What You Missed
Summer 2025
Summer 2025
On Tuesday, June 24th Cindy and I were staying at the Long Neck Inn at The Catskill Game Farm, a boutique hotel, in celebration of our 50th wedding anniversary. We had arrived Monday and walked around the grounds of the Game Farm in the 98 degrees heat. We planned to get up early the next morning and take a short hike before the heat caught up to us. We got up at 8:00 AM and tried to decide where to go. We considered a hike at Winter Clove but instead decided to do the Kaaterskill Rail Trail which I had never hiked. The trail goes from the Mountaintop Historical Society in Haines falls to the Laurel House Road parking area near Kaaterskill Falls. It is 1.5 miles long one way for a 3 mile round trip plus some walking around at the falls. I got dressed in a Columbia short-sleeved crew top without a baselayer. I put on a pair of RailRiders hiking pants which are expensive but last a long time and have features like deep pockets and a generous cut which I really like. I hoped that these pants would be warm enough once we got moving. I decided to put on my Keen Durand hiking boots which fit well. I added a new pair of Xstance insoles in an effort to find the best support and cushioning for my feet. These insoles have shock absorbing gel pads, TPU arch support, and memory foam cushioning all wrapped in a breathable fabric. The insoles have been hyped by their manufacturer and seemed to be living up to their claims. I took my Leki Makalu Light poles as I would be hiking with Sheena off leash for most of the hike. We left the Inn at 8:30 AM and drove south and Route 32 to Route 23A. I turned right and headed west on Route 23A. We were soon Passing through Palenville and entering Kaaterskill Clove. There were quite a few people walking along the road and I was interested in seeing the parking situation in the Clove. As we drove through the Clove, there were only one or two cars parked under the "No Parking" signs and they looked very out of place. We continued through Haines Falls and stopped at Selena's Diner. We entered the diner and order breakfast from the attentive waitress. Cindy ordered eggs over easy and I got a Swiss cheese omelet. Both of our meals were delicious and the decaf coffee was great. The cost of the meal was reasonable and I would eat again there anytime.
We left the diner and headed east on Route 23A to the Mountaintop Historical Society. I parked in the lot in back of the building where half a dozen cars had already parked. At 10:30 AM I set my GPS and we walked to the back of the lot toward the beginning of the rail trail. The temperature was already 88 degrees and it was getting warmer. Right at the beginning of the trail was the Haines Falls train station on the Ulster and Delaware Railroad. The station had been restored and looked to be in good shape. I stopped to take some pictures including some of the rails out front. We entered the trees and immediately we could feel the drop in temperature. I had read descriptions of the rail trail that described the great views of the Clove from the trail and I was anxious to see them. Like most rail trails this one was flat and straight so we both kept a fast pace. The trail bed started out dry and smooth running through alternating bands of evergreen and hardwood forest. At one point a trail turned 90 degrees to the left. There were some uprights that looked like they might support a sign but none was present. Soon the trail began to elevate slightly with swampy areas on either side. I kept looking for the beautiful views of the Clove. Another road crossed the trail but it was posted as private. The trail began to ascend ever so slightly and became more eroded with roots and rocks. We had been meeting single hikers are small groups all along the trail and all headed in the opposite direction. At 11:15 AM we had hiked 1.5 miles and were at the end of the rail trail. There had been no views from the trail!
We made a quick right on the trails that go down to the viewing platform over the falls. There were a lot of people wandering around trying to decide which way to go. We walked downhill to the platform. There were only a few people on the platform. I put down my pack and got out my camera. As the platform cleared, I walked out and took some pictures of the upper falls. The flow was not as great as I thought it might be. There were people stretched out on the rocks at the bottom of the first drop and some were swimming next to the "No swimming" signs. We left the platform and followed the trail to an area near the top of the falls. The state has installed fences with signs warning people not to go beyond them. We could clearly see people out on the rocks, soaking in the water just above the falls, and walking around of the slippery rocks. On June 20, a 70 year-old man fell and succumbed to a head injury. He was pronounced dead at the trailhead. Despite numerous injuries and fatalities and despite the fences and the warnings, people still make stupid choices which, in many cases, are life-threatening. We continued around the trail to the bridge over the creek. I took some shots and we walked back up to the parking area. Near the parking area we could clearly see where the railroad bed continued toward North-South Lake Campgrounds. We turned left and started back toward the car on the railtrail. The return trip was all downhill even though there was not much of a descent. We kept up our pace and made it back to the car in 40 minutes. We had hiked 3.8 miles in 2 hours and 5 minutes. We had 21 minutes of stopped time and gained 400 feet in elevation. We drove back to the Inn and started to consider where we would eat. We ran into the the same problem of many places being closed but we finally decided to try the Barnwood just north of Catskill. We arrived to find at least 50 cars in the parking lot. We decided we did not want to wait and made our way to the Ambrosia Diner in Catskill. The short story about the diner is that neither of us would go there to eat again!
