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Locations

Traversing The Catskills

Within easy driving distance of major cities like New York and Boston, this Northeast jewel is a photographer’s haven

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Above: Mink Hollow Trail sunrise, New York. Michael Tischler is an avid landscape photographer based in upstate New York, and he has focused on the beauty of the Catskills for most of his life. The region, which is located close to several major metropolitan centers, offers nature shooters a broad variety of subjects.

The Catskills are a hidden gem that offers a combination of geographic, seasonal and lighting diversity. The proximity of the Catskills to the major metropolitan areas of Boston and New York City make this mountain range a perfect day trip for the nature photographer. It’s just an easy two-hour drive out of midtown Manhattan or three hours out of Boston.

The 300,000-acre Catskill Forest Preserve set up by the state of New York provides the photographer with plenty of undisturbed land. The Catskill region is located right off New York State Thruway exits 19, 20 or 21, and within 20 minutes you’re in the thick of the Catskills. Choosing where to head out for a shoot depends on many factors, including time of year, weather, subject matter and the accessibility of the location.

In the fall, I spend a lot of time in the Northern Catskills: Hunter Mountain, North Lake and the West Saugerties area. I like the Northern Catskills in the fall, due to the dramatic changes in foliage color that can be seen in these higher peaks. Hunter Mountain and the Lexington area off of Route 42 offer unique diversity, with streams, fields, lakes and mountains all in close proximity.

A great spot to explore photographically during the fall season is reached via Route 214 off of Route 28, leading to an area called the Notch, which can be found at Devil’s Tombstone Campground. The Notch features a unique narrow lake surrounded by dramatic inclines. The colorful fallen leaves in the water make great images because of the steep terrain in the background. There are miles of hiking trails that start from the campground and go deep into the Catskill Mountain Preserve.

A trip up Platte Cove Road (County Road 33) is another must during autumn. This sloping road is closed in the winter, but is accessible by car in the fall. Known as “Devil’s Kitchen,” the area features deep ravines at the summit that provide striking views. Near the parking area at the top of the Platte Cove Road are trailheads with incredible terrain that lead to the bottom of the ravine. A good photo backpack, sturdy hiking boots and moderate hiking skills will get you to the bottom of the trail where you can find some amazing waterfalls to photograph.

Zena, New York

One of my most favorite images is one of snow falling from trees after a snowstorm in Woodstock, N.Y., at a place called Big Deep. I photographed the scene at 1/60 sec., at ƒ/2.8 with a Canon 24-70mm ƒ/2.8L lens at 24mm. In a situation like this, the most difficult thing is keeping the lens clear from snow so the image won’t get blurred. (The town of Woodstock is a famous artist’s colony, and also was made famous by the 1969 Woodstock Festival.) Big Deep is located off of Route 212, about two miles east of the town. The timing of this image was crucial—I created the composition when the sun was peeking out as the snow was falling. The tall, dark pine trunks with green undergrowth allow for great contrast for this kind of image. The ever-changing Catskill weather allows for such images in these easily accessed locations.

It’s always a major advantage as a photographer to capture many different scenes in one outing. The North-South Lake State Campground near Tannersville has many hiking trails offering vistas to East, West and North Lakes. The nearby Kaaterskill Falls has one of the highest waterfalls in the area. All of these areas in the Northern Catskills are within 20 minutes of each other and can be captured in one day.

The North Lake Campground is located off of Route 23A in Tannersville and is a great base camp from which to venture out to these Northern Catskills locales. Its lakes not only are scenic, but also can be used recreationally for boating and swimming. Artist’s Ledge is a short hike from North Lake and yields great sunrise images facing the east toward Connecticut. The fog in the morning off of North Lake also makes for spectacular images.

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