Hike the Mud Pond Trail - Long Loop

Mud Pond - Taken from the foot of the pond

OVERVIEW

Trail Name: Mud Pond - Long Loop

Forest: Delaware Wild Forest

Parking Area : 15+ spaces (DEC) directly off Russell Brook Road

Winter Access: Russell Brook Road / Morton Hill Road PA

Lean-to sites: 2 on the north side of Trout Pond

Campsites : 16+ around Mud & Trout Pond

Trail Length miles: 7.27 miles (one-way)

Trail Tread Type : 52% Double-track trail - 26% Single-track trail - 22% DEC Roads

Hiking Time : 4-5 hours (loop)

Lowest Elevation : 1,811' (A)

Highest Elevation : 2,559' (A)

Views Locations : Russell Brook Falls, Trout Pond, Mud Pond

Trail Difficulty : Moderate

USGS Map: USGS Downsville Quad Maps

USGS Map: USGS Roscoe Quad Maps

DEC Trail Map: DEC Delaware Wild Forest Map (free)

Digital Mapper: Topo Terrain Satellite

Maps to the Mud Pond - Long Loop

Notes About Hiking the Mud Pond - Long Loop

HISTORY

While everyone now calls the 26 acre water body, "Trout Pond", the offical name of the water body is, "Cables Lake", according to the USGS. However, the 1922 USGS topo maps shows the name as, "Trout Pond". The 1965 USGS topo map, then shows the named changed to "Cables Lake". In 1981, the USGS officially named the water body, "Cables Lake". At some point, the DEC started to call Cables Lake, "Trout Pond". Many believe that the water body should be called, "Trout Pond", and the name has stuck. Now everyone calls it "Trout Pond". Hopefully, sometime in the future the USGS will change the name back to "Trout Pond". Catskill Mountaineer will only use the name, "Trout Pond" in our listings.

Trout Pond has been one of the few water bodies that contained self-sustaining populations Eastern Brook Trout. Eastern Brook Trout are considered the only native trout in the Catskill Mountains. Trout Pond is well known to anglers as a "Right of passage" to fish in. Special fishing rules apply to this region.

Where the Russell Brook DEC Parking Area is now located used to have have a school located nearby. It was called the Russell School. There also used to be railroad tracks that ran up near the eastern Middle trailhead to the Mud Pond Trail. There was also a company, named "Dye Works" further down the Russell Brook just south of the Mud Pond Trailhead. The company had a contract with the US Military to dye all the army uniforms during WW I. The company shut down operations in 1949. You will see one of those foundations on this hike.

Both Trout Pond (32 acres) and Mud Pond (26 acres) have dams at the foot of these water bodies. Trout Pond has a concrete dam, where Mud Pond has a thick stone dam where the water flows through the lower rocks.

TRAIL

The Long Loop for the Mud Pond Trail includes visiting Trout Pond, Mud Pond, and the Russell Brook below the Russell Brook Road Parking Area. The trails from Russell Brook to the foot of Mud Pond are easy and route finding is minimal.

From the foot of Mud Pond to Russell Brook is moderate in difficulty, and route finding is necessary. There are a number places where the trail makes a sharp 90 degree turn, and the turn is not marked well. Hikers report, in the past, that it is easy to walk off the trail after the downhill hike from Mud Pond levels out.

From the Southern Trailhead of the Mud Pond Trail to the Russell Brook Road Parking Area has some easy sections, and some difficult sections. You will need to cross the Russell Brook not long after leaving the Southern Mud Pond Trailhead. Most hikers report that they get wet feet crossing the Russell Brook. A little further up the old Russell Brook Road is a section of the road that has been washed out. Hikers either have to get wet feet or have to climb up the steep back to avoid the water. During a dry summer, this water issues may be minimal. This section covers about 1.1 miles of the old Russell Brook Road. Once you get to the Lower Russell Brook Road Parking Area, the road back to the Russell Brook Road Parking Area (4/10 of a mile) is very easy. This region is also used by fly fishermen. Most of the old Russell Brook Road is easy hiking. But, the few other sections can be difficult and/or undesirable for inexperienced hikers. Experienced hikers are not deterred by the difficult sections of this hike.

Most of this hike does not have have water or mud issues. But, there are a few places to be aware of. After visiting the old home ruins at the head of Mud Pond, the trail can be quite muddy at certain times of the year. When you descend after Mud Pond to the valley below, water becomes an issue towards the end of the Mud Pond Trail. And, of course the old Russell Brook Road can be a problem.

