Fire roads in the Catskills

[sentinal02]

Well as some of you may have heard I was on a mission this weekend to locate and determine the 4x4 accessibility to a number of trails in Catskill park. the good news is that I did find a few more seasonal maintenance (fire ) roads, but nothing 2wd couldn't handle. unfortunately Slide Mt and Millbrook Mt trails were found to be hikini trails, but Moore Hill, the connection between it and Denman Mt, Coons Rd, and Cross Mt rd near Lew beach were all confimed SM roads. If you're looking at Coons rd though, you need to access it on the Sugar Loaf rd side. the topo map i have showed it as passable all the way through, however you get about 3 miles in, just before it reaches the end and you find that there's no longer any bridge at that end. We also know from past excursions that Spencer rd is accessible as well, along with Fluggerstown Rd near Willowemoc. That last one needs to be accessed from western end because there is a Gun club in the middle of the rd and there is no connection between fluggerstown and Basily rds as is shown on some maps. There's still a lot more roads I need to check on so I'll be updating this list as I know more. All told the trails make a nice scenic day trip if you're looking to get out and enjoy a nice day with the top down :wink: Here's a few pics from the trip (though the waterfall isn't on the roads listed. It is very close to one of them and is worth making the side trip). Don't mind the cut in the 4th pic, It just took 2 shots to get the whole view.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v608/sentinal02/Misc%20Jeep%20Pics/TrailHunt010.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v608/sentinal02/Misc%20Jeep%20Pics/TrailHunt009.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v608/sentinal02/Misc%20Jeep%20Pics/TrailHunt4.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v608/sentinal02/Misc%20Jeep%20Pics/MergedTrail.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v608/sentinal02/Misc%20Jeep%20Pics/Peekamoose10.jpg

[DaMoose]

I dunno what you think, but that waterfall looks familiar!!

http://www.mhcable.com/~lordsac21/recent%20pics/peekamoose%20nov%207th/DSCF0629.JPG


if it IS the same one, then when you go from there up to the Y in the road, make a left on greenville rd and follow that up a steep right hand turn and about 3 miles or so up there is a road called Cross Rd. on the left. it is a seasonal use road....follow that until it t's and straight across is a road that leads into the woods. There is some wheeling in there that isnt difficult, but has mud and rocks. it pops out by palentown, ny

[sentinal02]

yup, the same waterfall. that trail was on my list of places to check out, but i got side tracked when i went up 47 and since i was so far up that way already i decided to check out some of the trails I had listed out that way instead.

[ROCKREADYXJ]

That looks like a nice place for a drive.

[sentinal02]

That looks like a nice place for a drive.

yeah, there's plenty of good views around here if you know where to look. Even a bald eagle observatory point on the Roundout Res. saw one today as a matter of fact.

DaMoose, DAMN man you weren't kidding about that trail. Puts to shame the seasonal roads I was on. Ran it today on my way back from hyde park and almost decided to turn around and get my off road tires. lol. I don't think it would be considered seasonally maintained though, more like never maintained. lol. how long has that "bridge" been washed out? i think the only reason that's still considered a road is the little cabin about halfway through.

[DaMoose]

lol, the last big rain we had washed those out. Shit is fun though for a lil day trip and fishing in that lake on the right about half way in. i wanna go camping there one time this summer near the lake.

[sentinal02]

lol, the last big rain we had washed those out. Shit is fun though for a lil day trip and fishing in that lake on the right about half way in. i wanna go camping there one time this summer near the lake.

lake? didn't see a lake. saw a couple off shoot trails that didn't look as well traveled though so maybe it's on one of them? i figured all that rain was what did the bridges in. the one looks like it was redone not long ago, but the other had 2x6's and some plywood over the metal frame work. I opted to go around it rather than trust it though. lol

[matt6669]

ahhh wise move grasshopper hahah

i supposedly just heard about a trail i have right here in west milford called stevens road. If your bored you can look it up on a map, supposedly its really tough in the spring time b/c theres rivers that run through and with all the rain in spring they flow quite nicely. Also supposedly there is a mud bog that "no one" has ever made it through on one of the off trails. My boss (yeah you get that my boss hahaha) says if all his years growing up he's pulled many people out of that hole because they got stuck. Im like i might have to check it out HAHAHAHA

Matt

[DaMoose]

yeah, there is a lake off on a side trail to the right as you are going in. It is down quite a ways. I havent been down there yet to check it out this spring, but I drove that trail when we had the 65-70 degree weather. I will probably end up going again in a few weeks when i get my replacement shock. I v'd the last one when my jeep came down on a stump and rock at the same time. Apparently shocks dont like that abuse as much as the rest of my rig.