The Catskill Center recently submitted a comment letter to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) on upcoming draft recommendations to address the adverse impacts of informal trails (formerly trailless high peaks).

DEC staff has confirmed that there are extensive, informal trail networks on all of the formerly trailless Catskill peaks over 3,500 feet, and that Informal trails have many negative impacts on the high peaks including changes to water bodies and flow, loss of native plant cover, and increased soil compaction and erosion. We at the Catskill Center also have seen this firsthand.

The Catskill Center commends DEC for assessing the impacts of frequent visitation to Catskill High Peaks and for initiating a planning process to address those impacts. And while the Catskill Center supports DEC’s proposed strategies, we would urge additional and even stronger action by the agency. The increased visitor use experienced in recent years is unlikely to decrease. In our view, the ultimate solution is to establish well-designed, marked, and maintained trails to each Catskills High Peak. This solution is in the long term, and we have an immediate and number of short-term suggested actions leading up to this.

Read our comment letter.