New York · Hiking

Poet's Ledge Trail

Poet's Ledge TrailPhoto: andyarthur, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
0.5 mi
one way
222 ft
climb
2,334 ft
high point
Point to point
route
Sep–Oct
best months

Poet's Ledge Trail is a 0.45-mile moderate hike in the Kaaterskill Wild Forest in New York, managed by the State Department of Conservation. The trail rises from about 2,100 feet to about 2,330 feet, with a total gain of 222 feet and a steepest stretch of about 15% at the 0.4-mile mark. Summer and early fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from the nearby Platte Clove weather station show July highs around 80°F and September highs around 72°F, with lows in the upper 40s. That station sits a few hundred feet lower than the trail, so temperatures on the ledge run a little cooler. The trail is a point-to-point route, and it is not open to bikes or horses. Within a few miles you'll find the Escarpment Trail, Schutt Road and Twilight Park Trail, and the Catskills climbing area.

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go · Sep–Oct

    Best time to visit Poet's Ledge Trail

    Best months: September–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      32° / 12°

      16 wet

    2. Feb

      35° / 13°

      13 wet

    3. Mar

      42° / 20°

      13 wet

    4. Apr

      55° / 31°

      12 wet

    5. May

      67° / 42°

      14 wet

    6. Jun

      75° / 51°

      14 wet

    7. Jul

      80° / 55°

      14 wet

    8. Aug

      79° / 54°

      13 wet

    9. Sep

      72° / 48°

      11 wet

    10. Oct

      59° / 37°

      12 wet

    11. Nov

      47° / 28°

      13 wet

    12. Dec

      37° / 19°

      16 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Platte Clove, NY, 2.9 mi away at 2,032 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

Escarpment TrailPhoto: Andy Arthur, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Escarpment Trail

~2 min drive

2.56-mile point-to-point trail in New York with 1,389 ft gain and 1,634 ft loss.

Schutt RoadPhoto: Andy Arthur, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Schutt Road

~3 min drive

0.97-mile out-and-back trail in New York with 367 ft elevation loss

Twilight Park TrailPhoto: Alexander Gude, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Twilight Park Trail

~3 min drive

1.44-mile out-and-back trail in Twilight Park, New York with 1,285 ft of elevation gain.

Winter Clove Falls trailPhoto: Steve Shook from Moscow, Idaho, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Winter Clove Falls trail

~8 min drive

2.58-mile out-and-back hike in New York with 1,315 ft elevation gain

Huckleberry Point TrailPhoto: Alexander Gude, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Huckleberry Point Trail

~4 min drive

1.30-mile out-and-back trail in New York with 250 ft gain.

Devil's PathPhoto: New York Public Library, No restrictions (via Wikimedia Commons)

Devil's Path

~6 min drive

Strenuous 14.92-mile point-to-point Catskill ridge traverse for experienced hikers.

Rip's Ledge trailPhoto: Steve Shook from Moscow, Idaho, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Rip's Ledge trail

~8 min drive

5.5-mile out-and-back trail in New York with 1,982 ft elevation gain and loss.

Kaaterskill Rail TrailPhoto: RobertDrake2015, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Kaaterskill Rail Trail

~5 min drive

2.88-mile out-and-back trail in New York with 442 ft elevation gain

Colgate Lake TrailPhoto: andyarthur, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Colgate Lake Trail

~10 min drive

8.42-mile out-and-back hike at Colgate Lake in New York with 1,199 ft elevation gain

Stoppel Point Trail (red)Photo: Steve Shook from Moscow, Idaho, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Stoppel Point Trail (red)

~9 min drive

3.16-mile out-and-back hike in New York with 1,768 ft gain and 2,590 ft max elevation.

Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors