Colonel Rochester Homestead in Rochester Hollow |
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| Driveway stone pillars on the Colonel Rochester Trail |
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OVERVIEW |
| | Type of Trail: | 100% DEC Trails |
| | Parking Area : | DEC - Expanded to 12 cars in 2023 (Port-a-John to be added in 2023) |
| | Designated Campsites: | (2) - First one is 0.14 miles from Parking Area on left. Second is a little further up on the Right. (Privy to be added in 2023) |
| | Lean-To: | (1) Lean-to location off the Colonel Rochester Trail - 2.52 miles from PA) |
| | Winter Access: | Parking Area is Plowed. |
| | Winter Access: | Snowshoe or Ski only with snow present (no "post-holing" with hiking boots in the snow |
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| | | Trail : | Colonel Rochester Trail - 2.61 miles - BLUE Trail Markers |
| | Trail : | Einor Farm Trail - 1.31 miles - RED Trail Markers (to be increased by 1 mile in 2023) |
| | Trail : | Burrough's Memorial Trail - 0.79 miles - YELLOW Trail Markers |
| | Trail : | Unmarked Trail at junction of Rochester & Eignor Trail - 0.28 miles long |
| | Access Methods: | Foot, Ski, Snowshoe, Mountain Bike, Handicap via ATV by DEC permit) |
| | Best Time to Hike: | Any time of year |
| | Difficulty: | Easy |
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| | | Historical : | Colonel Rochester homestead |
| | Historical : | John Burrough's Monument |
| | Historical : | Some of the best built stone walls in the Catskills |
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| | | USGS Map: | USGS Westkill Quad Maps |
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| | | USGS Map: | USGS Shandaken Quad Maps |
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| | | DEC Trail Map: | DEC Shandaken Wild Forest Map (free) |
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| | | Digital Mapper: |
Topo
Terrain
Satellite |
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| | | UTM Shandaken: | DEC Unit Management Plan for Shandaken Wild Forest |
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Maps |
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| | DIRECTIONS TO TRAIL HEAD from Exit 19 (Kingston) |
| | Rochester Hollow Parking Area WGS84 (DEC): 42.1181, -74.451667 - Elevation is approximately 1,376 feet |
| | Rochester Hollow Parking Area Deg/Min/Sec: N42 07 05, W74 27 06 - Elevation is approximately 1,376 feet |
| | Rochester Hollow Parking Area GPS: N 42 07.086, W 74 27.100 - Elevation is approximately 1,376 feet |
| | Rochester Hollow Parking Area UTM: 18N 545328 46630345 - Elevation is approximately 1,376 feet |
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| | Take New York State Thruway to Exit 19 (Kingston). |
| | Take a RIGHT out of the NYS Thruway to Route 28 West. |
| | Go approximately 31.7 miles |
| | Take a right onto Matyas Road |
| | Go approximately 0.3 miles |
| | ( continue on the narrow dirt road until you reach the DEC parking area ) |
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NOTES ABOUT THIS HIKE |
This hike has some history that you will encounter along the way. This 2,475 acre track of land is called, "Rochester Hollow". It was once owned by Colonel William Beatty Rochester. Colonel Rochester fought in the war of 1812. Colonel Rochester came to the region and started to buy up farm land around Rochester Hollow. His intent was to buy up enough land to create a large tract of land for himself. He built a home along the Colonel Rochester Trail. And, later built the Rose Hill Camp high up on the summit of Rose Mountain. The Colonel Rochester Trail does led to the Rose Hill Road, that goes to the Rose Hill Camp high up on Rose Mountain. Unfortunately, the Rose Hill Camp, high up on Rose Mountain, is privately owned, and you cannot hike or visit it.
The Rochester Hollow parcel and house was used back in the mid-1970's by DEC crews. The location was used to keep heavy equipment. In 1984, the house was removed. Today, only the foundations still exist. There is a small pond 300' west of the house foundation. It is located next to the Colonel Rochester Trail.
