The Slide Mountain Region: 4 Trails That Show You the Real Catskills |
Slide Mountain, Sundown Wild Forest, and the hidden trails around it — bigger wilderness and fewer crowds than the Gunks |
Slide Mountain is the highest point in the Catskills at 4,180 feet — and it's almost empty. While everyone crowds the Shawangunks and the Catskill 3500ers, Slide sits quietly in its own wilderness area, surrounded by over 35 miles of trails that few hikers ever walk. If you want the real Catskills — thick forest, running water, no crowds — this is where you come
Trail 1: Slide Mountain via the Curtis-Ormsbee Trail (Moderate-Hard)
Distance: 6.7 miles out-and-back
The most direct route up Slide Mountain. You climb through hemlock forest, emerge onto the open summit, and get 360-degree views of every peak in the Catskills. On a clear day you can see the Taconics to the east, the Shawangunks to the south, and the Black Dome range to the west. The summit is bare — no trees, just rock and sky. Come early.
Trail 2: Slide Mountain Wilderness Loop (Hard)
Distance: 10+ miles
For experienced hikers who want a full day. Connect the Slide Mountain Trail with the Curtis-Ormsbee Trail for a loop that also touches Wittenberg and Cornell Mountains. The three-peak loop is one of the most rewarding day hikes in the northeast — but save it for good weather and start by 7 AM.
Trail 3: Sundown Wild Forest — Vernooy Kill Falls Trail (Easy-Moderate)
Distance: 1.8 miles round-trip
A gentle walk into a beautiful waterfall — a 40-foot cascade into a swimming hole that's cold enough to wake you up in August. The trail runs through hemlock forest beside the creek. Perfect for families and anyone who wants a quick, beautiful hike without committing to a day.
Trail 4: Sundown Wild Forest — Red Hill Fire Tower Trail (Moderate)
Distance: 2.4 miles round-trip
Climb to the restored Red Hill Fire Observation Station — one of only a handful of historic fire towers still open to the public in New York. The steel tower rises 60 feet above the summit, and the view from the cab is spectacular. You can see Slide Mountain, Panther Mountain, and the entire Central Catskill range from the top.
What Makes Slide Different
Slide Mountain Wilderness protects 12,000 acres of unbroken Catskill forest. There are no cell towers, no paved roads, no parking fees at most of the trailheads. You can hike for hours and not see another person. The trails run through old-growth hemlock stands, over mossy stream crossings, and up to summits where the only sound is wind and hawk cries.
This is the Catskills the way they were meant to be experienced — wild, quiet, and vast. |
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I keep hearing Slide is empty but every time I've driven up County Route 43 on a Sunday the parking area is packed. Maybe I'm just picking bad weekends. The Vernooy Kill falls trail though is genuinely a hidden gem, took my kids there in July and we had the swimming hole almost to ourselves.
Debra K.Same experience here, Sunday mornings on 43 can get surprisingly busy. I found that going on a weekday makes a huge difference, like Tuesday or Wednesday the lot is barely half full. And yes Vernooy Kill is so underrated, we went a few summers ago and only ran into one other family the whole time.
Did the Wittenberg-Cornell-Slide loop last fall and it absolutely wrecked me in the best way. Started at 6:30 AM and still didn't finish until almost 4. That three peak stretch is no joke but the views from Cornell looking back at Slide are worth every step.