overlook mountain

Lovely place to not only visit because of the historic significance and the creative inhabitants of the town. The surrounding trails and nature it's really worth while visiting.

Abnormally mild weather makes this an appealing attraction in the foothills of the Catskill Mountain range, particularly if you need a group event. After just a short period of time you will likely begin to feel hot and have to take off jackets and gloves in colder seasons. You will encounter the ruins of an old hotel. A date above one of the doors indicated that the structure was built in 1929. Rumor has it that the hotel was never actually completed, I don't know if this was due to the great depression. A cell phone tower is located near the hotel, offering a convenient connection. The next landmark at the peak elevation is a lookout tower that appeared to be designed for park rangers. The top is secured however travelers can climb to the upper levels to get a great view of the valleys below. Another good view is from a nearby cliff, this may be accessed by continuing along the trail past a park ranger cabin.Be warned that the trails can be treacherous due to ice, particularly melting ice that becomes slick from the water. Our group included four people and all but one person took a spill.

This is perhaps the most continually strenuous hike I've ever been on. Relentless elevation climb. Stunning views from the fire tower.

Great views and an interesting ruined hotel about 3/4 the way up. You can climb the fire tower but not for those with vertigo. The outlook rock has wonderful views. Its about 1 /12 hour walk up and quite an easy walk.

I did this hike for the first time Sat (11/8/14) and really enjoyed it. It is a fairly easy hike terrain wise and it is mostly gravel roads. The most challenging part is that it is 2 miles uphill (constant incline)the entire way from the parking lot to the Fire Tower. There is not much to see while walking up or down with the exception of the remains of the Overlook Hotel. The was a pretty cool thing to see tucked away in the middle of the mountains and a great photo opp. The views from the top are sensational but you will need to go up the fire tower to get the best vantage point.Also, there is a outhouse for use at the top.

2 miles straight up a mostly gravel road. Not a difficult or technical hike but it is a non stop climb so you will feel it. Don't underestimate it because the hike is rated easy on trail guides. Also - yes, there are rattlesnakes!. But the view at the top is worth it.

We did this very challenging hike on the day after Halloween. It's not an easy walk up - 2.5 miles up to the hotel ruins and another half mile to the fire tower. The walk up is steep, so pace yourself. It took us about 2 hours to get to the old hotel with about 15 minutes looking around there before continuing up the extra 20 minutes to the tower. The top of the tower is locked up but you can walk up the stairs if you dare. The view is spectacular but scary on a windy day. The walk down takes about half the time as it did coming up. The trail is actually a rocky road. If it rains or snows it could get slippery so be careful. As always take your time on the way up, bring plenty of water and take a break every once in a while. The weather was dicey on the day we were there so we did not continue to the overlook part of the trail or to echo lake.

The roads leading to and from were breathtaking this fall and we plan on returning to the area next year. Hopefully in a rented convertible.

Overlook is a 2900' fire tower mountain. Round trip hike is about 5 miles with a gain of 1400' on a trail that follows an old gravel road past an abandoned hotel that looks like a bombed out shell from WWII. There is a cool info/warning at the start of the trail concerning timber rattlers but don't let that stop you from taking this hike for great views. Not a very exciting trail but the views and tower on top are worth the effort. Mountain laurels line the first mile. Take water!

The trail to the top is hard work, but worth it when you see the fantastic panorama from the top. Especially the pathway to the right of the cottage.

This hike is great! We started out on a somewhat rainy morning and when we got to the top, the sun was peeking out and made for the most amazing pictures. It is basically all uphill the entire way but so worth it. You can see for miles and to go at this time of year was amazing. The colors for the foliage was unbelievable.

The hike to the mountain is uphill all the way, but once you get there the view is fantastic. And the return trip is much faster!

The hike itself was very boring until you get to the hotel. The path is wide and steep with not much of a view before that. It is neat to see the hotel ruins along the way. The views from the top were nothing until you climbed the tower or went to the ledge past the little "visitor's center." The tower was great and we were able to take our time because there wasn't a group waiting to come up while we were there. We only had to wait a few minutes on the bottom before we went up for the other group to come down (only 6 people allowed on the tower at a time). The volunteer at the top was very nice and knowledgeable in regard to other great hikes in the area too. I recommend this hike. It is pretty steep, but fairly easy and short compared to other hikes in the area with that good of a view.

Nick was one of the best tour guides ever. His command of the historical information was phenomenal. Great side stories mixed with just enough humor. I highly recommend the tour. Be sure to stay on the Canadian side to enjoy all of the attractions. Trip included a boat ride to the falls and vists from every angle.

One of the best places I have hiked thus far. With that being said, I have been to many mountains and trails in the past and am a hiking enthusiast.