Four hikes from the Mountain Top Historical Society.
The Mountain Top Historical Society’s Haines Falls campus will be the place to begin your Columbus Day Weekend. Starting in the KRT parking lot behind the Visitors' Center on Route 23A, there will be four hikes to choose from varying in difficulty and points of interest around the area. The day will finish with a BBQ lunch from 1-3 pm at the MTHS’s historic U&D Train Station.
• Hike # 1: Rip Van Winkle Hike – Join geologist Bob Titus in a moderate, 2 mile hike to Sunset Rock above North Lake. Along the way he will point out Devonian stratigraphy and Ice Age history while telling the tale of Rip Van Winkle, stopping at sites that closely match those described by Washington Irving.
• Hike # 2: Historic Survey of North-South Lake – The area of North-South Lake has been home to various business, railroad, and recreational sites. Pete Senterman and Paul LaPierre will lead this easy 2 mile journey with possible side trip to the Catskill Mountain House Site.
• Hike # 3: Elka Park Colosseum: Join Nancy Allen on this easy to moderate 3 ½ mile hike through the historic community of Elka Park along a dirt road to the Park’s Colosseum (reservoir).
• Hike # 4: Sphinx Rock and the Sofa on Prospect Mountain – Bob Gildersleeve will lead this approximately 2.5 mile easy to moderate hike starting from MTHS’ s U&D train station partially following along the Kaaterskill Rail Trail and using old woods roads and a short bushwhack to the ledge above Molly Smith’s parking area. Register by Weds. October 9. Please leave your name, phone number, number of participants in your party, hike # and if you intend to stay for the BBQ lunch. Visit our website www.mths.org, call (518)589-6657or email mthsdirector@mths.org for more info. Bring something to drink and good hiking shoes. All hikes limited to 12 so register early. Dogs allowed: No