Bear Hill Preserve

By Matthew Young

I like to find a comfortable spot and just soak-in my surroundings. The only sounds from the top are the faint hum of rustling leaves and a rooster’s call from a farm on the valley floor. With only a few small breaks in the canopy, the land looks carpeted in green as far as you can see. I can watch as a thunderstorm moves left to right across the valley below.

Bear Mountain

By Matthew Young

Bear Mountain is one of the closest and most easily accessible trails for those living in the New York City area. Sitting only forty miles north of NYC, the state park provides a convenient escape, perfect for a day trip. Even though it may be close to the city, don’t expect this hike to be anything like the Big Apple. Bear Mountain is a rugged landscape with challenging hikes, quaint mountain lakes, and even hosts a portion of the famed Appalachian Trail.

Overlook Mountain

By Matthew Young

Walking through the ruins is like walking through a snapshot of earlier life in the Catskills. A life of luxury which had been masking the underlying hardships. You can drift through the Great Room, and down the stairs into what remains of the hotel’s lower levels. You can stare out into the quiet forest and imagine what life had been like for the guests of the long gone resort. The ruins can feel solemn and even sad at times, as they slowly collapse on the mountain top, but after years of being forgotten, there is a new sense of life in the area

Sam’s Point & the Ice Caves

By Matthew Young

On windy days, the view from Sam’s Point can literally take your breath away. The intense panoramic view allows you to see all the way from the Catskills to High Point, New Jersey. Though similar to the view from Bear Hill, located slightly further down the ridge, Sam’s Point has its own unique wonder. The light-colored crags stand like pillars holding up the mountain. From the top, your views seems to extend endlessly towards the horizon.