CATSKILL SCENIC TRAIL LETTERBOX:
HOBART, NEW YORK
-BIKE IT OR HIKE IT-
Planted: June 30, 2005
Length: Bloomville to Roxbury; 26 miles
Stamford to Bloomville; 12 miles Stamford to Grand Gorge; 7 miles
Stamford to Letterbox; 2.9 miles Hobart to Letterbox; 3/4 miles
Difficulty: Easy. Flat, hard packed cinder and two-track trail from Bloomville to Grand Gorge. Mountain bike recommended.
Moderate. Flat, rough dirt trail from Roxbury to Grand Gorge. Mountain bike recommended
Directions:
To start from Stamford; From the junction of State Routes 10/23, take Route 23 east into Stamford. Look for Railroad Ave on your right and travel down it to the old Stamford Depot where the trail crosses.
To start from Hobart; From the junction of State Routes 10/23, take Route 10 west to the town of Hobart. Just before you reach Route 18 (Maple Ave/River St), take a left down Cornell Ave. Pull into the community Center parking lot where the trail crosses.
To start from Bloomville; From the junction of State Routes 10/28, take Route 10 east to Bloomville. Continue past the turnoff for CR33 (County Route) and head up the hill along Route 10. Look for Agway Road on your left as you reach the crest. This dirt road is actually the parking lot for the trail which starts just across Route 10.
To start from Roxbury; From the junction of State Routes 23/30, take Route 30 south towards Roxbury. After traveling through small pass between the ridges, keep an eye to your left for Schuman Road. This is a dirt road on the outskirts of Roxbury. If you come to a large Dairy business on your left, you've passed it. There will be a small pullout immediately upon entering the road. The trail crosses this road just up ahead. I started here as I was told the smell behind the Dairy Farm is none to pleasant and the trail doesn't go much further.
The Catskill Scenic Trail runs along the former rail bed of the Ulster & Delaware Railroad. This railroad crossed the Catskills from Kingston Point on the Hudson to Oneonta in the Susquehanna Valley. Chartered in 1866 and later reorganized in 1872 as the New York, Kingston & Syracuse, it finally became the Ulster & Delaware in 1875. In 1900, the line was extended to Oneonta. In 1932 it was merged into the New York Central, then into the Penn Central in 1968 and finally abandoned in 1976 after Conrail took it over. The trail travels 26 miles between the towns of Bloomville and Roxbury .There is only a 400 foot change in elevation over the entire trail with the town of Stamford as the peak. The best trail conditions are from Bloomville to Grand Gorge. The section towards Roxbury is rough and is incomplete in areas with detours. For more information visit; CATSKILL SCENIC TRAIL . Maps and info are available inside the old Train Depot if it is open.
Starting from Stamford heading West; From the old train depot head west across the road along the hard packed cinder trail. This trail runs through the valley with rolling hills on either side of you. It also intersects the Delaware River and its tributaries all along the trail. Its a very peaceful trail for much of the journey as you only pass through the hamlets of Hobart and South Kortright. Route 10 parallels the trail to the north and CR18 parallels and occasionally intersects the trail to the south. The trail is flat and travels through open fields, some woods and windbreaks. You'll pass by a yellow signpost at 1.4 miles that the trail committee has erected, pointing out various destinations. Two miles takes you over a bridge and then past a bench. When you enter a wooded section, look for a bench made out of railroad ties on your right at 2.8 miles. There will be other stacks of ties here as well. On you left the river parallels the trail here. Note the yellow sign above the river that reads "Public Fishing stream". From the bench take 25 paces (2 steps = 1 pace) further along the trail. Looking to your right along the embankment, you'll spot a large flat rock about waist high. To the right of this rock will be a small two-trunked Maple tree and to the right of it will be a small three-trunked Maple tree with a pile of debris above it. Go to the bottom right side of this tree and remove ONLY the oblong rock at its base. A small rock sits atop and protects the Catskill Scenic Trail Letterbox. Continuing along the trail you'll pass another bench and then another yellow sign that reads "Food-Phone-Gas" and points to a side trail. After crossing another old trestle and passing by a pond you'll cross over Cornell Ave in Hobart at 3.6 miles. The trail passes by Bonacic Park which overlooks a pond and has picnic tables and benches. Further along you'll pass by a playground and ball fields. Keep a sharp eye, for at 4.1 miles, there is an old mileage marker on the right reading K78. This stands for 78 miles to Kingston Station, which was located along the Hudson River. You cross an old railroad trestle at 4.3 miles over Town Brook. You reach South Kortright and cross over CR18 at 7.6 miles. Belle Terre School ? is left, just down this road. You can see the Delaware River on your right at 7.9 miles. Some great wide open views at 8.4 miles as you pass between a hayfield on your right and a cornfield on your left. At 9 1/2 miles you'll cross an old trestle bridge where the river converges with one of its tributaries. We were able to walk down the stone bridge abutments and go wading in the shallow part of the stream. You cross 2 more bridges at 9.8 miles and 10.1 miles. At 10 1/2 miles the trail takes you above the river to your left. You come alongside Route 10 at 11.4 miles and pass a big red barn with two silos at 11 3/4 miles. After passing by a big white building to your right and an old foundation keep an eye out for another old mileage marker K86. The trail will then cross over Route 10 to the Bloomville parking lot and end at 12 miles.
