Trails in This Area
More Information
Balsam Lake Mountain Wild Forest contains more than 13,500 acres of “forever wild” Forest Preserve located at the head of the Beaverkill Valley, an area famous as the cradle of fly fishing in America. Alder Lake is one of the few Catskill lakes with excellent trout fishing and has been referred to as “the manifestation of something better than the common things of every-day life – it is a sanctum for the spiritual renaissance of mind and the rejuvenation of the body.” With an extensive trail network to several ponds, this area is ideal for hiking, camping, fishing, hunting, backpacking, canoeing, cross-country skiing and even has one of the five fire towers in the Catskills.
The terrain is a combination of high mountain ridges, steep sided valleys, numerous brooks and ponds, with elevations ranging from a low of 1,740 feet along Mill Brook to a high of 3,723 feet at the summit of Balsam Lake Mountain.
Source: https://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/9152.html
(See each specific hike for directions to the trailhead parking.)