On Monday, June 23rd I had planned a two-day trip for our 50th wedding anniversary. This may not sound like much to some but we seldom get away but the members of the ambuance corps stepped up to cover all day and night shifts! I wanted the destination to be a surprise for Cindy until we arrived at our destination. Both of us enjoyed the Catskills Game Farm as kids. The Game Farm, a long-standing family-owned zoo in the Catskill Mountains, closed permanently in 2006 due to financial difficulties and declining attendance. After being abandoned for several years, the property was purchased in 2012. In 2019, the new owners renovated the Giraffe Barn into the Long Neck Inn with 6 bedrooms. The Inn also has a large common room with couches and chairs. There is also a kitchen with refrigerators and ranges for cooking. Dishes and silverware are also supplied. There is a coffee and tea station. The owners also added four glamping site on the property with elevated platforms and memory foam beds. I had reserved the Giraffe Room and was anxious to see it. For more information check out their website at The Old Game Farm.
On Monday morning we packed both casual and hiking clothing and left Livingston Mnaor at 10:00 AM. I drove to Liberty on Route 17 and headed toward Grahamsville on Route 55. We passed through Grahamsville headed toward Ellenville. At the junction with Route 209, I headed north toward Kingston. Traffic was light and we made good time. In Kingston, I got on the NYS Thruway north toward Saugerties. We exited at Saugerties and headed north on Route 32. It wasn't very far before things started to become familiar. I turned left on Game Farm Road which was rough and narrow with a single lane bridge repair! It was just the kind of road that I expected to lead to the Game Farm. We came to an old fire engine and a large parking area. At the far end was a gate with a keypad. I called Shawn, the caretaker, and he came down to open the gate and gave me the code for the keypad. We drove to the small parking area by the Long Neck Inn and parked. Even though it was only 11:45 AM, Shawn showed us into the Inn and gave us the padlock to our door. The common areas of the Inn were covered with pictures. memorabilia and original signs from the Game Farm. Cindy and I were dressed in our hiking clothes but decided to unload the car. Our room was the largest with a king bed, jacuzzi and TV. The bathroom had a shower with a wand and a rain shower head. The sides of the shower were galvanized metal. The doors of the rooms were all original with original hardware. Cindy and I both thought it was an interesting way to inject something new and keep a lot of the old. In the common room we were walking on the cement from the original barn and could see areas up very high where giraffes had rub their horns. For some reason I felt at home.
Once we had moved in, we decided to walk around the ruins of the Game Farm. There were plenty of paved pathway and over 200 acres available to explore. I shouldered my pack and we both had our hiking poles. The pack allows me to carry water and my camera. When we walked out the door of the Inn at 1:00 PM, the heat and humidity hit us. The temperature was 98 degrees which meant the "feels like" was well over 100 degrees. We walked out one of the paved pathways and I began taking pictures of all of the building. Most did not have signs indicating there previous use. We came to a small cage with perches and I seemed to remember some very large birds occupying it. We continued on the path with me continuing to take pictures. At one point we ran out of pavement and decided to turn around and follow the paved walkway. Soon we came to two large buildings each of which had a moat around them. I remembered that this is where the Rhinos and elephants were housed! I took lots of shots of the buildings and moats. We continued on the pathways making right turns so we knew we were making a loop. Eventually we started back up the hill toward the Inn. I was able to tke some good shots of the front of the Inn. I also took pictures of the old refreshment building with some old cars and trucks. We also came to a pen on the right with some goats. I took some shots and watched the goats for awhile before moving on.
