you might see some farm animals! Really scenic in the fall with the leaves, highly recommend!

    Nicole R.

    Well-kept trails, with a beautiful waterfall and bench not far down the trail. I didn't do the white trail and stuck to the easy terrain as it was a recovery hike for me. Lots of great photo ops and views. And, there's no charge. Woot!

    Entrance to the red trail.
    Mildred R.

    This was a nice little hike. It's not very long but definitely worth doing. We went up the red trail and came down the white trail. The white trail does have some steep sections, nothing crazy but can be a bit dangerous if raining, snowing, overly crowded or if a dog/dogs off their lease comes running towards you while you're making your way up as there isn't much space for two walking side by side. That's what happened to me today. I was caught off guard so it was scary but thankfully all is well. I recommend this hike. It has beautiful views, benches here and there, and today for some reason the forest smelled amazing. :0)

    Marysa N.

    On a recent trip towards the Catskills, we decided to stop to explore Saugerties, New York. Falling Waters Preserve is located along the Hudson River, and makes for a nice, short hike. I chose this one because it looked pretty family friendly and figured my kids could handle the hike. We used Google Maps to locate the Preserve, and had no trouble finding the parking lot, which holds probably a dozen cars. There was plenty of space to park, even when we left late morning. There is a nice kiosk at the trailhead, and there were actually trail maps there. I often find that when we go hiking, there are no maps left, and it was nice to have a map with us even for a short hike. We started on the white trail, which is close to the Hudson River and runs parallel to it. The trails are well-marked here, with markers on the trees, and it is easy to follow as the paths are well-maintained. There are lots of great views, even from the trail. At several places along the white trail, we ventured off on little paths that went to the water, and the kids even waded in a little bit. The Hudson River looked beautiful, and we had perfect weather. The green stuff floating on the water? (see my pics) Invasive plants called Chinese Water Chestnut. This is one of those things you want to be careful as you are walking around, as there are dried ones everywhere. You just want to make sure it doesn't go through something like a flip flop or even a sneaker. Unfortunately it has invaded so many waterways, you find them everywhere and it isn't something that can be removed because it is so abundant. Just watch your step. We continued and reached the waterfall overlook, which has a nice seating area with a pergola. In early June, the waterfall was flowing well. According to the Scenic Hudson website, the waterfall isn't always flowing, so it will likely dry up later in the year. We usually like to have scenic points along our hikes, so you may want to time your visit accordingly. You can either double back on the trail you came in on (for us, that was along the water), or take it as a loop. We did a loop, returning on a trail that is essentially parallel to the one that runs along the Hudson River. There is a nice statue as we looped back, where the preserve backs up to private property. We also saw some poison ivy along the trail, so be careful for that along with the Chinese Water Chestnuts. By taking the Riverside Trail in, and the Upland Trail out, we covered just over 1.5 miles. The trail is mostly flat, with only slightly rolling terrain, and was an easy hike for all of us.

    Mandie V.

    Nice little walks, lots of water views, quiet and clean. I didn't even know it existed until a friend of mine stumbled across it and suggested we take the dogs! It's open year round from dawn to dusk. While we were there we saw senior citizens and people walking and pulling kids in a wagon - it's definitely a user friendly scene. There are also benches in shady areas along the trails, and maps (although they aren't really needed.) My only suggestion is that if you come the way Saugerties website suggests, be aware that Dominican Lane is a sharp (read, almost backwards) left. Our car almost couldn't make the turn. Can't wait to go back!

    Well marked trails
    Bobbi S.

    This is a fairly easy hike on a well-maintained trail that skirts the Hudson River. We were disappointed that the river didn't/doesn't look more impressive as there is quite a bit of duckweed growing in the river that takes away from its majesty. There are beautifully crafted, wooden benches along the trail and overlooking the ravine and small falls, and the white, red, and blue trail markers are clear and well-spaced. Expecting rain, we all carried and used umbrellas, and, with the canopy of the trees overhead, we were fine.

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    2 years ago

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    10 months ago

    Beautiful peaceful place to hike. I love the scenery, it's history. Convenient location.

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    2 years ago

    Short and beautiful hike. Definitely worth an hour stroll. Waterfalls are pretty and creek is fun to walk around.

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    3 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    6 years ago

    More a walk than a "hike." Decent, not great. Nice views from Hudson River though.

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    9 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Beautiful place to walk, dogs allowed but please pick up after them!!! Many different trails to choose from and most lead to the river!!!!

