In this hike series, we are taking on the longest hiking-only footpath in the world – one section at a time. For this adventure, we are tackling a New York section. We are going to be spending most of our day in the Pawling Nature Preserve, described as “a living museum for man’s use.” There, we’ll be looking for the unique flora and fauna that makes it such a special place. And, of course, we’ll be looking out for views of the Hudson Valley from the top of Hammersly Ridge. Because this is a point-to-point hike, there is no need to double-back. It’s only the Appalachian Trail, and it’s new places all day long. Come explore the AT with us!

What’s included:

We’ll spend the first half of our day on the historic Appalachian Trail, the longest hiking-only footpath in the world, ranging from Georgia to Maine. As we climb West Mountain, we’ll pass through one of the most picturesque areas in northern Harriman State Park. We’ll spend the beginning of the day enjoying the views, then make our way back on the historic 1777 Trail, which marks the route the British troops took on October 6, 1777 to attack the American army in the Battle of Forts Clinton and Montgomery. Beginners welcome!

What’s included:

• NY State Licensed and Wilderness First Responder Certified Guide
• Transportation to and from NYC (if you would like to meet us at the trailhead, please email info@adventureuntamed.com for a discount)
• Views of the Hudson Valley

Make your way through the woods using a map and compass, and by reading land features. This adventure takes us to the trailless summit of Halcott (pronounced HAWK-it). Hikers often find bushwhacking the Catskills’ precipitous slopes and rough terrain more difficult than hiking on traditional trails, but the satisfaction of climbing a mountain in this manner is unparalleled. And since it’s early in the season, you will avoid Halcott Mountain’s famous field of stinging nettles!

This is a required peak for Catskill 3500 Club Membership and #34 Catskill High Peak (elevation 3,510′).

What’s included:

Join us for a truly unique experience! For this trip, we’ll do a relaxing hike to connect with nature. But that’s not all! We’ll also visit and tour a beautiful Buddhist temple, the Chuang Yen Monastery, The  monastery is on 225 acres in Kent, New York. The temple is home to the largest indoor statue of a Buddha in the Western Hemisphere. The name “Chuang Yen” means “Majestically Adorned,” and you will get to see why when you witness all of its beauty.

What’s included:

Mount Minsi is one of the most scenic hikes we do! If you are in it for the views, this is the one to do!

We’ll start this adventure on the historic Appalachian Trail. As we gain elevation, we’ll follow the curve of the Delaware River to the top of Mount Minsi. While this trip is rated ACTIVE, the hike up will push it into the INTERMEDIATE category, with some of the uphill. But our hard work will be rewarded with breathtaking views of Mount Tammany and the Delaware Water Gap. After a pause to enjoy the natural beauty and have some well-deserved nourishment, we’ll take an unblazed, single-track woods road back. We’ll visit a small, hidden lake and spend the rest of the afternoon enjoying our time in the wild.

What’s included:

In this hike series, we are taking on the longest hiking-only footpath in the world – one section at a time. And this is our  overnight trip! That’s right – we’ll drive up early on Saturday, hike, spend a night in a hotel, then hike Sunday and head back home.

On Day 1, we’ll hike the beautiful Taconic Range, coming down to the valley and hiking the shores of Housatonic River and ascending Schaghticoke Mountain. We’ll straddle two states – New York and Connecticut – on this hike. Day 2 will be a day with shorter mileage to allow for a more moderate pace. We will finish up our weekend with beautiful views from the Taconic Range farther north in Connecticut.

Because this is a point-to-point hike, there is no need to double-back. It’s only the Appalachian Trail, and it’s new places all day long. Come explore the AT with us!

Accommodations: Shared hotel room with other person (same gender). Single rooms available for an extra $75 fee.

Note: This is an INTERMEDIATE+ trip overall, with the first day closer to CHALLENGING due to the hiking distance and elevation on the first day. The pace will be moderate, but in order to get to the hotel before nighttime, the group will keep moving throughout the day, with a shorter stop for lunch. 

What’s included:

Adventure Untamed is doing the Great Saunter as a team! We’ll have a five participants and a guide do the epic urban walk together! What is the Great Saunter?

“The Great Saunter®, Shorewalkers epic urban hike, is a 32-mile physical and mental challenge that celebrates individual effort and an ever-changing city. Each year on the first Saturday of May, the Saunter brings 2,500 walkers together to circumnavigate Manhattan, staying as close to the shoreline as possible.” (Great Saunter)

Note: If you have your own Great Saunter entry and don’t need a bib, reach out to us for a $35 discount.

What’s included:

In this hike series, we are taking on the longest hiking-only footpath in the world – one section at a time. For this adventure, we are tackling a New York section. This day is full of water features! We are going to be surrounded by lakes and ponds for most of the day, and hike right next to three of them. We’ll spend the day in Fahnestock State Park – one of our less-visited destinations. Because this is a point-to-point hike, there is no need to double-back. It’s only the Appalachian Trail, and it’s new places all day long. Come explore the AT with us!

What’s included:

Ready for an epic rock scramble? This adventure is for you! Don’t let the mileage of this trip fool you – the challenging scramble up Bonticou Crag more than makes up for the shorter mileage. You will be climbing boulders, using both your hands and feet on this tricky rock formation. Don’t worry – your guide will be there every step of the way to support you and make sure you get to the top safely. If you love scrambling and climbing everything in sight, you will love this trip! If this is your first scramble, prepare for a challenging day – elevation gain and exposure will probably give you butterflies, but at the top you will be left with a sense of accomplishment and one of the best views in Mohonk. After taking in the views, you will hike to another scenic spot – Table Rocks – for lunch before returning on a new trail (no need to scramble down to the bottom).

