Mountain Top Arboretum |
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| Hidden Marsh along the Hemlock Trail in the Fall Season |
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OVERVIEW |
| | MTA Trail Name: | 
East Meadow Trail System
| | | MTA Trail Name: | 
Hemlock Trail (0.95 miles)
| | | MTA Trail Name: |
Hemlock Loop Trail (0.23 miles)
| | | MTA Trail Name: | 
Spruce Trail (0.35)
| | | MTA Trail Name: | 
Red Maple Trail (.21))
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| | | DMI Trail Name: | 
Golden Birch Trail (0.21 miles - DMI - Continues into Spruce Trail) |
| | DMI Trail Name: | 
Rt 23C Spur Trail (0.57 miles - DMI - Hemlock Trail to Golden Birch Trail) |
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| | | Forest : | Hunter-Tanersville-Windham Valley |
| | Parking Area : | Mountain Top Arboretum Parking Area off Rt 23C |
| | Distance: | Length varies |
| | Cost: | Free to public |
| | Time: | Average half-day |
| | Open Period: | Dawn to Dusk - no access allowed after dark, including camping |
| | Winter Access: | Plowed |
| | Access: | Hike or snowshoe |
| | Elevation loss: | 182 feet from parking lot to trail by creek |
| | Best Time to Hike: | Anytime there isn't snow on the ground |
| | Difficulty: | Moderate |
| | Peak Elevation: | 2,346' |
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| | | USGS Official Map: | Kaaterskill Topographical Map (free) |
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| | | USGS Official Map: | Hunter Topographical Map (free) |
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| | | Digital Mapper: |
Topo
Terrain
Satellite |
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| | | Access Methods: | Foot or snowshoe. |
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| | DIRECTIONS to The Mountain Top Arboretum from Exit 21 (Catskill) |
| | The Mountain Top Arboretum Parking WGS84 (DEC): 42.222233, -74.132967 - Elevation is about 2,346 feet |
| | The Mountain Top Arboretum Parking Deg/Min/Sec: N42 13 20, W74 07 58 - Elevation is about 2,346 feet |
| | The Mountain Top Arboretum Parking GPS: N 42 13.334, W 74 07.978 - Elevation is about 2,346 feet |
| | The Mountain Top Arboretum Parking UTM: 18N 571556 4674815 - Elevation is about 2,346 feet |
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| | Take New York State Thruway to Exit 21 (Catskill). |
| | Take a left out of the NYS Thruway entrance road. |
| | Go approximately 1/4 mile |
| | Take a right onto Route 23 West |
| | Go approximately 6.6 miles to Cairo, NY |
| | Take a LEFT onto Rt 32. McDonalds Rest. on corner. |
| | Go approximately 7.7 miles on Rt 32 |
| | Take a RIGHT onto Rt 23A |
| | Go approximately 6.9 miles Rt 23A |
| | Take a RIGHT onto Rt 23C (at traffic light) |
| | Go approximately 2.0 miles up Rt 23C |
| | Take a RIGHT into Mountain Top Arboretum Parking Area |
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| | DIRECTIONS to The Mountain Top Arboretum from Exit 20 (Saugerties) |
| | The Mountain Top Arboretum Parking WGS84 (DEC): 42.222233, -74.132967 - Elevation is about 2,346 feet |
| | The Mountain Top Arboretum Parking Deg/Min/Sec: N42 13 20, W74 07 58 - Elevation is about 2,346 feet |
| | The Mountain Top Arboretum Parking GPS: N 42 13.334, W 74 07.978 - Elevation is about 2,346 feet |
| | The Mountain Top Arboretum Parking UTM: 18N 571556 4674815 - Elevation is about 2,346 feet |
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| | Take New York State Thruway to Exit 20 (Saugerties). |
| | Take a left out of the NYS Thruway entrance road - Move to RIGHT lane. |
| | Go approximately 0.20 miles |
| | Take a right onto Route 32 |
| | Go approximately 5.9 miles to a Y intersection |
| | Take a LEFT (straight) onto Rt 32A (Gas Station on left side of road). |
| | Go approximately 1.8 miles on Rt 32A |
| | Take a LEFT onto Rt 23A |
| | Go approximately 6.9 miles Rt 23A |
| | Take a RIGHT onto Rt 23C (at traffic light) |
| | Go approximately 2.0 miles up Rt 23C |
| | Take a RIGHT into Mountain Top Arboretum Parking Area |
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| | Notes about Mountain Top Arboretum |
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| | TRAILS |
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This page shows trail for the Mountain Top Arboretum and trails ("MTA") for the Deer Mountain Inn ("DMI"). 5 of the 7 trails on this page are for the Mountain Top Arboretum.
