OVERLOOK MOUNTAIN HOUSE

Photo courtesy of Alison Yuhas.  Other photos taken by Derek Dellinger unless otherwise noted.

When the Hudson River School of painters began to romanticize the quintessentially American Hudson river valley in the early 19th Century, well-to-do Americans suddenly saw in their own backyard an untapped region of beauty and adventure.  Scantly populated even today, New York state has always offered views of farmland, mountains and river vistas without a lengthy trip to Europe, where socialites had previously traveled for vacations.  No sooner had the region become fashionable than luxury hotels sprang up through the Catskills and surrounding regions — among the earliest and most prominent of them the Overlook Mountain House.

Situated near the peak of Overlook Mountain, which rises above the town of Woodstock, the ruins of the Overlook Mountain House can still be found today.  The remains that stand are actually of the fourth hotel to be built on the site — as with many buildings of the 19th Century, fires frequently leveled the facilities and forced reconstruction.  The original Mountain House was built in 1833 and maintained through the Civil War before a second version of the hotel was put up in 1871.  It burnt down four years later.  A third hotel lasted a few more decades until the fourth and final Mountain House began construction in 1928 — and, though it remains today, this hotel was never actually completed or used.  Eventually, the state bought the land and boarded up the abandoned house, which nonetheless managed to suffer damage in yet another fire in 1941.  (Prompting the question: is Overlook Mountain a volcano?  Since I have not found any evidence to the contrary, I'll have to assume that it is.) 

At around 3,200 feet, Overlook is far from the highest peak in the Catskills, and the parking lot where one begins is already something like 1,800 feet in elevation (driving there feels like that first leg of a rollercoaster, when you're being ratcheted up the hill).  The path to the top isn't a true hiking trail, either, but an old carriage-way now laid with stones.  It's straight and smooth and mostly unshaded, but such trails are often deceptively unforgiving compared to traditional hiking trails, especially when you're marching more or less straight uphill. There are no switchbacks and no views, and thus there's little to break up this hike except jealously at fellow hikers passing you as they come down.

When you finally make it, it's well worth it.  The main building of the Mountain House can be seen from a distance, but there are others scattered throughout the woods, including the stone foundations of a large circular fountain. The Mountain House is so easily accessible from the trail — which itself is only a short drive from the town of Woodstuck — that it will be visited by dozens of people on any given nice day, so there's no need to worry about the legality of your visit.  The building is relatively safe considering its age, and since the upper floors have all collapsed, there's nowhere to walk but on solid ground.  For this reason there isn't a whole lot to see, either — mostly walls, a few remaining staircases, and the trees that have invaded the interior.  The other, smaller buildings have even less to offer, and probably aren't worth exploring in-depth.

Continuing up the path toward the true peak of Overlook Mountain will bring you to the Overlook Mountain fire tower, one of only a few that remain standing (and accessible) in the Catskills.  The tower is only a half mile from the hotel ruins, and equally worth seeing.  During the summer months, volunteers are stationed in a small ranger cabin and will gladly give you a history lesson.  The tower can be climbed during any season, day or night, but it's definitely best experienced with the gale-force winds that often blow across the top of the mountain.  Climbing up the frail exposed structure with little beneath you, little above you, little around you and blasts of wind beckoning you into the void, you will stare into the Expanse and come face to face with your own humanity.  The observation platform at the top is at least enclosed in plexiglass, with a number of tools at your disposal to triangulate the location of forest fires. Despite the mountain's relatively short stature, its location and exposure give a fantastic view of the entire Catskill region. 

The town of Woodstock is a worthwhile destination of its own, especially if you're into eyeball-searing 60's fashion aesthetics.  Beyond the novelty tie-die t-shirts, it's a cute artsy/touristy town with plenty of restaurants and coffee shops and quirks.

Further reading:
hudsonvalleyruins.org
wikipaltz.com

Photo courtesy of Alison Yuhas