From the October 2005 issue

Missed the "Ramble"? You can still have a "Lark in the Park"

If you missed the "Hudson River Valley Ramble" back in September, you still have time to catch many of the activities at this year's "Lark in the Park," running from October 1st through 10th. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Acting Commissioner Denise M. Sheehan invites everyone to have a "Lark in the Park," again this fall. In 2004, the Lark was inaugurated to honor the 100th anniversary of the creation of the Catskill Park. The 2005 Lark offers "10 days and 100 ways" to enjoy the Catskill Forest Preserve and Catskill communities.

"Last year's Lark was a wonderful time for individuals, families and friends to learn more about the beautiful and historic Catskill Park," Commissioner Sheehan said. "I am thrilled that we will be working with our partners to showcase the Catskills again this year and I encourage everyone to participate in one or more of the great activities planned."

A 101st Birthday Party

Whether biking 8 miles or 100 miles,
participants will surely enjoy the
magnificent scenery

This year's 10-day Lark will celebrate ongoing preservation achievements and the Catskills' importance by featuring more than 100 outdoor adventures and indoor cultural and environmental events throughout Delaware, Greene, Sullivan and Ulster counties. The celebration will include free guided hikes, walks, biking, canoeing, kayaking, and fly fishing events, as well as festivals, concerts, art exhibitions, studio tours and craft shows.

This year, several organizations are teaming with DEC in sponsoring the Lark, including: The Catskill Center for Conservation and Development; the Catskill Mountain Foundation; the Catskill Mountain Club, and the Catskill Crafts Collective. Additionally, many other environmental, hiking, historical and cultural organizations are participating in the Lark by sponsoring individual events. They include: the Catskill 3500 Club; Adirondack Mountain Club; Frost Valley YMCA; Catskill Park Trail Coalition, and Catskill Heritage Alliance.

Something for Everyone

The roster of walks and hikes has something for everyone from easy to moderate walks, including: a hike to Huggins Lake in Delaware County; a hike through the lush land of the former Lundy Estate in Warwarsing; a walk through the Andes Cemetery with its "Coffin Man" headstones, and a sunset walk around Onteora Lake in the Blue Mountain Wild Forest near Kingston.

Numerous hikes will provide
spectacular views of the foliage

"Catskill Fire Tower Day" on Sunday, October 9, will feature hikes to all five of the recently restored historic fire towers on Red Hill and Overlook, Tremper, Hunter and Balsam Lake mountains. Hikes are also planned for several of the Catskill high peaks, including West Kill Mountain, Indian Head, Belleayre and 4,180-foot Slide Mountain, the highest in the range. "Extreme" hikers can challenge themselves on a bushwhack up Halcott Mountain or a "triple header" over Van Wyck, Table and Peekamoose mountains.

Easy paddles can be enjoyed on Lake Wawaka and Big Pond in Delaware County, and a free lesson in the basics of fly-fishing is being offered by The Catskill Center at Pine Hill Lake. Tours of the DEC Catskill Fish Hatchery offer the opportunity to see where the Catskills' famed trout get their start. Three biking tours range from 8 miles to a 100-mile strenuous ride through the hilly heart of the Catskill Park.

A Harvest of Festivals

Each of the many fall and harvest festivals going on during the Lark celebrates a unique piece of Catskill Park history and heritage. The Third Annual Cauliflower Festival in Margaretville commemorates the days when that vegetable was the reigning cash crop in the region. The Fourth Annual Catskill Mountain Ginseng Festival, a salute to the highest-quality wild ginseng in North America, offers an expanded menu of workshops and demonstrations this year that include many herbal medicines. Belleayre Mountain will host its 26th Annual Fall Festival and Craft Fair at the DEC-operated ski center, where chairlift rides will offer panoramic views of the brilliantly colored autumn countryside.

This year the Lark incorporates the "Colors and Crafts Festival" sponsored by the Catskill Mountain Crafts Collective in former years. A host of artists and crafters will open their studios for tours and sales of their work, which ranges from sculptural and functional pieces of pottery to unique furniture, jewelry, hand-woven shawls, table linens and tapestries. People can watch a glass-blowing demonstration at Sweetwater Glass in Delancey, and watch hand-dyeing and weaving at the studio of Rita Schwab in Mount Tremper.

About the Park

The Catskill Park was created by an act of the New York State Legislature and signed into law by Governor Benjamin Odell on April 4, 1904. The Park's 705,500 acres are a combination of both public and private lands in Delaware, Greene, Sullivan and Ulster counties. The state's Catskill Forest Preserve comprises 41 percent of the Catskill Park, containing more than 300,000 acres of pristine land protected as "forever wild" in New York's constitution. Within the park's boundaries are the scenic landscapes that inspired the rise of the first exclusively American art movement, the Hudson River School, and the waterways that gave birth to fly fishing in America.

More Information

For a complete listing of all "Lark in the Park" events, view the program at the web link below.