Hiking the Catskills: A Guide to the Area’’s Greatest Hikes

Hiking the Catskills provides everything hikers need to plan day hikes in the Catskill region of New York State: a five-county area west of the Hudson River that includes parts of Delaware, Greene, Otsego, Sullivan and Ulster counties. This guide selects 40 hikes from the best among the Catskills’ famous peaks above 3,500 feet, as well as more moderate trails to backcountry waterfalls, easier trails to some of the area’s most spectacular viewpoints, and rail trails that provide access to fragrant woodlands and unusual geological wonders.

This book provides a separate, full-color, detailed map for each hike--making it different from books by the Appalachian and Adirondack Mountain Clubs--and waypoint-by-waypoint directions to guide readers along trails with confidence. Color photos and descriptions of the history, natural wonders, and special features of each hike help readers choose the best hikes for their personal interests and skill levels.

In a region largely abandoned by tourists and just now seeing renewed interest from visitors, Hiking the Catskills provides the guidance readers need to plan exciting trips into the mountains. This book leads them to the ridges, notches, and cloves that inspired a uniquely American landscape painting style, the vistas that drew thousands of vacationers here throughout the twentieth century, and the peaks that challenge the most rugged explorers. It’s time to rediscover the Catskills, one of New York’s most fascinating natural areas.

Randi Minetor has written more than 50 books for several of Rowman & Littlefield’s imprints, including ten books on hiking in New York State: Best Easy Day Hikes books for Rochester (two editions), Buffalo, Syracuse, Albany, and the Hudson Valley; two editions of Hiking Waterfalls in New York, Hiking through History New York, and Hiking the Lower Hudson River Valley. She is also the author of Scenic Driving New York and the tenth edition of New York Off the Beaten Path for Lyons Press. Randi has written more than 70 books for a wide range of publishers with more than 150,000 copies in print, and she also writes for magazines in the theatre technology and medical sectors. She lives in Rochester, NY. Stacey Freed is a freelance writer and editor for publications including Better Homes and Gardens and USA Today Special Interest Publications; AARP online; Forbes.com; REALTOR magazine; Professional Builder; Products; Professional Remodeler; Custom Builder; Timber Home Living, Country’s Best Cabins, Remodeling, Window & Door Magazine, Rochester Magazine, Canandaigua Magazine, Net Assets; AKC’s Family Dog; Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, Washington Post, and Baltimore Jewish Times. Hiking the Catskills will be her first book. She lives in Pittsford, NY.