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    8 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    Review Highlights - Falling Waters Preserve

    We started at the red trail and walked til the waterfall then went down to the white trail which was right along the Hudson river.

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    Kaaterskill Falls - March 2026

    Kaaterskill Falls

    4.6(165 reviews)
    9.6 mi

    One of the tallest waterfall in NY, similar height to Taughannock Falls. Physical requirement is…read moredifferent tho, Kaaterskill Falls has about 500foot of elevation change and a lot of slippery stone steps at the end, if you come here when the weather is still cold. Parking: most people park at the Laurel-House Road parking area, because it is the closest. Or you can park at Mountain Top Historical Society, the old train station, which an extra mile. Starting from the old railroad station is nice, you can still see some old tracks on the ground. Walk to the overlook is fairly easy, once you get to the start point of Lower falls junction, it is where you need to be prepared. I recommend hiking shoe, especially in colder months where the ground is wet and iced. When you reach to the stone steps, they can get slippery. I am surprised no one fell in late March. Half of the steps were cover in ice and people were wearing regular sneakers. Once you reach the base of the two tier falls, the view is tremendous. If water levels are high, you can feel the energy of the water. There is a lot of spray from the falls when you get close. There is short trail to the middle tier pool. It was iced up during winter, spikes will definitely be useful. The end was amazing too. So close to the lead of the waterfall. You can keep going and follow Escarpment trail and follow the edge of the valley. There is monument for fireman Frank Layman who died during firefighting in 1900, at his monument, you can see route 23A bend around mountain. And if you keep going, there are a couple viewpoint to overlook the valley. Nice break points to enjoy the view and rest your legs.

    We did the ~1 mile hike to the upper falls from the Scutt Road parking lot. The hike is fairly…read moreeasy, though sections of the trail have a lot of rocks and roots. A few small hills, but not much elevation change. The viewing point gets quite crowded, so it's probably best to go during off peak times. We started out at 5:45pm and there were still lots of people there. Because it's been quite dry, the falls were not gushing, but still offered a satisfying steady stream. From the upper viewing point, you can see the hikers on the lower levels below. The lower hike winds around to the bottom pool of the falls, so it's kind of cool to see from above, almost like a mini Grand Canyon. It's worth the journey and the lower falls hike is probably quite nice too, but we didn't have time for it on this trip.

    Photos
    Kaaterskill Falls - View Of Stream

    View Of Stream

    Kaaterskill Falls
    Kaaterskill Falls

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    The Ashokan Rail Trail ART

    The Ashokan Rail Trail ART

    4.7(9 reviews)
    8.8 mi

    Although this rail trail was billed as being paved, calling it paved is a misnomer & it's a good…read morething our bikes could handle it because it is actually an all-gravel trail. We parked at the Woodstock-Dike Trailhead & the views of the reservoir & surrounding hills near there are beautiful, as is the fresh smelling air & green, green trees. Most areas you pass are pretty, such as wooded hillsides that slope down towards the reservoir, sounds of birds, lots & lots of forested spaces, a small residential area with KEEP OUT signs & small streams of water running alongside the trail. Tons of chipmunks crossing the trail. We saw lots of walkers, a few, fellow bikers & stopped briefly at a few of the large signs that tell of the history of how the reservoir was created as well as the rail trail. We misunderstood & thought this was a loop trail going all the way around the reservoir, but we were wrong. It only skirts the northern side of it, so we rode 8 of the 11 miles, turned around & ultimately rode 16 miles total. Good, bumpy, gravelly ride. Good signage, good parking, benches one the side of the trail as well as distance markers.

    I loved walking this trail! Miles and miles of beauty, fresh air, tall trees and water views. It's…read morean 11.5 mile flat trail along the Ashoka Reservoir. Bikes and dogs allowed, and port-a-potties at each of the public trailheads. Plenty of parking. Beautiful and peaceful! If I lived here, I would go regularly.

    Photos
    The Ashokan Rail Trail ART - Water reservoir

    Water reservoir

    The Ashokan Rail Trail ART - Ashokan Trail

    Ashokan Trail

    The Ashokan Rail Trail ART - Ashokan Trail

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    Ashokan Trail

    Overlook Mountain - Cooking lunch in the Overlook Mountain back country, at my off-trail camping site.