Russell Brook Falls is a very nice waterfall. It is a short 150 foot walk off the beginning of this hike to see it. Well worth visiting. Both Trout Pond and Mud Pond have beautiful views and are very enjoyable to visit. They are very busy in the summer months. Trout Pond is significantly more crowded then Mud Pond. Many are just campers. Mud Pond is more remote and is visited less. Some of the campsite are difficult to find. Not all of the campsites have established trails. So, you might have to bushwhack to find them. Good for those who are looking for a remote campsite on the water. Most hikers like to hike the Mud Pond Long Loop in a counter-clockwise direction. Doing it that way, results in gradual elevation climb at the beginning of the hike, with the remainder of the hike in a downhill direction.

Hiking the Mud Pond Long Loop clockwise results in elevation climbing almost all the way to Trout Pond. The trail from Russell Brook up to the foot of Mud Pond is probably the steepest part of the hike with 500 of elevation climb all at once. Then you have more elevation climb to the Cherry Ridge Plateau

PARKING

There is basically one good places to park:

Russell Brook Road - This DEC Parking Area can hold about 15 cars. There are also two more parking areas south of Mud Pond - Long Loophead. But, they only hold about 3 cars. There are a couple other spots along the road. The Russell Brook Road is NOT maintained in the Winter. There is a parking area at the road junction to Russell Brook Road and Morton Hill Road where you can park year around. In the busy Summer months, it may be difficult to find a parking place.

OTHER INFORMATION

WATER: You can obtain water at a number of locations along this hike. Many trails in the Delaware Wild Forest are challenging to find water. The Mud Pond - Long Loop is the exception to that rule.

There is limited cell phone service in some parts of the region (as of 2023). Higher elevation locations often are the most promising locations for cell service.

DIRECTIONS to the Russell Brook Road Parking from Exit 19 (Kingston)

Russell Brook Road (DEC) - WGS84 (DEC): 41.9943, -74.94155 - Elevation is approximately 1,832'

Russell Brook Road (DEC) - Deg/Min/Sec: N41 59 39, W74 56 29 - Elevation is approximately 1,832'

Russell Brook Road (DEC) - GPS: N 41 59.658, W 74 56.493 - Elevation is approximately 1,832'

Russell Brook Road (DEC) - UTM: 18N 504841 4649145 - Elevation is approximately 1,832'

Get off New York State Thruway at Exit 19 (Kingston).

Take a RIGHT out of the NYS Thruway onto Route 28 West.

Go approximately 46.4 miles on Rt 28 West

Take a LEFT onto Rt 30

Go approximately 19.9 miles on Rt 30 around the Pepecton Reservoir

Take a LEFT onto Rt 206 (Cat Hollow Road)

Go approximately 2.8 on Rt 206

Take a RIGHT onto Jug Tavern Road

Go approximately 1.5 on Rt 206

Take a LEFT onto Campbell Mountain Road

Go approximately 0.4 on Campbell Mountain Road

Take a LEFT onto Morton Hill Road

Go approximately 2.7 on Morton Hill road

Take a RIGHT onto Russell Brook Road

Go approximately 1.7 on Russell Brook Road

Take a RIGHT into Russell Brook Parking Area (directly off road)

NOTE: There two other places to park along side Russell Brook Road

NOTE: In the Winter you can park on the corner of Morton Hill Road & Russell Brook

MILEAGE CHART - for the Mud Pond - Long Loop

Mileage Mile Point Altitude Notes
0.00 0.00 1,830' Russell Brook Road Parking Area & Trailhead

0.16 0.16 1,835' Trail Junction to Middle Mud Pond Trailhead

0.26 0.42 1,919' Trail Juntion to Campsite

0.45 0.87 2,100' Foot of Trout Pond & Trout Pond dam

0.54 1.41 2,082' Trail Junction to Trout Pond Trail (north) & Northern Trout Pond Lean-to

0.02 1.43 2,078' Trail Junction to Northern Mud Pond Trailhead

0.78 2.21 2,539' High Spot on Trail - Plateau of Cherry Ridge

1.17 3.38 1,155' Trail Junction to Middle Mud Pond

0.39 3.77 2,161' Trail Junction with with lower Mud Pond Trail

0.47 4.24 2,107' Foot of Mud Pond, Mud Pond Dam, and 2 Campsites

1.49 5.73 1,555' End of Mud Pond Trail

1.15 6.88 1,755' Lower Russell Brook Road Parking Area

0.10 6.89 1,784' Side of Russell Brook Road Parking

0.29 7.27 1,830' Russell Brook Road Parking Area

Hiking the Mud Pond - Long Loop

TROUT POND TRAIL

Next to the Trout Pond Trailhead is the Russell Brook Road Parking Area.

The DEC Registration Box is next to the Kiosk. Make sure you register for your hike. If you are injured or lost, Rangers will use this information to find you quicker. The more people who register, the more money is allocated for maintenance of the trails at this trailhead.

