Devil’s Path

The Devil’s Path is the name of a mountain range and hiking trail in the Greene County portion of New York’s Catskill Mountains. The mountains commonly considered to be part of the Devil’s Path are, from west to east, West Kill, Hunter, Plateau, Sugarloaf, Twin, and Indian Head.

The name comes from early settlers of the region, who believed the range’s craggy cliffs were specially built by the devil so that he alone could climb them and occasionally retreat from the world of men. Today, they are famous for the deep gaps between them, which get lower in elevation as the mountains between them get higher when proceeding westward on the hiking trail.

The mountains and the land around them were acquired by the state as Forest Preserve and made part of the Catskill Park in the 1920s and ’30s. Today the area is managed by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation as the Indian Head Wilderness Area.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devil’s_Path_(hiking_trail)

Ranger Station

Ranger Station taken from the Hunter Mountain Firetower. It's totally boarded up. No camping is allowed up top of mountain, because over 3500. The tower is at about 4000 feet, the peak is 4040 elevation.

Taken on Sunday April 12, 2009 at Hunter Mountain.

Dry Mountains

This forest looks like it's just a tinderbox waiting to burn, until it greens up. Taken from Plateau Mountain on Easter Sunday.

Taken on Sunday April 12, 2009 at Plateau Mountain.

Red and Blue Trail Meets

On Plateau Mountain the blue trail splits off. My old map says the blue trail should run through Mink Hollow; it appears the trail has been moved with the new signs.

Taken on Sunday April 12, 2009 at Plateau Mountain.

Tannersville

This is downtown Tannersville looking off from Plateau Mountain from Danny's Lookout.

Taken on Sunday April 12, 2009 at Plateau Mountain.

Danny’s Lookout

The Catskills make kind of a rim around Tannersville. This picture shows the town and the surrounding mountains.

Taken on Sunday April 12, 2009 at Plateau Mountain.

Plateau Mountain at 3500 FT

The DEC has a series of regulations prohibiting camping, that's why they clearly tell you have reached 3,500 feet. This is the second sign I saw climbing Plateau Mountain. The older one was farther down the trail, which makes me think it was put up in the pre-GPS era and the forest ranger put it too low.

Taken on Sunday April 12, 2009 at Plateau Mountain.