National Forest Service Dropping Fees?

There are reports that the National Forest Service will be scaling back their fee program at almost all National Forests.  That would be a nice change.  I have to admit that even though it wasn't a big fee, I did all I could do when hiking in the White Mountains to avoid it, using AMC, state or non-monitored trailheads to avoid the recreation fee that the NFS was charging.  Fund the agencies that manage our public lands like they should be and we wouldn't be arguing about the fees in the first place.

• Forest Service to drop fees at most National Forests (LA Times)
• A Free Hike: National Forest Service to Drop Fees (Our Amazing Planet)
• Feds can't charge for parking, Judge says (Casa Grande Dispatch)
• On Our Radar: Forest Service is scaling back fees (NY Times)

Catskill Mountains - Catskill Trails, Catskill Hikes, Catskill Adventures and Catskill Advice

One of the home bases of those of us at Adventures in the Outdoors is the Catskill Mountains of New York.  This mountain region is not quite as well known as many of the Northeast's other areas like the Adirondacks or the White Mountains, but it offers a variety of hiking and trekking opportunities for all different levels of abilities.  Trails visit majestic overlooks, climb steep mountains and visit waterfalls tucked deep into the mountain cloves.

Not only that, but the Catskill Mountains are less than three hours from New York City and the rest of the metropolitan region.  The mountains offer just about anyone a chance to get out and enjoy the outdoors.

The majority of the Catskill Mountains are within the Catskill State Park, inside of which land owned by the State is part of the Forest Preserve that exists in the Catskill State Park and the Adirondack State Park.  The Forest Preserve is protected by the New York State Constitution to be "forever wild."  There is just over 300,000 acres of Forest Preserve in the Catskill State Park along with thousands of other acres that are available to the public for outdoor recreation.

As many of our trips and adventures are in the Catskill Mountains, we have put together this page as a source for everything Catskill related on Adventures in the Outdoors.  Hiking, skiing, boating and more.  If we have done it in the Catskill Mountains, you will find it on this page.

Catskill Mountains - General Guides

• Hiking in the Catskill Mountains
• Guide to the Catskill Mountains

Catskill Mountains - Hiking Guides

• Hiking to the Tremper Mountain Fire Tower
• Hiking to the Hunter Mountain Fire Tower
• Hiking to the Overlook Mountain Fire Tower
• Hiking guide to Kaaterskill Falls

Catskill Mountains - Hikes and Trails

• Devil's Path Region
• Indian Head Mountain
• Twin Mountain Bushwhack
• Twin Mountain
• Dibble's Quarry
• Sugarloaf Mountain
• Mink Hollow via Old Mink Hollow Trail
• Mink Hollow via Mink Hollow Trail 
• Bushwhacking on Plateau Mountain
• Hunter Mountain via Devil's Path and Becker Hollow Trail
• Hunter Mountain via the Spruceton Jeep Trail
• Hunter Mountain Cross Country Ski to John Robb Lean-to
• John Robb Lean-to on Hunter Mountain
• Platte Clove Region
• Platte Clove Bushwack
• Echo Lake and the Old Overlook Road
• Platte Clove Overlook
• Platte Clove Preserve/Long Path
• Huckleberry Point Bushwhack
• Northeastern Catskills
• Kaaterskill High Peak
• Blackhead Range
• Elm Ridge Lean-to
• Boulder Rock Cross Country Ski
• North and South Lake Loop
• Hike along the old Ulster and Delaware Railroad near Haines Falls
• Central Catskills
• Tremper Mountain and Warner Creek
• Shandaken Brook Lean-to
• Table Mountain Lean-to
• Huckleberry Loop/Dry Brook Ridge
• Western Catskills
• Huggins Pond
• Brock Mountain
• Touch-Me-Not Mountain
• Hodge Pond Area
• Tunis and Vly Ponds

Catskill Mountains - Map and Guidebook Reviews

• Map: Catskill Trails Map Set
• Map: National Geographic Trails Illustrated Catskill State Park Map
• Guidebook: Catskill Mountain Guide by the Appalachian Mountain Club
• Guidebook: Catskill Trails by the Adirondack Mountain Club

Catskill Mountains - Trail Work

• Rebuilding the John Robb Lean-to on Hunter Mountain
• Privy Building at the John Robb Lean-to on Hunter Mountain
• Diamond Notch Lean-to Rehabilitation
• Hunter Mountain - Trail and Lean-to Work
• Trail Work - Long Path in the Platte Clove Preserve

If you are interested in the Catskills, make sure you bookmark this page, as we will keep it updated with new trips and guides as we continue to enjoy the outdoors in the Catskill Mountains.