We retraced our steps to a junction and then turned left and headed to the upper level. There were more fences and building to photograph. We came to a large pond on the right covered in alage with some shelters built in the middle. I thought I could almost see the neat of an alligator poking above the water. We continued passing some more buildings which I made sure I photographed. I looked to the right and saw a large, flat ring down the hill with some grandstands nearby. I remembered that this was the ring where they gave shows with trained horses. There was a walkway that led back to the Inn but I continued passed it to look at some more dilapidated buildings. After taking pictures, I returned to the walkway where I joined Cindy and we walked downhill to the Inn. It was 2:30 PM and we were both tired and hot. We went to our room and took turns taking showers. I began to look for a place to eat but found many of them closed until at least Thursday and some that were only open on the weekends. This also meant that the places that were open are often crowded. We decided to try Arianny's a Mexican restaurant in Catskill which was less than 20 minutes away. We got in the car and pulled up to the gate but it did not open. I got out of the car and looked for a keypad but there was none. I took out my phone to call the caretaker. While walking around, I saw a sign on the shed near the gate that said "Pull up to the poodle, the gate will open".There was a statue of a poodle on the ground next to the shed. I got back in the car pulled up to the poodle and the gate opened.
I drove to Catskill and eventually found Arianny's. The menu looked very complete. The service was great. We ordered an Arrianny's Platter as an appetizer to split. For $15 we got two empanadas, two chicken burritos, two quesadillas and two soft tacos. There was more than enough to make a meal! For the main courseCindy ordered an avocado salad with chicken. I decided on enchiladas with mole. I usually order mole and have both good and bad experiences. When the entres arrived, we were both sure we would not be finishing them. Cindy made it clear that her salad was fresh and delicious. I tasted the mole and thought, at first, that it was not very hot until the heat hit on the back end. We ate what we could and asked for boxes to take home the rest. We left the restaurant agreeing that it would be worth a return trip if we were in the area again. I drove back to the Inn and parked with the temperature still over 90 degrees. We went to our room grateful for the air conditioning. Cindy was ready to go to sleep but I was not tired. I went out to the common room with the book I brought and read four chapters! At that point I was a little tired and went back to the room to get some sleep.
On Friday, June 20th I was considering whether or not to hike because the weather forecast called for afternoon thunderstorms. We had an ambulance call just after midnight that was 33 miles from our base. When we arrived, the patient decided they did not want to go to the hosptial! I did not get back to sleep until 3:00 AM so I slept until 10:00 AM. I did some work around the house and at the ambulance building. I hung around all day because I was the only EMT on call. At 3:30 PM the temperature was 78 degrees with bright sun, blue skies, and a significant number of clouds. Sheena was begging to go on a hike so I decided to take her. I was also motivated by the fact that it was the summer solstice and I wanted to get in the first hike of the summer in the place I visit the most. I was once again limited to Round Top as I was the only EMT on call for the ambulance corps. I knew I would have to carry my phone just in case a call came in. I got dressed in my light White Sierra long-sleeved crew top without a baselayer. I put on a pair of RailRiders hiking pants which are expensive but last a long time and have features like deep pockets and a generous cut which I really like. I hoped that these pants would be warm enough once we got moving. My toes were sore from hiking the day before but I decided to put on my Keen Durand hiking boots which fit well. I added a new pair of Xstance insoles in an effort to find the best support and cushioning for my feet. These insoles have shock absorbing gel pads, TPU arch support, and memory foam cushioning all wrapped in a breathable fabric. The insoles have been hyped by their manufacturer and seemed to be living up to their claims. I wore my OR Bugout gaiters to fight off the ticks that might be out. I took my Leki Makalu Light poles as I would be hiking with Sheena off leash for most of the hike. I put the ecollar on Sheena and turned it on. I decided not to put a harness on Sheena since she has been more well-behaved. At 4:00 PM I put Sheena on her leash and walked out the door to start the hike. We headed down the driveway and toward the street. Sheena has gotten used to walking on her leash to the end of the drive. She also has become accustomed to waiting for cars to pass by and then crossing when I say "OK". This time she looked both ways and then looked at me and I said "OK" because there were no cars. She readily crossed the street and across the field by the church. We walked behind the church and started up the hill on the paved road. Sheena gave me help up the hill by pulling on her leash. Sheena had no problem walking up the hill except for the fact that she likes to stop and sniff very frequently. The hill is short but gets the circulation pumping and is the steepest and longest climb on the "trail." We did not stop on the way to the top of the hill and set a fast pace. Sheena has grown bigger than we thought she would and her pull on the leash is signficant. At the top we paused briefly to look around before Sheena turned left and entered the forest trail. I immediately let Sheena off her leash and she started on the trail. She has been good about picking a certain distance on the trail and staying that far ahead of me. She does take some side trips to follow animal trails but comes back to the main trail.
