North-South Lake Campground is a popular camping destination in the Catskill Mountains of NY. The lakes are located on an escarpment with plenty of hiking trails. If you hike to the former site of the Catskill Mountain House it is possible to see five states on a clear day. Our stay was at the end of September – a perfect time to visit.
The Campground
We enjoyed the location of our campsite for many reasons. Steps away from the campsite was a moss covered path leading to the lake. We used it often. The leaves were falling making each walk a captivating experience.
Upon exiting the woods, we could walk along the stone bridge over the creek to the lake. From there, the trails led in both directions.
We enjoyed the path each day and evening. The reflection on the lake was serene as we watched the sun go down.
A note of caution on our otherwise perfect campsite:
Campsite #059 was a mixed bag. The steep, narrow driveway down was no picnic. Navigating the drop-offs on each side plus the trees above proved to be challenging. If Venus was any longer than 23 feet, we would’ve scraped bottom. It took a bit of maneuvering to get to the large flat area below the narrow entrance. After the not so fun parking experience, we settled into the site which proved to be spacious, comfortable, and (as mentioned above) close to the lake.
Dinosaur Rock
Hiking around the lake trail from the campground was easy and fun. We were travel with family and our grandson was keen to see Dinosaur Rock. We were equally impressed. Not sure who designed the rock, but it sure was fun to see it in the woods.
Alligator Rock
Very close to Dinosaur Rock, we found Alligator Rock. How cool! We have never seen any rock formations like these before – clever idea.
Catskill Mountain House Site
Not far from Dinosaur Rock we found the trail up to the previous site of the Catskill Mountain House. The trail was wide and easy. It led us to the large open area were the house/lodge stood from 1823 to 1963.
The views were expansive. We wondered if all five states were visible. Maybe?
I couldn’t resist crawling down on the rock ledge to absorb the views. I thought about what a rock climber would think of this climb from the other direction.
Kaaterskill Falls
We also hiked to Kaaterskill Falls. The trail was accessible from the campground but several miles long (not great for the little one) so we opted to park closer in the parking area just outside the gate.
The trail was easy and perfect for a young one. We made our way to the overlook with beautiful views of the falls and the mountains.
Pantry on Main in Tannersville, NY
We always like to check out local restaurants when we travel. Tannersville was a short drive from the campground so we decided to explore the restaurant offerings there. Pantry on Main looked promising.
Glad we did! The food was delicious – especially the warm homemade slaw.
On the last night at the campsite, we made the best campfire and relaxed. We reflected on what a relaxing experience the past few day had been. We could see why this state park is so popular.
The next day, we packed up and traveled south. Our adventure was not over yet – next stop Codorus State Park in PA.