All of these trails are easy to hike on. To access both trail systems, you need to park off Rt 23C at the Mountain Top Arboretum. If you take the GPS coordinates (WGS84) and enter them into your cell phone maps search program, it will take you directly to the Mountain Top Arboretum parking area. From the Parking Area, you will access the hiking trails from Maude Adams Road (private dirt road). You are not allow to drive all the way down Maude Adams Road. Most maps show that Maude Adams Road continues all the way to Rt 25. But, that is not true. After hiking all the way down Maude Adams Road (1/3 of a mile), you will enter the Spruce Glen Trail System.
Most people like to hike the Spruce Glen Loop. There are a couple highlights to this forest: (1) MTA Visitor Center; (2) Hidden Marsh; (3) Swamp on DMI property; (4) Emerald Bog; (5) Native Tree Trail.
The rules for these hikes are different so review them.
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| | OTHER INFORMATION |
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You should have cell phone service in most parts of The Mountain Top Arboretum.
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Hiking The Mountain Top Arboretum |
A C C E S S T R A I L |
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This is the Visitor Center for the Mountain Top Arboretum.
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This is the only parking area for the Mountain Top Arboretum. It holds about 20 cars. While the Mountain Top Arboretum ("MTA") are connected with trails to the Tannersville Bike Park, you cannot access the Mountain Top Arboretum on a mountain bike. The MTA is only for hiking.
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This is the beginning of the Maude Adams Road. You are required to hike down this road. There are private home along the road, so please stay on the road. If home owners do drive down the road, please move to the side of the road to let them get by you.
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This is the trail junction for the East Meadow Trails. You want to continue STRAIGHT.
You can explore the trails of the East Meadow Trail system. It is fairly short hike.
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Maude Adams Road ends at this point. You want to take a RIGHT onto the Hemlock Trail in the Spruce Glen Trail System.
Maude Adams Road used to continue out to Rt 25, but that section of Maude Adams Road was closed many years ago. Sadly, some maps are still showing it as a road.
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After hiking 600-700 feet down the Hemlock Trail, the trail will suddenly turn right. You want to go RIGHT.
There are some side trails here, but they go nowhere.
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S P R U C E G L E N L O O P T R A I L |
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After a 1/4 mile from the Hemlock Trailhead, you will come to a trail junction for the Spruce Trail. You want to continue STRAIGHT on the Hemlock Trail
The Spruce Glen Loop Trail consist of the following Trails to form a loop from this point:
Hemlock Trail (MTA)
Rt 23C Spur Trail (DMI - Hemlock Trail to Golden Birch Trail)
Golden Birch Trail (DMI)
Spruce Trail (MTA)
Obviously, you can change this hike for a different route.
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After another 500 feet, you will come to the trail junction for the Hemlock Loop Trail. You want to continue STRAIGHT on the Hemlock Trail
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After the Hemlock Loop Trail Junction, the trail will head downhill towards the Hidden Marsh.
When you get the bottom the trail will turn left (south). Shortly thereafter, you will see the other end of the Hemlock Loop Trail. Continue STRAIGHT past this trail junction.
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This is the trail junction for the Hidden Marsh. If you take a right, you can walk out onto the Hidden Marsh 150 feet on the wooden boardwalk.
The Hemlock Trail continues STRAIGHT. Most people take a moment to hike the 150 feet out onto the Hidden Marsh. It is one of the largest marshes in the Catskill Mountains.
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The boardwalk out into the Hidden Marsh. It is about 150 feet off the Hemlock Trail. When you get done looking at the Hidden Marsh, turn around and walk back to the Hemlock Trail. Then you can continue further down the Hemlock Trail.
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This is a 180 degree panoramic view of the Hidden Marsh. You can take the boardwalk out onto the Hidden Marsh. It is about 150 feet off the Hemlock Trail. Off to the right is Parker Mountain.
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About a 1/3 of a mile from the Hidden Meadow Boardwalk, you will exit the Mountain Top Arboretum property. You will then enter the Deer Mountain Inn Trail Systems.
About 10-15 feet past this sign is the Rt 23C Trail on Deer Mountain Inn property. Take a LEFT to hike up the Rt 23C trail towards the Tannersville-Hathaway Bike Park. The Golden Birch Trail, that leads back to the Mountain Top Arboretum, is about 2/3 of a mile away.
