Growing up across the Hudson River from the Catskill Mountains, I often heard murmurings of an especially difficult and rugged trail called the Devil’s Path. It wasn’t until I was a bit older, flipping through an article in one of my favorite outdoor magazines, that I saw the Devil’s Path listed as one of the “Eight Most Challenging Hiking Trails in the Country.” In the country! I could hardly believe it—right here on the East Coast, just two hours north of the Big Apple’s relentless bustle. I had to go and check it out for myself.
What To Expect
Before hitting the trail, I did some research to get the lowdown on precisely what kind of punishment would be in store for me. The 22 mile-long trail features roughly 18,000 feet of elevation change and hits six Catskill summits, along with a number of tricky rock scrambles and unrelenting, rugged terrain to navigate. As a side note, five of the summits are above 3,500 feet, making it an enticing hike for would-be members of the Catskill 3500 Club. The adventurer in me felt ecstatic. The pessimist? Well, let’s just say that I expected it to be Type II fun.
Many people make short day hikes of one or two summits on the Devil’s Path. Others thru-hike it in two to three days. The most experienced and fit complete the entire thing in one long, leg-torching day. Due to work obligations, I had to break the hike up into consecutive spring weekends. The weather was very warm for spring, teetering on downright hot at some points in the middle of the day. The lack of a breeze meant two things: sweating and mosquitoes.
To prepare, my buddy and I chose to hike in the EMS Techwick Essentials Long-Sleeve Crew and the ¼ Zip, respectively. Putting in close to 10 miles in a single shot, we selected this type of top because we wanted something that felt super soft and lightweight. And, we needed something that would wick away sweat from our skin and keep us feeling cool and dry throughout the slog.
Roller Coaster Hike
We began the path at the Prediger Road trailhead. After a brief, flat introduction, the first of many uphill grinds greeted us: a steep, 1,345-foot climb up Indian Head, all the while scrambling up and over large rocks, gnarled roots, and boulders. Near the top of the mountain, we clambered our way up a near-vertical rock chute, where a fall likely would have meant a broken leg.
After making it through, however, we were rewarded with a stunning lookout of the Hudson River and surrounding Catskill Mountains. After snapping a few pictures, we followed the red trail markers descending down into a notch, only to encounter the next scramble up Twin Mountain.
In a sense, this first section of the Devil’s Path foreshadowed the rest: Hit a summit, hike down into a deep valley, and then claw our way back up to the top of another peak. The dense forest throughout gave the trail an aura of real wilderness. As well, uneven, jagged rocks litter the trail, so your ankles are going to take a beating. The amount of mobility the trail required surprised me: Reach up to grab a rock hold here, jump down from a boulder there, and make your way around a fallen tree.
Staying Comfortable
Luckily for us, our Techwick shirts’ mechanical stretch allowed for a greater range of movement, making all of these tasks much less difficult and cumbersome. On past long distance hikes that required a similar amount scrambling, I’ve had problems with chafing around my underarms and shoulders. This time, the flatlock seams of my Techwick top helped to prevent any such feeling. This made the uncomfortable task of hiking the Devil’s Path much more tolerable for me by comparison. I was also impressed with how quickly the shirt dried following the trek’s strenuous, sweaty sections.
As we came to the end, I decided that the Devil’s Path had lived up to the hype. If I could describe the trail in one word, it would be relentless. With the summits of Indian Head, Twin, Sugarloaf, Plateau, and West Kill under your belt, you’re definitely going to feel sore afterwards, which will be slightly alleviated by your sense of accomplishment.
What’s more, the beautiful vistas that you get near the mountaintops are some of the Catskills’ best. You’ll come away with a very true sense of what hiking here is all about. While the Devil’s Path may not have the altitude or grandeur of some of the hikes out west, it certainly stacks up as being just as rugged and demanding.
