Best viewpoints in Catskill Park

Best Viewpoints in the Catskills

This collection highlights the geological and historical landmarks along the Catskill Escarpment, primarily concentrated around the North-South Lake area. These sites served as the foundational subjects for Hudson River School painters like Thomas Cole and Frederic Church. The list includes the 260-foot Kaaterskill Falls, the historic foundation of the 19th-century Catskill Mountain House, and numerous rocky ledges offering expansive views across the Hudson River Valley to the Berkshire Mountains.

Best Viewpoints in the Catskills — Map

Ahodges7 / CC BY-SA 3.0

A

Kaaterskill Falls

Kaaterskill Falls is a two-stage waterfall on Spruce Creek in the eastern Catskill Mountains of New York, between the hamlets of Haines…

B

Catskill Mountain House Site

The former site of a 19th-century luxury hotel. The open ledge provides a panoramic view of the Hudson Valley and was a central subject for early American landscape painters.

C

Artists Rock

A prominent sandstone ledge on the Escarpment Trail overlooking the Hudson River Valley. It was a frequent subject for Hudson River School artists.

D

Sunset Rock

A rocky outcrop providing an iconic vista of North and South Lakes. It is one of the most photographed and painted locations in the Catskill Park.

E

Inspiration Point

A cliffside viewpoint on the Escarpment Trail offering a clear perspective of the Kaaterskill Clove and the surrounding high peaks.

F

North Point

A high rocky plateau on the Escarpment Trail featuring expansive views of the Hudson Valley, North-South Lake, and the distant Taconics.

G

Huckleberry Point

A flat rock overlook reached via the Huckleberry Point Trail, offering views of the Hudson Valley and the rugged peaks of the Devil's Path range.

H

Newmans Ledge

A sheer cliff on the Escarpment Trail located north of Artists Rock, providing an unobstructed view of the valley below.

I

Kaaterskill Falls overlook

An accessible viewing platform located at the end of a gravel path, providing a direct view of the upper tier of the 260-foot waterfall.

Other Lists

Catskill Park Essentials Catskill Mountain Peaks Hiking Shelters & Lean-Tos Best Campgrounds Scenic Waterfalls