The journey up to North Point is a beautiful one. We decided to hike to this overlook with our one year old son and had a wonderful time! With multiple views along the way, the trail gently slopes up, giving you a lot of level areas and allowing you to catch your breath as you make your way to the top. This was our first real hike since our son was born, and it was the best way to get ourselves back into hiking shape!
North Lake and South Lake
The North-South Lake Campground is a part of the New York State park system. Located in Haines Falls, New York, this area has been a playground to visitors for hundreds of years. Thomas Cole, the father of the Hudson River School of Art, used to travel up to this area to visit the famous Catskill Mountain House and the beautiful view that accompanied it.
North Point
There are several ways to reach the summit at North Point. We were initially going to do a loop, but then decided to hike the escarpment trail. This would give us all the views at Artist’s Rock, Sunset Rock, and Newman’s Ledge. All of these views offer vantage points overlooking east towards the Hudson River and Hudson River Valley. North Point itself looks southwest over North and South Lakes and the Catskill Mountains in this direction. This area has been popular for hundreds of years. Old graffiti etched into stone gives hikers micro views at each lookout. And honestly, it’s quite fun to read through all the old names.
Our hike was 5.1 miles round trip with over 1,000 feet in elevation gain. This was a very forgiving hike. There were several parts where you had to rock scramble up the trail, which was a challenge with a baby in tow. However, there were just as many level areas and areas which sloped slightly down, allowing you to catch your breath and build back your energy.
Where is it Located?
Access to the North Point hiking trail is located within the North-South Lake Campground located on County Route 18 in Haines Falls, New York.
Map
A great map of the hike can be found at CNY Hiking.