Starting from Stamford heading East; From the old train depot head east along the hard packed dirt and cinder trail. The trail crosses Route 23 at 0.4 miles and heads out of town. As you pass through open fields at 0.9 miles, first notice an old railroad "Measured Mile" pole on your left. I didn't see any markings on it but they usually had 1/4 mile-1/2 mile or 1 mile marked on them. Another pole is located about a 1/4 mile further along the trail on your right. Second, enjoy the view to your right of what I believe to be Utsayantha Mountain. The trail then travels through more of a wooded area, even when there are open fields around, the trail tends to be shaded by a ribbon of trees. At just over 3 miles you'll see an old railroad mileage marker reading K71. This stands for 71 miles to Kingston Station, which was located along the Hudson River. Just before you cross the road ahead, look to your left to see Mayham Pond. Another 1/4 miles takes you past the old South Gilboa Train Station, which appears to be in the middle of nowhere. You'll cross a few small bridges before passing by marker K70 at just over 4 miles, this leads to more bridges and more markers until you finally reach the Route 23 crossing at about 7 miles just outside of Grand Gorge. A miniature horse farm is located here with a petting zoo. Use Caution crossing the road as there is no cross-walk. Pass by marker K67 and soon you will come to another road crossing.
As of July 17, 2006 the next section was still under construction, so I had to take a detour. This detour involves an uphill climb that may not be recommended for kids. If you find that this section has been completed, please email me at letterboxing@snet.net so that I may update these clues. . Thank you!
Detour; Turn left down this road and then take a right at the "Northern Catskills Occupational Center". Head straight past the buildings and down a dirt road that curves to the left. You'll pass by a footbridge on the right and a small white building on the right. Turn right past the building and head to the right of the small pond. The trail then heads uphill back to the rail bed where a yellow sign reads "Creekside Cafe". The rail bed to the right still had railroad ties down, but as you head left along the trail, it is hard packed dirt as it travels slightly uphill through woodland and soon a rock cut. An old Whistle Stop marker is located along the right side of the trail, indicating that you will be crossing Route 30 ahead. This just completed section is about 1 1/2 miles long. The next section heads towards Roxbury, but is much rougher as a new sewer line was just buried along it. After crossing over Route 30, there is another yellow trail marker here. The trail passes behind the building ahead, but when I was here it was so wet and muddy that we couldn't get through. We had to go up the road to your left and use the upper field to detour around it. After making your way around the building the trail follows alongside the bottom ridgeline to its left and the East Branch Delaware River to its right. You'll pass a few more mileage markers along the way, as well as another Whistle Stop before you leave the ridgeline behind and the trail opens up. When you reach a dirt road crossing, this is Schuman Road. A small pullout is just down this road next to Route 30. The trail crosses a small bridge and comes to another dirt road next to Route 30. This is 3 1/2 miles from where you first crossed Route 30 and on the outskirts of Roxbury. I stopped here, as I was told the trail doesn't travel that much further on and the Dairy Farm ahead doesn't emit the most pleasant smells. However, if you should venture onward, please email about what more lies ahead. Thanks!
HH
LETTERBOX LAST VERIFIED ON
AUGUST 18, 2007
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