This is the Trout Pond Trailhead, that is just below the parking area. This trail will take you to both the middle and upper trailhead of Mud Pond Trail.

About 500 feet past the Trout Pond Trailhead is a heavy-duty bridge over the Russell Brook. It can be quite icy when the temperatures are near or below freezing. If the temperatures have been near or below freezing make sure you bring microspikes.

About 150 past the trail junction to heavy-duty bridge, is an unmarked trail on your RIGHT. That unmarked trail will take you to the base of lower Russell Brook Falls. The Russell Brook Falls are 150 feet from the Trout Pond Trail. Some consider this one of the highlights of this hike.

You can see the upper part of Russell Brook Falls from Russell Brook Road.

After another 600 feet, you will come to another trail junction. You want to continue STRAIGHT.

Left is the middle Trailhead for the Mud Pond Trail. This trailhead is for middle section of Mud Pond. You would take this trail if you wanted to do the "Mud Pond - Short Loop". Since we are going to hike the LONG Loop, you want to continue STRAIGHT.

After another 1/4 mile, you will come to the second Trailhead. You want to go RIGHT, and up the hill.

Left would take you up to a campsite Mud Pond in a about 500 feet. Some hikers take the campsite spur thinking it is Trout Pond Trail. Unfortunately neither trail has trail markers at the trail junction.

The Trout Pond Trail will climb about 200 feet in elevation before you reach the foot of Trout Pond.

This is the foot of Trout Pond. There is a concrete dam that control the height of the water in Trout Pond.

If you cross the concrete dam, there is a campsite on the southwestern side of Trout Pond. Beware that the water flowing over the dam is slippery. It often has algae on the concrete.

This picture was taken about half way down Trout Pond

The Trout Trail follows the edge of Trout Pond, and provide nice views as you hike up to the head of the pond.

This wooden bridge is near the head of Trout Pond (northeaster end). There is also another primitive campsite near the bridge.

When you arrive at northeastern side of Trout Pond. You want to take a LEFT, and head west.

Straight is a continuation of the Trout Pond Trail. Also, next to the continuation of the Trout Pond Trail is the Trout Pond Lean-to (north). Left will take you to two more campsite along with the Southern Trout Pond Lean-to. The Northern Mud Pond Trailhead is 100 feet after you cross the second wood bridge.

TROUT POND SPUR TRAIL

At the trail junction to the continuation of Trout Pond Trail, you can see the Northern Trout Pond Lean-to. This lean-to was replaced in 2023, and overlooks Trout Pond.

After you turn LEFT at the Trail Junction for the continuation of the Trout Pond Trail and the Northern Trout Pond Lean-to, you will encounter this second bridge in about 100 feet. Continue STRAIGHT over the bridge.

There are a number of nice view points on the northern side the Trout Pond. This is also time to get water.

After you cross the second wooden bridge, you want to take a RIGHT onto the Northern Trailhead for the Mud Pond Trail. From this picture the trail may not be obvious, but it is there.

This is the Northern Trailhead of the Mud Pond Trail. While the first 50 feet of the Mud Pond Trail is overgrown, the trail clears up and is wide and easy to hike on.

If you hike past the Northern Mud Pond Trail, the trail will take you to the Southern Trout Pond Lean. It is about 400 feet past the Northern Mud Pond Trailhead.

There are also two additional primitive campsites beyond the Southern Trout Pond Lean-to. Just hike past the outhouse.

MUD POND TRAIL

This is the Northern Trailhead of the Mud Pond Trail. While the first 50 feet of the Mud Pond Trail is overgrown, the trail clears up and is wide and easy to hike on.

The beginning of the Mud Pond Trail has a gradual uphill climb. The trail is a nice double-track trail and easy to follow. It is a little over 3/4 of a mile to the high point on the side of Cherry Ridge.

The Mud Pond Trail climbs about 400 feet in vertical elevation before you reach a plateau on the side of Cherry Ridge in a little more then 3/4 of a mile.

This is the plateau on the side of Cherry Ridge. Unfortunately there are no views from this point. Hiking up to this point is the hardest climb of the entire hike. Continue off the plateau. The Trail will then descend downhill.

After a short distance the incline will level out. The trail will make a small number of turns that are fairly easy to follow.

After almost 1.2 miles from the plateau on the side of Cherry Ridge, you will come to a Trail Junction. You want to get RIGHT. The trail after the Trail Junction is also the Mud Pond Trail.

The trail to the left is also Mud Pond Trail. This is the middle Mud Pond Trail. It comes out near Russell Brook Falls.

