Join Catskill Center staff David Hans for a guided hike to the Red Hill Fire Tower under the light of the full moon!
Meet-up Time and Location:
The meeting time for the hike will be 5:00 PM and we will begin when everyone has arrived or wait 15-20 minutes before starting. The hike will begin from the new Parking Area, located at 2205 Denning Rd, Claryville, NY 12725. This parking area has space for several cars but carpooling is recommended for attending family members and those who know each other.
Hike Itinerary:
Starting from the Denning Rd Trailhead, we will ascend the newly constructed Red Hill trail up to the fire tower. We will have switchbacks at the beginning and will get to witness some cool erosion mitigation techniques that were put in place during the construction of the trail. The first 1.4 miles will be along this newly constructed trail while the final 0.6 miles of the hike will be along the original trail and will feature the steepest part of the hike until we reach the tower.
Once we get to the observer’s cabin, we will take some time to rest and relax. People will have the chance to walk up the tower to get beautiful views of the Catskills in the moonlight. Depending on the timing of our arrival to the tower, folks may have the chance to view the sunset.
Because this trail is not particularly difficult and is the shortest fire tower hike, other than the Upper Esopus fire tower, breaks will be taken whenever folks need a moment to rest. Plan to drink water regularly as we go up to the tower, so have an easily accessible bottle of water.
Items to Bring:
Water (1-2 Liters as needed, there are no reliable sources to draw from on this hike)
Snacks
Headlamp (cell phone lights will not suffice)*
Insulation – Puffy Jacket (additional fleece encouraged)
Trekking Poles (If needed)
Hiking Boots or Shoes (trail runners are acceptable)
*If you do not have a headlamp you will not be allowed to take part in this hike. Due to issues with having to assist hikers who did not have headlamps in the past, there will be NO EXCEPTIONS! The moonlight is not bright enough to hike without a headlamp because of the tree canopy and possible cloud coverage during the hike.