Located in Stamford, NY, Mount Utsayantha at 3,214 feet tall does not qualify as one of the "Catskill 3500" peaks, but is worth a visit even if you're not peak-bagging, for the spectacular views from the top, which are even better if you get to climb the fire tower! The fire tower is not always open but we lucked out on the day we went, as there was a ranger on duty who allowed visitors to climb up.
The trail is 2.3 miles out and back with moderate elevation gain (685 ft). The nice thing is that you can either hike or drive the 1+ mile up. At the summit, there are some picnic tables, a bench at the viewing point, a wooden summit building which was once an observatory and souvenir shop, and even a couple of takeoff spots for hang gliding. read more