North-South Lake

Hiking Here

This is the busiest trail cluster near the shop, and for good reason. There are options for every kind of hiker. From the North Lake parking lot, the Escarpment Trail climbs to a run of the best views in the Catskills, and from South Lake, one route into Kaaterskill Falls starts just beyond the bridge near the Dam parking lot. Both fill up fast on summer weekends and fall foliage days, so the honest advice is the same one we give for the Falls: go early.

Sunset Rock and the Escarpment Trail

From the North Lake parking lot, a short, well-marked walk brings you to Artist's Rock first, then on to Sunset Rock, the payoff most people are here for and arguably the best view on the whole Escarpment Trail. Two separate viewpoints, same trail, worth stopping at both.

If you keep going past Sunset Rock, the same trail carries you to Newman's Ledge, a wider, more open ledge facing north and east toward Albany and beyond, and then on to North Point, the high point of the whole route at just under 3,000 feet. From the North Lake parking lot: Artist's Rock is about 0.5 miles in, Sunset Rock about 1.2 miles, and Newman's Ledge about 1.3 miles. See the full route on AllTrails → for North Point and beyond (towards the Blackhead Range and Windham).

Kaaterskill Falls, Reached From Here Too

North-South Lake is also a way into Kaaterskill Falls, not just an overflow lot. From the South Lake parking area, it's about a mile one-way if you follow the signs, crossing a footbridge over Spruce Creek to the Observation Platform overlooking the falls, a solid alternate route when Laurel House Road fills up, which it does most weekends. Go early regardless. Route 23A itself is a no-parking, tow-away zone through the Clove, so don't try to approach from the bottom unless you're getting dropped off.

Boulder Rock

A short loop out of North Lake, Boulder Rock passes the ruins of the Catskill Mountain House before reaching the rock itself, a glacial erratic the size of a small cabin, dropped here at the end of the last ice age, with a real escarpment view of the Hudson Valley below. About 1.7 miles round trip, moderate.

Coming for the Day

• Fee: $10/vehicle at the gate in season (confirmed with the campground). Waived weekdays (Mon–Fri) for visitors 62 and older. Free with the Empire Pass, see below.
• Season: May 15 – October 25, 2026 (confirmed, DEC schedule).
• Beaches: two swimming beaches, North Lake and South Lake, both unsupervised (no lifeguard). Swimming is off-limits from half an hour before sunset to half an hour after sunrise, so plan your lake time inside daylight hours.
• Boats: rowboat, canoe, kayak, and stand-up paddleboard rentals available on site. No motors on the water.
• Alternative: if you want your own annual pass instead of paying per visit, the Empire Pass ($80/year) covers day use here and at most other DEC and state park sites.

Camping Here

• Season: May 15 – October 25, 2026.
• Sites: 219 tent and trailer sites across 7 loops, plus picnic tables and pavilions.
• Cost: $22/night, plus a $5/night surcharge for out-of-state residents.
• Reserving: book online at ReserveAmerica up to 9 months ahead, or call 1-800-456-2267. Same-day reservations are accepted until 5pm the day of arrival if a site is open. Check-in runs 2–9pm (you have to register by 9pm or the site can be re-rented), checkout is 11am.
• First time here: it's a real, developed campground, not backcountry, so expect other campers, defined sites, and a camp store nearby rather than solitude. That's a feature for a first trip, not a knock.

Good to Know

• Cell service: Spotty in sections, especially along the escarpment. Download offline maps before you go.
• Pets: allowed with proof of current rabies vaccination, leash 6 feet or shorter, under control at all times.
• Bears: this is black bear country. Don't leave food or coolers unattended, at your site or on the trail.
• Weather: Like most of the Catskills, it's unpredictable. North Point sits close to 3,000 feet, exposed and windier/colder than the shop, even in summer. Bring a layer.
• Wrong for: anyone hoping for a quiet, empty lake on a summer Saturday. This is the most popular spot in the Catskills for a reason, and it shows.

While You're Out Here

If you're up for more, Huckleberry Point and Colgate Lake are both close by, different trailheads, same general area, and each makes its own full day if North-South Lake isn't enough.

If you want to know what else is worth seeing while you're up here, or want to talk through what to bring before you go, stop into the shop. We're a few miles down the road in Tannersville.

Get Directions to Camp Catskill →