    Overlook Mountain

    4.5(86 reviews)
    9.5 mi

    Love hiking here! If…read moreyou're in this part of the Catskills, I highly recommend this trail. It's easily accessible and an easier hike to do. The trail is well-groomed and very walkable. There aren't any scrambles or large boulders, which is good.. The view from the top is pretty epic, and the fire tower which has been closed every time I've hiked the mountain has great views too. I would highly recommend this hike.

    This place is absolutely amazing! I've hiked all the Catskills mountains three times over through…read morethe years and I had never been to overlook because there was no reason to but I had heard so much about this location I just had to visit and satisfy my curiosity on why this place is so popular. First off the parking lot is medium sized and parking on the road (even off the road) is risky because certain spots you are not allowed to park so arrive early, get a legit parking spot and save yourself the wasted trip or the hassle of returning to your vehicle to a ticket or it completely gone (towed). The hike up and back for Overlook is approximately 5 miles so everyone is spot on mentioning the distance. It's fairly steep all the way up and while you don't have any views on the way up, you do encounter some old ruins which is a neat break along the way. Once you do make it to the top you are met with a small shed that has some very minor historical information inside and on peak weekends you'll find stewards that can assist with information about the area and hiking tips. The fire tower can't be missed to the left after the small shed and the view is to the right of the shed. I have to say, I've been atop many mountains and it's been a long while since I've had my breath taken away but when I saw the view at Overlook it was breath taking. What made the view so beautiful and different than other mountains I've hiked is that the view is expansive with no mountains obstructing so you can see as far as the eyes can see. It's truly a remarkable view being so high up and seeing so far out. This mountain is known for its rattlesnake population. Sadly I never got to see one because I always hike in the early morning hours and they normally come out at around high noon when the sun is the hottest.

    Photos
    Overlook Mountain
    Overlook Mountain
    Overlook Mountain

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    Devils Path

    Devils Path

    5.0(5 reviews)
    10.1 mi

    Wow, talk about a beautiful drive to get here! Completely isolated with the surrounding town…read morebringing you to the past. The narrow zig-zag roads getting here from the east are a blast to drive on. Taking the devil's path is no joke if you're doing the whole trail. Highly suggest packing light for the hike. Totally regretted my 35lb backpack setup. The elevation spikes and drops will put your knees and ankles to the test. The look out points are gorgeous. Each one deserves to be taken in during a break. The biodiversity is incredible here. You'll notice the nature changes at different points of the hike. Including the areas casted in darkness from the dense trees. The next drinkable source of water from the beginning is a far distance so make sure you pack accordingly. The devils tombstone is the halfway point which is where most people set up camp. Cant harp enough... snacks, snacks, snacks. Stay safe if you choose to part take on this hike! One of the best hikes I've been on.

    The infamous Devils Path! This trail is infamous for being extremely difficult. Is Devils Path…read moredifficult? No and yes! For any experienced hiker doing any of the shorter trails it is fairly straight forward and I'd say fairly easy (for an experienced hiker). What makes DP extremely hard or difficult is when you attempt the entire length in one day. You go up and down five mountains throughout the trip and while any experienced hiker will say going down the mountains can be worst than going up, after you are on your way up the 5th mountain doing DP you will welcome downhill really fast. LOL! I hiked Devils Path with a group of 4 strong experienced hikers for a day trip. We started at Prediger Road, left a car in the middle of our planned route at Stony Clove Notch and finally we left car at our end target Spruceton parking lot. We had lunch at Stony Clove where we refilled our water supplies with the water spout we found there. We assessed our personal abilities and decided we were all in excellent shape and able to keep pressing forward to complete our goal to finish DP in one day. Best advice I can give anyone that is daring to attempt this in a single day is (1) be experience with the distance having done at least 15 miles minimum in the past and (2) bring FOOD, lots of food (leave the diet at home). Also, plan a bail out point in case you realize the distance is too great for you. Devils Path to me isn't so much a hard trail to do but it most certainly is a trail that will test your endurance to the max! My group did car spotting at 4:30am, started our journey about 6:30am and completed the full trail about 6:45pm just before sunset. Would I do this again? Probably not but I am proud to be in the small percentage of people to have completed this in a single day. The sense of accomplishment is resounding. I COMPLETED DEVILS PATH IN ONE DAY!! Woohoo!! :o)

    Photos
    Devils Path
    Devils Path
    Devils Path

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    Falling Waters Preserve - hiking - Updated May 2026

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