Cat Rocks

Cat Rocks, Appalachian Trail (6/1/2008)

This out-and-back covers about 3 miles of the Appalachian Trail in New York. The highlights of this stretch are without a doubt the rocky outcrops known as Eastern Pinnacles and Cat Rocks, which offer views in nearly every direction. And while Route 5 is presumably somewhere below, you can't see it or hear it, and a sense of wonderful isolation can be felt here. We parked at the trail crossing on Route 17A where there is enough room for a large number of cars in the dirt island between Route 17A and Continental Road. We headed towards Maine, first visiting the Hawk Watch on a spur trail 200 yards west of the AT right near the beginning. We then returned to the AT hiking all the way to its intersection with the Highlands Trail. At this point we turned back and retraced our steps, taking a side trip to visit the Wildcat Shelter which is about 200 yards off the trail.

This 6+ mile hike took us about 3 hours and was only moderately strenuous, and probably only because of the heat. The climbs up and down Eastern Pinnacles and Cat Rocks could be challenging for some, though both have blue-blazed trails that run parallel and bypass the trickiest climbs.

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