After going RIGHT after the Trail Junction, the trail will continue on the Mud Pond Trail. In less then 1,000 feet, you will start to see Mud Pond.

There are 3 primitive campsites around Mud Pond. There are a number of foundations for homes and a barn.

This is foundation has a good view of Mud Pond. And, this foundation is concrete, and is fairly new compared to other stone foundations we often see in the Catskill Mountains.

This is another home foundation. As you can see it has a good view of Mud Pond.

At some point you may start to wonder how Mud Pond got it's name. So far you have seen NO mud anywhere on this hike. You are about to find out how it got it's name. After leaving the house ruins, the trail will turn very muddy (after rain). It reminds some hikers of Adirondack Mud.

After about a 1/4 mile after leaving the home ruins, the Mud Pond Trail will sudden turn LEFT off the old logging road.

Straight will take you to Dry Brook Road. You cannot get all the way to Dry Brook Road because it enters private property before you can get to the road.

The Mud Pond Trail will no longer be an old road. The trail is wide enough for a snowmobile, but not much wider then that.

This is one of the few streams you see crossing the hiking trail until you get down near Russell Brook Road. Most of the time it is very easy to cross. There is also another campsite on the northwestern side of Mud Pond.

After almost a mile the Mud Pond Trail will come close to the foot of Mud Pond. There is a trail that takes you down the dam at the foot of Mud Pond. But, at certain times of the year, the trail is difficult to find and follow. There are also 2 primitive campsites very close to the dam. The dam is about 100-150 from the Mud Pond Trail. If the trail starts to descend, and you see the stream to your left, you passed the Mud Pond Dam.

This primitive campsite in this picture is on the western side of the Mud Pond Dam. It has one of the best views of Mud Pond. The second primitive campsite is on the eastern side of the dam, and slightly south.

This is the old stone dam for Mud Pond. The water actually drains through the bottom of the rock dam, and works very well. There is an excellent view of Mud Pond from the Mud Pond Dam.

Once you leave the Mud Pond Dam region, the trail then starts to descend. You will come to the Southern Mud Pond Trailhead in a little less then 1-1/2 miles.

The Mud Pond Trail will descend about 400 vertical feet from Mud Pond to Russell Brook Road.

After the trail starts to level off, the trail will suddenly turn 90 degrees to the RIGHT. Most people miss the turn because it is marked poorly. If you reach the stream that flows out of Mud Pond, turn around and look for the trail.

After a short distance, the trail will then turn to 90 degrees to the RIGHT after you cross this stream. It is very hard to see this turn and the trail is poorly marker here too. Don't mix up this turn with the previous one.

As you hike up the Mud Pond Trail, you will see a swamp on your right side.

You have now reached the DEC Registration Box for the Southern Mud Pond Trailhead. Please note that there is NO DEC Registration Box at the Northern Mud Pond Trailhead.

This is the end of Mud Pond Trail at the Southern Trailhead for Mud Pond. This leaves you on the old Russell Brook Road. It may not looks like a road due to the tall and thick weeds around the Trailhead.

RUSSELL BROOK ROAD

At the end of Mud Pond Trail, you want to take a LEFT. The beginning of the Russell Brook Road is overgrown. It almost does not look like a trail. Just push your way though the weeds.

After a short distance, the road opens up. Follow the road.

Off to the right is one of the Dye Works building that exist back in the early to mid 1900's. There are other Dye Works building south of the Southern Mud Pond Trailhead.

After a short distance, the road then crosses over the Russell Brook. At high water, it is not possible to cross. Crossing the Russell Brook can be challenging. So, put some dry socks in your pack. Once you are across the brook, you will not have to cross it again.

Once you get across Russell Brook, the road is fairly easy to see and follow.

Most of this section of Russell Brook Road is very easy to hike up.

Then you come to this washed out section of the Russell Brook Road. This is the most difficult section. There is a body of water ahead. You can hike through it or climb up the steep base on the right. Once you get past this point, the rest of the Russell Brook Road is easy.

After 1.15 miles of hiking up the Russell Brook Road, you will come to the lower Russell Brook Parkiner Area. There are a couple places to park. This parking area is usually used by fishermen. But, some hikers do like to hike in this region.

There is a second parking are on the lower Russell Brook Road. It holds a couple of cars.

After another 4/10 of a mile up the Russell Brook Road, you will come back the large Russell Brook Parking Area.

Remember to checkout at the DEC Registration by the DEC Kiosk. Hope you enjoyed this hike.

Links and References:

DEC Information on the Delaware Wild Forest

NY DEC map of the Delaware Wild Forest (free)

USGS Topo Map of the Downsville Quad

USGS Topo Map of the Roscoe Quad

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