We are awake before daylight with the plan to be out on the local pond as the sun comes up to do a bit of birding; but it is windy. Tree tops are swaying and even undergrowth is rustling in the nearly steady winds. It is a no-go on birding so we go for option two and hit some trails. First up, Kaaterskill Falls.
It is the tallest falls in NY and with recent rain it is running pretty full. The view from the falls overlook entices us to go on down to the foot of the falls to take in the entire drop. It is a classic falls trail, steep with lots of steps. The view is well worth the hike. We shed our jackets and slow climb back up to continue along the main trail, the escarpment trail. You would think that a trail named after cliff edges would be fairly consistent elevation. Nope. It is pretty much always up or down, never flat ground and in typical northeast mountains trail style, there is lots of loose rock and dirt with boulders, roots and muddy patches mixed in. Trail guides promise great views so we journey on. A bare cliff edge comes into view and from rock ledges we see the valley stretch out below us on to the distant mountains. We are at stop two, Inspiration Point. 
It is beautiful. A red-tailed hawk glides by and dots of color remind us again of the coming season change. We chill for a bit and take it all in then start back to the trailhead. It is just 3 miles out here but we haven’t put in many trail miles lately and want to be sure we are able to get out again tomorrow. A short route back gets us to the car with a total distance of 4.75 miles. It has been a great morning.
Catskills trails
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s. Then: the party with schoolmates at her gymnastics club. Lots more presents and a fun dump truck cake (yep, I baked and decorated it). Fun for all.
Mike and Tracy took Willa into the city for some quality Mom, Dad, and big sister time after which she went home with Grammie and PopPop. She was exposed to Covid during her time in the city and came home from Grammie and PopPop’s under quarantine. Luckily she and they had mild cases. We kept Hazel first in Kingston then at the hotel (minus a couple hours covered by a great babysitter, Gabby) in NYC then again in Kingston. It went amazingly well. We got absolutely nothing else done besides grandparenting but we’d do it again any time. Aside, we managed a dinner stop at Katz Deli while in the city. Yum
It gets better. A tiny brown fuzzball wobbles out of the grass to join the foraging adults. Are there more? Yep. A second fuzzball appears. They are adorable. I guess they look sort of crane-like! We watch a bit then head on to see what else might be out here.
right along the footpath.
The local trail club maintains this section and has built a fantastic camp site complete with a picnic table, pitcher pump and the Rice Creek Hilton. Check it out.
lake and river shorelines just a few miles from camp. It is crisscrossed with trails and forest roads. Temperatures are in the 70s so we take in a nice easy walk with quiet stops along the lakeshore and even a little wildlife to enjoy.
I had spotted a distant shape on the trail. Curved, knobby and grey-black and dismissed it as an old tire that had washed up during high water. Wrong. As we get closer, we discover a 6ft alligator and his slightly smaller buddy sunning on the (too narrow to share) trail. Fortunately, they give way and we move on. The sun is bright and warm now and we see little gators swimming and a huge one on the far bank of a canal.
We leave the rig down in the valley in Edinburgh to cruise the drive more leisurely in the car. We have seen more wildlife on the drive in the summer but when it comes to scenery, I say there is no better time of year for this drive. We stop at nearly every viewpoint and hit a few trails.
On a hazy day we head out on Dark Hollow Falls trail. The creek babbles beside us, tumbling and gurgling over leaf strewn boulders as we descend with it. It is beautiful.
It is great vantage point to take in the whole of the park. Artwork and walking sticks are for sale all along the trail even so near the campground. It seems like border patrol is turning a blind eye right now given the closed Boquillas Crossing. The faint tinkle of a cow bell reaches our ears as far below on the river bank 
a band of burros emerges from the scrub and makes its way to the water’s edge where they take turns getting a drink. The sun is blistering hot even at 10AM. We head for shade and relax. It makes for a nice end to the week.