The Burroughs Range Loop

The Burroughs Range Loop

In the heart of the Catskill Mountains in New York State within the Slide Mountain Wilderness is the popular loop trail commonly known as The Burroughs Range Loop. The loop passes over 3 peaks above 3,500ft in elevation including the Catskills highest peak, Slide Mountain at 4,180ft.  A roughly 15 mile trek with approximately 5,000ft of total elevation gain, the loop can be a challenging 1 day hike but a more enjoyable overnight at one of the primitive tent sites along the route.  Water can be scare on this route but there is a spring near Slide Mountain.  The crisp air and balsam fir forests of this range hit the senses unlike anywhere else.

Key Features
  • Slide Mountain, tallest in the Catskills at 4,180ft.  Wittenberg Mountain at 3,780ft and Cornell Mountain at 3,860ft.
  • Multiple primitive tent sites along the route with fire pit.  Bear hangs will be required.
  • Water sources:  There is a fairly reliable spring near Slide and a stream or 2 along the route.  Be sure to check trail reports for water activity. 
  • Wittenberg Summit View:  The summit of Wittenberg has one of the best views in the Catskills and one of the largest with no tree cover.
  • Beautiful flora and fauna, add an extra half of a pound to base weight for binoculars not just for wildlife, but for the views.
  • The Woodland Creek.
 
Trail Guide Disclaimer

This guide starts at the trailhead on Woodland Valley Road, GPS: 42.036126, -74.357330

Parking Lot
Parking Lot
Trailhead
Trailhead: Woodland Valley Road
Bridge
0.1mi: Bridge
Steep Trail
0.3mi: Steep bouldery trail
Red Trail
0.8mi: Follow Red Trail
Trail Junction
2.6mi: Trail Junction
Crazy Tree
3.0mi: Crazy Tree
Summit
3.4mi: Wittenberg Summit
Cornell Crack
5.0mi: Cornell Crack
Cornell Vista
5.0mi: Vista atop Cornell Crack
Primitive Tentsite
6.0mi: Primitive Tentsite
Scramble
7.1mi: Scramble
Slide Vista
7.2mi: Slide Vista Near Spring
Burroughs Plaque
7.5mi: Slide Mountain Summit

After reaching Slide Mountain continue on the red blazed Wittenberg-Cornell-Slide Trail for just about 2mi until you reach the yellow blazed Phoenicia-East Branch Trail. Take a right turn onto the yellow blazed Phoenicia-East Branch Trail for just over a half mile to the Slide Mountain parking lot. You will now have either a 1 or 2 mile road walk along Oliverea Road(rt.47) turning right out of the Slide parking lot. There is a private club that allows use of the easement trail at about 1 mile from the Slide parking lot. If the easement is available you will have approximately a 1.5mi walk on a carriage road to once again reach the yellow blazed Phoenicia-East Branch Trail for the last 2.6mi to the Woodland Valley Campground and parking area. If use of the easement trail is not available you must continue the road walk for approximately 1mi until you reach the Phoenicia-East Branch Trail at the Giant Ledge trailhead and parking lot.

Links

Slide Mountain Wilderness NYSDEC Website.

The Burroughs Range
Burroughs Range
Location Phoenicia, NY
Coordinates 42.036119, -74.357587
Max El. 4,180ft
El. Gain Approx. 5,000ft
Difficulty 8/10
Avg. Time 1-2 Days
Popularity Very High
About The Region

The Catskill Mountains, New York

Located in the state of New York is the Catskill Mountains region. With it's close proximatey to larger population centers including just over a 2 hour drive from New York City, the Catskills Park receives millions of visitors annually not only from New York City but also from around the country and to a lesser extent internationally. Such a rugged and remote wilderness in close proximity to the largest metro area of the United States should not be taken for granted, as there is world class fishing, backpacking, and culture completely removed from the nearby urban centers.

Key Features
  • Slide Mountain, tallest in Catskills at 4,180ft.
  • Fly fishing the Esopus Creek.
  • Hunter Mountain Ski Resort.
  • Kaaterskill Falls.
  • Numerous historical locations of artists, authors, musicians, and American settlers.
  • Well maintained trail and camping network.
Trail Guides
Trail Guides
Disclaimer    Return To Guide

Be advised, while we do strive to provide as accurate a representation of areas as we can, errors can be present due to trail updates, closures, regional changes, etc. Distances may not be perfectly accurate. This site is intended to serve as a simple introduction when visiting an area that we cover. Before heading out on your adventure conduct further research from official sources and plan accordingly. Intotheabsurd.com and it's content creators assume no liability from individuals carelessly and irresponsibly using this website as a sole source of information about areas covered on this website.

INTOTHEABSURD.COM
Helpful

About

Advertise Here

Message Us

Terms Of Service

Privacy Policy