We started on the trail with Sheena setting a good pace. The trail had no water or mud and was only slightly damp in places. At the first trail junction, Sheena turned right on the woods road which is the more gentle approach to the trail system. At the end of the woods road, we turned left and started up the trail to the junction with the blue trail. I decided I wanted to do a figure 8 so we turned left on the yellow trail which was the path Sheena had chosen. We walked along the base of Round Top. Sheena was running ahead and waiting or running back to me as fast as she could. At the next junction with the blue trail, we turned right and headed up the trail toward the summit. When we came to the switchback, Sheena turned right and we walked out into the forest. We followed the trail as it turned almost 180 degrees and headed back to the main trail. We turned right and started up over the summit passing by the white crossover trail. After passing over the summit, we started down the other side. Sheena kept running ahead but only just so far before waiting for me. I found that if she did not respond to my voice she did to the beeper in the ecollar. We bypassed the white crossover trail and continued down to the junction with the yellow trail. We turned right and again walked along the base of Round Top. We continued along the yellow trail turning left and continuing downhill on the yellow trail. We descended a small hill and passed by the "Sitting Rock" without Sheena giving it a second look. We followed the yellow trail down to the viewpoint and turned left to follow the trail as it turned left. I followed Sheena as she rushed down the steep hill to the first trail junction. Sheena made a slight turn onto the woods road as I stood for a moment at the junction. When I made a move to start up the hill again, Sheena immediately ran ahead of me up the hill.
We continued straight up the hill with Sheena leading the way on the trail with a few off trail excursions. Sheena was full of energy even though we had just completed a figure 8 but she only wanted to concentrate on hiking. We progressed up the hill with me following behind. At the upper lookout we followed the yellow trail as it turned right. Sheena and I continued on the trail. When we reached the "Sitting Rock", Sheena jumped up on it, looked around, and continued on the trail. We continued on the yellow trail up a small hill. There were quite a few small branches on the trail and some leaning in from the side. It was obvious that the rain over the previous week had caused all of the vegetation to go through a growth sprint. I knew I would have to reserve some time to trim the trail and repaint the blazes. When we reached the junction with the blue trail to the summit, we turned right to walk the yellow trail along the base of Round Top on our quest for another figure 8. We continued to the junction with the blue trail. We turned left and started up the blue trail toward the summit. I was beginning to notice that my legs were tired from hiking Touch-Me-Not Mountain on Thursday. We walked up the trail bypassing the white crossover trail. We continued over the summit of Round Top and started down the other side. It was a pleasure hiking without Sheena on a leash as it gave me the freedom to use my poles. We again bypassed the white crossover trail on the left but almost immediately turned left on the switchback. Once again it was out to the turn in the woods and then back to the main trail. We turned left and walked downhill to the junction with the yellow trail. When we reached the junction with the yellow trail, we turned left and walked along the yellow trail at the base of Round Top. We continued on the trail to the junction with the blue trail and turned right to stay on the yellow trail. At the end of the trail, we turned right on the woods road and walked downhill toward the first trail junction. As I was walking, I took a closer look at the rock ledges to the right of the trail. I noticed one rather large alcove that seemed carved out of the rock. There were several other "caves" formed from splits in the rock with a another rock as the roof. I decided this was not the day to explore but thought I might return some other time. At the first junction, we turned left to head out to the trailhead. I put Sheena on her leash and we turned right as we walked down the hill behind the church. We walked out the parking lot to the road and turned right on Rock Avenue and then left into the driveway. We were back at the house by 5:15 PM. We had hiked an hour and 15 minutes covering over 2 miles.