Join us on this heart-pounding, picturesque adventure!

What’s included:

Wendy Porter has been a guide with Adventure Untamed since the company’s first days. Wendy is affectionately known as the Queen of the Catskills, because she knows the tall peaks like the back of her hand. She is a 3500 Club Member in both winter and all seasons. If you had the pleasure of hiking with Wendy, you know that she is a fantastic guide and a really fun person. Now, Wendy is moving to the west coast to start a new chapter in her life. And we are getting together to hike with Wendy one last time and send her off right with hiking Slide, her very first Catskills hike. Let’s hike together with Wendy!

Note: if you can’t join this hike, Wendy will also be joining us on a hike on March 22nd.

Note 2: Even though this hike is usually rated challenging, we will keep the pace down to intermediate to accommodate more folks that want to hike with Wendy.

“Here the works of man dwindle in the heart of the southern Catskills.” -John Burroughs

Slide, the tallest mountain in the Catskill Mountains, is located in the region’s most popular wilderness area. This hike has a little bit of everything — bubbling brooks, historic trails, and spectacular views. Just below the summit is a plaque commemorating John Burroughs, who was born in the Catskills and devoted his life to writing. While there, see if you can spot Bicknell’s Thrush, a shy and reclusive bird known to reside (but rarely seen) on top of Slide Mountain. This is an excellent adventure for hikers looking for a gentler introduction to the Catskill tall peaks.

This is a required peak for Catskill 3500 Club Membership and #1 Catskill Tall Peak (elevation 4,184′).

Want a Memorial Day weekend to remember? Come on a mountain adventure in the Adirondacks with us! And climb the tallest peak in New York State and an Adirondack 46er (peaks over 4,000 feet). We’ll ring in the unofficial start of summer with mountain climbing, games, and great company!

Get away from Memorial Day City crowds and join us on this beautiful adventure! Our journey will take us on a gorgeous hike of Mount Marcy. This mountain has a treeless summit with gorgeous, 360 views and a unique ecosystem of alpine tundra vegetation near the summit. For the first half of the day, it’s a steady, sometime steep climb, and it will feel anywhere between INTERMEDIATE and CHALLENGING, depending on your experience and conditions. But we plan to keep the pace very moderate, to allow for an enjoyable day. If you can do a Catskill 3500 mountain, you can do this trip! You will have to work for them, but the views at the top are absolutely fantastic and completely worth it! On a clear day, we will be able to see countless mountains in the High Peaks region.

When not hiking, we’ll spend our nights at the Adirondack Loj, relaxing and enjoying board games and great conversation.

Experience: Prior high peak (Catskill 3500’s or Adirondack 46ers) hiking experience strongly encouraged. Please contact us with any questions at info@adventureuntamed.com. We can help you put together a training plan! This trip is rated INTERMEDIATE due to easier pace, but it may feel more challenging depending on conditions and experience, as well as due to the longer mileage. This trip has CHALLENGING terrain and elevation gain.

Accommodations: Shared (with our group) loft room at ADK Loj. Limited private rooms available for an extra $150 per night. Please email us at info@adventureuntamed.com with questions and requests.

Food: We will have lunch on the road the first day and the last day. Other than that, all meals are included.

Note: Our Memorial Day trips tend to sell out. Sign up as early as you can to secure a spot!

Day 1 (May 24th)

We’ll depart at 7:00 am, stopping for lunch on the road. After arriving at the Loj we’ll go for a short warm-up hike. After a moderate scramble to the top, gorgeous views of the Adirondacks will open up right in front of us. That evening we’ll enjoy a tasty dinner and and get ready for our climb.

Day 2 (May 25th)

After a hearty breakfast, we’ll start the summit attempt of Marcy. We’ll take our time on the trail and make consistent, steady progress, admiring above-treeline and summit views. That night, we’ll relax in front of the fire after a delicious dinner.

Day 3 (May 26th)

After a good night’s rest, we’ll pack and relax for the leisurely drive back to New York City, stopping for lunch along the way. For those interested, we’ll do a short morning hike!

Spend the day on the water with us! For this adventure, we’ll paddle to Bannerman’s Castle, a, beautiful abandoned military surplus warehouse. We’ll get the chance to see this unique castle-like structure from the water as we paddle on the Hudson. We’ll also keep an eye out for wildlife, especially local birds that call the area home. And of course, no water trip would be complete without a stop for ice cream on the way home. Join us on this exciting water adventure!

No prior experience necessary, but if you have never paddled expect the trip to feel like an INTERMEDIATE+-level trip. Don’t worry, we’ll teach you the basics and keep you comfortable!

What’s included:

The ART trail is the hidden gem of the Catskills. Completed in 2019, it is a hiking and biking 11.5-mile trail with breathtaking views. While the distance might seem on the long side, the total elevation is just over 300 feet. And the trail is made up of compacted, crushed rock, which makes it significantly easier to navigate. This makes this hike slightly easier than an INTERMEDIATE level hike.

You won’t have to work hard to earn breathtaking views of the Burroughs Range Mountains, towering over the vast Ashokan reservoir. There are also plenty of forest sections and water crossings over charming, wooden bridges. The beauty of this brand-new trail is really worth the trip!

What’s included: