Page Type:
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Mountain/Rock |
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Lat/Lon:
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42.04814°N / 74.74071°W |
GPX File:
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Download GPX » View Route on Map |
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County:
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Delaware |
Activities:
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Hiking |
Season:
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Spring, Summer, Fall |
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Elevation:
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2762 ft / 842 m |
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Overview
TouchMeNot Mountain is a peak in the northern portion of the Catskills. It lies between Big Pond and Little Pond, though access is much closer from Little Pond. Mt. Cabot - some 300' taller - lies to the NW.
A network of Catskills trails makes this a nice loop hike of roughly 3 miles. The direct trail to the summit is has several steeper sections, gaining 750' in 1.1 miles. The descent is mild as it meanders through some open meadows before passing a beaver dam and paralleling a creek back to Little Pond.Getting There
GoogleMaps directions to 549 Little Pond State Campgrounds, Andes, NY 13731.
From North: NYS Thruway (I-87) to Kingston and Rte. 28 exit (Exit 19). Follow Rte. 28 west to Margaretville, continue with Margaretville directions.
From Margaretville: Rte. 28 west - Rte. 30 south. Go approximately 2.3 miles past the blinking traffic light to "Reservoir Rd. 500' ahead" and make next left then right onto Reservoir Rd. Go approximately 8.5 miles and make a left onto Big Pond Rd. Go 6.5 miles and the campground entrance is on the right. Follow the entrance road for approximately 3/4 mile to the registration gate.
From Oneonta: Follow Rte. 28 to the Town of Andes. You will come to a blinking light and make a right. Go to the Y in the road and bear to the left. Follow road to the end. This will bring you to Rte. 30. Make a right, go over reservoir bridge, make a left. Go 1.7 miles and bear right onto Big Pond Rd. Go 6.5 miles and the entrance is on the right. Follow the entrance road for approximately 3/4 mile to the registration gate.
Route
Follow the "Campground Trail" and the blue markers on the trees that indicate this trail. The summit is unmarked, but the trail goes right over it. When the trail doesn't go any higher, you're there. From the summit, the trail descends the NNW ridge to a junction with the Touch-Me-Not Trail, which is indicated with red tree markers. Take the Touch-Me-Not Trail west (left) for ~0.5 miles and continue to descend. Near the low point of the saddle between TouchMeNot Mtn & Mt. Cabot there is another junction; the Touch-Me-Not Trail continues straight and the yellow trail tees off to the south (left). Take the yellow trail as it descends the final ~450' in a little over a mile back to Little Pond. Once you meet up with the Little Pond Trail (the loop around the pond), go L to head back to the beach, showers, trailhead, and parking lot. Or take the trail R for the fastest way back to most camp sites (if you're camping there).Red Tape
Sign in at trailhead, behind restroom/shower building near lake.The campground is closed mid-October - mid-May, so access is more difficult.
When to Climb
May - October, which corresponds to when the Little Pond Campground is open. Specific opening & closing dates vary from year to year, so check the campground's website (link below).Camping
The trailhead is located within the Little Pond Campground, operated by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation ("DEC"). Reservations can be made at ReserveAmerica.com.External Links
Physical information regarding this mountain was gathered from:http://geonames.usgs.gov/apex/f?p=136:3:0::NO::P3_FID,P3_TITLE:967685,Touchmenot%20Mountain