Catskill Hiking Guidebooks and Maps
If you are looking for additional resources for hiking and climbing in the Catskills, the Trail Conference publishes the Catskill Trails Map Set, which is the best trail map set for the region with detailed mapping and trail descriptions. The ADK publishes the Guide to Catskill Trails and the AMC publishes the Catskill Mountain Guide, A Comprehensive Guide to Hiking Trails in the Catskills. Other Catskills maps and guidebooks are available at our bookstore

Tappan Zee Bridge a Pedestrian Greenway?

There's talk that when a replacement span for the Tappan Zee Bridge across the Hudson River in New York is built, that the original bridge span will be turned into a pedestrian walkway/greenway along the lines of the Walkway Over the Hudson between Poughkeepsie and Highland further north on the Hudson River.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said a construction team may be chosen in the next six months to build a $5.2 billion replacement for the Tappan Zee Bridge and that he’s considering turning the old span over the Hudson River into a pedestrian greenway.  The pathway for pedestrians and cyclists would be similar to the Walkway Over the Hudson, a state park built on the Poughkeepsie-Highland Railroad Bridge that has drawn almost 500,000 visitors a year.

Having been on the walkway several times and really having enjoyed it, I think this a great idea. What do you think?

Recent Trail News

Every few weeks we try to pull together the best trail and outdoor news and information that we have found.  Here is a collection of some of the trail news and information that we at Adventures in the Outdoors have been following in the last several weeks.  Make sure to follow our Twitter Feed at @OutdrAdventures, our Facebook Page and our Google+ for all of the latest news about hiking, climbing, the outdoors and more and to see all of our stories as they are published.

• Adirondack Mountains (New York)
• Hiker airlifted off Mount Marcy
• Hiker okay after night on Mount Marcy (NY - Adirondacks)
• "Finch Pruyn" timberlands deal still a priority (NY - Adirondacks)
• New bridge coming for Marcy Brook
• Catskill Mountains (New York)
• Incident at Elm Ridge Lean-to
• New England
• NH hikers slip off icy trail
• Leominster Trail Stewards Host Winter Fun Day
• GMC warns hikers trails are icy
• Rescued Maine Hiker says Whites are out
• Southeast US
• Plan for Birmingham-wide network of walking, biking trails to be unveiled
• Hikers' cars hit by thieves
• Western US
• Man pleads guilty to kidnapping hikers
• Volunteers help clear trails
• Appalachian Trail
• Taking on the Appalachian Trail 
• Unemployed trucker achieves life-long dream of hiking Appalachian Trail
• Recreation Trails Funding
• House Transportation Bill: Clear-Cutting Environmental Safeguards
• Support Trails Funding Now
• And More
• All Kinds of Warm - January 2012 Breaks Records for Warmth and Lack of Snow
• Fee Free Days at National Parks
• Day Hiking Trail Etiquette

And news and information directly from Adventures in the Outdoors:

• Reviews
• Eastern Mountain Sports (EMS) Divergence Fleece Jacket for Men
• Northeast Kingdom Hiking Map from Green Mountain Club
• National Geographic Trails Illustrated Catskill Park Map
• ExOfficio Men's Give-N-Go Boxer Brief
• Trips
• Lookout Point - Blackstone River and Canal Heritage Park (Massachusetts)
• Huckleberry Point Bushwhack - Catskill Mountains (New York)
• Tunis and Vly Ponds - Catskill Mountains (New York)
• Resources
• Free Long Path Guide Available Online

News: Marcy Brook Bridge in the Adirondack High Peaks to be replaced

Good news for hikers who are heading to Mount Marcy and the rest of the the Adirondacks High Peaks through the Marcy Dam area. The DEC will be putting in a new bridge to cross Marcy Brook this spring. The original bridge, which crossed at Marcy Dam was lost during the Hurricane Irene flooding.

The dam itself is in poor shape with the pond mostly drained. The new bridge will be about a quarter of a mile downstream from the dam.  The bridge should be complete sometime this summer.

Discussions continue about repairing the dam, but no decision has been made.

More detail at the Adirondack Explorer