Overlook Mountain Fire Tower

The Overlook Fire Tower

Lots of flowers near the ruins

Hotel ruins

Some more of the ruins

Blackhead Range in distance, with Kaaterskill High Peak

Twin and Indianhead

The Hudson River and Tivoli Bays

Hudson Valley Mall and the Hudson River

Kingston Rhinecliff Bridge

Cooper Lake and Central Catskills

The Fire Tower's long shadow

Ashokan Resevoir

Fire Tower

Chris on the tower where there's no mosquitoes

Twin and Indianhead from the summit

One of the quintessential hikes in the Catskills, Overlook offers up some of the most commanding views in the Catskills and Hudson Valley.  Located less than 20 minutes from Kingston, Overlook can be enjoyed in a short day.  Today Pat and I ventured up and back after work and were home before sunset.

After driving the 2 miles of uphill from Woodstock to the trail head, we made our way past the gate and up and up and up 2.5 miles to the hotel ruins and fire tower.  I've rarely walked up in the heat of summer.  After constantly waving my hands in front of my face smacking at the pesky mosquitoes, I was reminded as to why.  At one point I had to throw a punch into Pat's back to kill a giant fly.

We passed the hotel ruins where President Cleveland stayed a long time ago.  During the Depression the ruins were a gathering spot for communists.  Today it was surrounded in overgrown brush and many flowers.    We then walked up to the fire tower.  Despite the haze, the climb up provided some rewarding views from the hot, sweaty climb.

The views north were caked in haze.  Hudson was barely visible.  On a clear day the skyline of Albany is visible.  The Devil's Path peaks were in view to the direct north as were Kaaterskill High Peak and the Blackhead range.  To the east the Hudson River dominates.  Pat was able to make out the Kingston-Rhinecliff Bridge and Burger Hill.  From the Hudson Valley Mall in Kingston, you get great views of Overlook.  From here you get "great views" of the Hudson Valley Mall.  To the south, the Ashokan Resevoir dominates.  It should, it's by far the largest resevoir of the NYC resevoirs.  To the west, Cooper Lake and the Central Catskills were slightly visible through the haze.

Oh yes, Overlook is such a great spot.  A short, but steep walk gives you some of the best views in the Hudson Valley.  It's great when combined with a trip to Woodstock (we didn't do that, but I have in the past).  And there's also a Buddhist Temple located right at the trail head, if that's your thing.