We started our Catskill weekend with a hike at Minnewaska State Park Preserve. This time we walked the Castle Point carriage road for a 5-mile out-and-back. It was a sunny day, and there were gorgeous viewpoints along the way to enjoy.

After the hike, we headed up to the Catskills for a late lunch and IPAs at Woodstock Brewing. This is always my first stop anytime we visit. Afterwards, we drove to the Spruceton Inn, which has become my favorite place to stay when we are in the Catskills. I can’t say enough good things about this place and how magical it is.

We had planned a very low-key weekend with no pressure to climb any peaks or do anything strenuous. We both needed some R&R, and that is exactly what we got at the Inn located at the base of West Kill Mountain.

Sunday morning, we woke to mountain rain, but it passed quickly enough. There was no hurry, and we stayed in our pajamas for a while, and I wrote in my journal and sketched. After the rain stopped, we headed just up the road for a walk along the trail to Diamond Notch Falls. There were so many mushrooms, and I had my DSLR camera with me, so I took lots of photos. We weren’t quite ready to be done hiking yet, so we took a short walk on the Spruceton Trail just to the bridge before the trail begins climbing up Hunter Mountain. After we finished the hike, we took a ride to Tannersville and had a late breakfast at Maggie’s Crooked Cafe. She always remembers us, and her home cooking hit the spot. Later that afternoon, we stopped at West Kill Brewing for IPAs before heading back to the Inn for happy hour at Room One. We always have such a lovely time chatting with the people we meet in the Catskills.

All too soon, Monday came around, and neither of us really wanted to head back to the city just yet. So we had a lazy morning just enjoying the beautiful fields of goldenrod and the sunshine at the Inn before we said goodbye until our next visit.

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We woke up to rain this morning and hit the road fairly early. With the somewhat inclement weather, I figured it might be a perfect time to visit Kaaterskill Falls. This area of the Catskills is usually packed because of its popularity and the easy walk to the viewing platform above the falls. When we arrived at the parking lot on Scutt Road, there was only one other car. We headed into the woods and hiked through a light, steady rain for about a mile until we reached the platform and the falls came into view.

Seeing the falls in dense fog and mist was spectacular. They had this ethereal, almost ghostly appearance, and there wasn’t another soul around. We had the entire moment to ourselves, able to soak in the tranquility of a place that’s normally crowded. Moments like this make me so glad I decide to get out, even in the rain and less-than-ideal hiking conditions.

With wet rocks, slippery moss, and fallen leaves, we chose to keep the morning relaxing with an easy walk instead of anything strenuous. After leaving the falls, we hiked over to the North/South Lake area and followed a gravel path along the lake to the campground. The campground was closed for the season, void of the usual activity and the dense fog made it feel like we were walking through a dream. Everything looked like a painting. I could see why artist and environmentalist Thomas Cole who founded the Hudson River School of American landscape painting was so inspired by this area. Some of the trail even had interpretive signs from the Hudson River Art Trail highlighting the very views that inspired Cole.

I took so many photos on both my phone and my Lumix. Thankfully, I had my phone as a backup because, just like the previous day, my SD card corrupted and wiped out all the images.

Regardless, it was an absolutely lovely morning and such a peaceful way to wrap up another Catskill weekend.

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Catskill Weekend, September 5, 6, & 7, Minnewaska State Park, Castle Point Carriage Road, Spruceton Inn, Diamond Notch Falls Trail, Spruceton Trail, Hunter Mountain

Catskills, Kaaterskill Falls & North/South Lake Campground, Kaaterskill Wild Forest, November 9, 2025