Kaaterskill Wild Forest - Unit Management Plan
The Kaaterskill Wild Forest is located at the northeast rim of the Catskill Mountains in Greene and Ulster Counties. It lies east and south of the North Lake - South Lake Campground and extends south to the Platte Cove Road (Hunter Town Road 9, an extension of Greene County Highway 16). The unit consists of 7,620 acres of extraordinarily scenic and rugged forest with considerable elevation differential. It is, however, readily accessible by public roads and recreational trails.
The Department completed a Unit Management Plan (UMP) for the Kaaterskill Wild Forest in 1987. If you would like to obtain a copy of the UMP, please contact us at r4ump@gw.dec.state.ny.us.
2013 Draft Amendment - New Trail Development
The Kaaterskill Rail Trail Committee (KRT) is sponsoring an initiative to complete a 1.8-mile trail connection between the community of Haines Falls and the existing trail system in the Kaaterskill Wild Forest and North/South Lake Campground. The primary component to this linkage is an abandoned Ulster and Delaware railroad bed between Haines Falls and Laurel House Road, of which 0.6 miles are in the Kaaterskill Wild Forest. An additional 0.2 miles of trail on an abandoned town road and a new bridge crossing over Spruce Creek would complete the connection to the existing Escarpment Trail. In addition to the connector trail, another 0.2 mile loop trail near the Spruce Creek crossing would provide access to the site of the former Laurel House. In all, one mile of newly designated trails in Kaaterskill Wild Forest are proposed for multiple-use, open to non-motorized recreation such as hiking, running, bicycling, snow-shoeing, and cross-country skiing.
Public Input Opportunity
Public comments will be accepted on the Draft UMP until May 17, 2013. Comments may be sent to the contact information below:
Frank Parks, Forester
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
65561 State Highway 10, Suite One
Stamford, NY 12167-9503
(607) 652-7365
r4ump@gw.dec.state.ny.us
Download the Draft UMP
Kaaterskill Wild Forest Draft UMP Amendment (PDF) (1.73 MB)