There is a Monument erected about 1.78 miles from the DEC Parking Area. This is called the John Burroughs Monument. It was put up to honor John Burroughs who died on March 21, 1921 while in Ohio. He is buried at his homestead, Woodchuck Lodge, in Roxbury, NY (see link below). John Burroughs published his first book in 1867. Twenty-three more books would follow on his observations and philosophy on nature, hiking in the Catskill Mountains, and other topics. He sold 1-1/2 million books. He is also responsible for creating the genre of nature writing. He is the author of the following well known books, "In The Catskills" (1910), "Henry D. Thoreau" (1882), Camping With President Roosevelt (1906), My Boyhood (Project Gutenberg), Birds and Bees, Sharp Eyes, Etc (Project Gutenberg), Wake Robin (1895) Project Gutenberg)
Audio Recordings of John Burroughs' Works (Librivox). He accompanied Teddy Roosevelt into Yellowstone National Park. He also accompanied with John Muir into Grand Canyon and Yosemite. He also spent time in the woods with Thomas Edison, Harvey Firestone, and Henry Ford.
in 1867, his first published book, "Notes on Walt Whitman as Poet and Person" (the first ever published biography of Walt Whitman) was printed. Four years later his first collection of essays was published. "Wake-Robin" was the first of what became a twenty-three volume work which contained his observations and ideas on nature, travel, literary criticism and philosophy. He is credited with being a pioneer in the nature writing genre. Over one and a half million copies of his books were sold. A collection of his books can be found at Skene Memorial Library in Fleischmanns, NY.
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Hike the Rochester Hollow Trails in the Shandaken Wild Forest |
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This is the Rochester Hollow DEC PARKING AREA.
The Shandaken parking area was originally designated to hold 5 cars. The DEC will (UTM 2021) enlarge the parking area to 12 cars in 2023. This parking area is often full on summer weekends, so park your car appropriately.
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This is the SCUTT ROAD DEC PARKING AREA.
The picture above shows the Trail Head to the Colonel Rochester Trail. It is located in the Rochester Hollow Parking Area by the trail Kiosk. Do NOT block the gate.
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As you pull into the parking lot you should see this DEC Rochester Hollow Parking Area sign. |
This is the general view you will see during this hike. The Col Rochester Trail is a very gentle grade. |
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At 0.14 miles up the Colonel Rochester Trail, you will encounter a designated DEC campsite with two campsites. The DEC is going to put in a privy in the future to prevent pollution of the Rochester Hollow Stream. If they cannot fix the problem, the campsite may be moved in the future.
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At 1.19 miles up the Colonel Rochester Trail, you will encounter two stone driveway pillars that were put in over 100 years ago by Colonel William B Rochester.
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At 1.71 miles up the Colonel Rochester Trail, you will encounter the Trail Junction for the Burroughs Memorial Trail (YELLOW Trail Markers) on the right side of the trail. The Colonel Rochester Trail will continue and turn to the left.
As you go around the corner, you will see the Burroughs Memorial on the Right. In the Winter months it is often covered in snow. But, quite visible in the summer months.
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At 1.78 miles up the Colonel Rochester Trail, you will encounter the John Burrough's Monument. In the winter months, some of the monument may be covered up. The DEC plans on adding steps up to the monument in the future.
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At 1.84 miles up the Colonel Rochester Trail, you will encounter another Trail Junction on your left. The trail on the left is the Eignor Farm Trail. The other end of the Eignor Farm Trail comes out at the end of the Colonel Rochester Trail. The Colonel Rochester Trail continues straight.
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At 2.38 miles up the Colonel Rochester Trail, you will encounter Colonel Rochester's lower elevation house.
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At 2.38 miles up the Colonel Rochester Trail, you will encounter Colonel Rochester's lower elevation house.
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At 2.46 miles you arrive at the short trail up to the Lean-to and wood privy. The lean-to is about 250' away from the Colonel Rochester Trail.
Another 0.15 miles past the lean-to and you will reach the end of the Colonel Rochester Trail.
At the end of the Colonel Rochester Trail right will take you down the unmaintained trail to the edge of New York State property. There you will find another DEC gate. The trail for the unmaintained trail is 0.28 miles one-way. Good trail for cross country skiing.
Left at the end of the Colonel Rochester Trail will take you down the windy Eignor Farm Trail, which is 1.31 miles long. The DEC plans on extending the length of that trail another 1 mile in the future.
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This picture shows you the DEC gate and the end of the unmaintained trail. At 2.89 miles you will reach the end of New York State Property. The private property past this point is Posted Private Property.
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S E C T I O N S
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