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You will need to cross this stream. In most cases it is pretty easy to cross by rock-hopping. But, when the water level is higher, you have to find a way across the small little stream. This is on the Rt 23C Trail.
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A typical section of the Rt 23C trail between Hemlock Trail and the Golden Birch Trail.
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After about 2/3 of a mile on the Rt 23C Trail, you will come to this Trail Junction for the Golden Birch Trail. You want to take a LEFT onto the Golden Birch Trail.
The Golden Birch Trail will turn into the Spruce Trail when you leave the Deer Mountain Inn Trail System. On the Golden Birch Trail there is a nice view from the swamp. Further up on the Spruce Trail is the Emerald Bog. Finally, the Spruce Trail will complete the loop back on the Hemlock Trail.
Straight would take you to The Tannersville - Hathaway Bike Park. You can hike in the bike park if you like.
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After a short distance up the Golden Birch Trail, is another water crossing. This is the same stream you crossed on the Rt 23C Trail. Like the previous water crossing, it is fairly easy to cross by hopping across on the rocks. But, after a rain storm, it may be difficult to cross.
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About 750 feet from the Trailhead of the Golden Birch Trail (from RT 23C trail), is a swamp off to your right. The mountain in the distance is West Stoppel Point.
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About 2/10 of a mile from the Golden Birch Trailhead (from RT 23C trail), you will be leaving Deer Mountain Inn Property, and entering Mountain Top Arboretum property. The trail name will change from Golden Birch Trail to the Spruce Trail. Same trail, but the name changes part way up the trail.
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About 750 feet after entering Mountain Top Arboretum property again on the Spruce Trail, you will come to the trail junction for the Red Maple Trail. You want to continue STRAIGHT on the Spruce Trail.
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A short distance up the Spruce Trail will be a small stream crossing. They have logs laid across the stream. Beware that wet logs can be very slippery, so take your time crossing over the logs.
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About 750 feet past the Red Maple Trail Junction is the Emerald Bog. It is almost 15,000 years old. One of the oldest bogs in the Catskill Mountains.
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The Emerald Bog is populated by Eastern Hemlock trees and Red Spruce Trees. Please stay on the wood boardwalk to prevent damage to the bog.
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This some more information about the Emerald Bog. It shows Michael Kudish, PhD (worlds leading authority on the Catskill Mountain Forest) taking a core sample of the bog. Bogs are important to the history of the forest because they store and preserve seeds and peat from thousands of years ago in their acidic water. This bog is one of the most important bogs in the Catskill Mountains, and helps us understand the timing of the previous ice age. As well as, the history of the forest.
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About 250 feet after the Emerald Bog, the Spruce will come back to the trailhead and trail junction with the Hemlock Trail. If you are done, take a RIGHT and hike back to the Maude Adams Road. Once at the Maude Adams Road, take a left and walk back to your car. Hope you enjoyed this exceptional forest as much as we did.
Below are some more short trails around inside the Spruce Glen Loop.
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 R E D M A P L E T R A I L
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This is the trail junction for the Spruce Trail and Red Map Trail coming from the Deer Mountain Inn Trail System (Golden Birch Trail). You want to take a LEFT if you are coming from the south (DMI). Follow the Red Trail Markers.
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There is a Red Maple Trail sign on the tree marking the start of the Red Maple Trail.
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This is the Red Trail Marker on the Red Maple Trail. Just follow the red trail markers.
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The Red Maple Trail is fairly wide, and often lined with old tree trucks.
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After hiking 2/10 of a mile across the Red Maple Trail, you will come to the trail junction for the Hemlock Loop Trail. This is the end of this nice trail
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H E M L O C K L O O P T R A I L |
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You can take the Hemlock Loop Trail just after the trail junction for the Spruce Trail Junction. Or, you can take the Hemlock Loop Trail from the trail junction near the Hidden Marsh. Here, we are going to show you the trail from the Hemlock Loop Trail.
From trail junction of the Hemlock Trail and the Hemlock Loop Trail, you will start by hiking uphill.
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After almost 2/10 of a mile, you will encounter the trail junction for the Red Maple Trail. You want to go LEFT to continue on the Hemlock Loop Trail.
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In about another 250 feet up the Hemlock Loop Trail, you will encounter the trail junction with the upper part of the Hemlock Trail. This is the end (or beginning) of the Hemlock Loop Trail.
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S E C T I O N S
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W E A T H E R
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O T H E R
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