Blackhead, Black Dome, & Thomas Cole via Acra Point (Catskill Park)
Hike Type: Upside Down Lollipop Loop
Distance: 10.18 miles
Elevation: 3,110 feet
My Time: 4 hours, 51 minutes (4 hours, 35 minutes moving)
Book Time: 6 hours, 38 minutes
Parking: Parking for ~10 cars at trailhead, more on side of the road.
Hiking Challenges: Catskill 3500 Club
Hiking Challenges: Catskill 3500 Club
The Hike
After about a week in Florida and experiencing one of the most horrifying weeks of my life, I was back in New Jersey and ready to FINALLY be home in Massachusetts. When asked about the week in Florida, the best way I could describe it was "you know the song "It's Quiet Uptown" from Hamilton? It's that, but in real life, with murder, and two kids without a mother, and it's one of the kids' birthdays, too." It was really, really hard. There were positive moments from it all - the next generation of cousins got back together for the first time in years, I got to see all of my family, and we all bonded over the movie Solo Mio (which we watched... four times in five day??). Once I landed, I got my car from Dad's and drove down to my cousin Alexa's. She had a baby literally the day before the murder, so she couldn't come down to Florida, and it was nice to 1) unpack the horrors with her and also 2) just hang out and have a normal afternoon with her kids - I needed normal. The only abnormal things left were the fact that I was STILL not home and that my car was being... weird? When I left Dad's it didn't want to move, and when it did move I heard a little ping before it went off. When I left Alexa's it had a weird start and did a little bounce-bounce before getting back to normal? Weird.
Even though I was mentally in a rush to get home, I physically could not move any faster than slow. It was supposed to rain all day, but the forecast changed and I decided I would get one more Catskill hike in before never leaving New England again (jokes!). I left New Jersey around 10:00am, and my dashboard lit up like a Christmas tree at 10:01am! I pulled over just before leaving Mom's neighborhood, took a deep breath, and decided to risk it and keep on driving becuase I simply could not be stuck in New Jersey any longer!
Now, I should have driven right home, but I also REALLY needed a good hike! Soooo I still drove to the Catskills. I landed at the Big Hollow trailhead at 12:35pm. The car was normal except for the dashboard! I decided that if I make it home I'll go to the dealership tomorrow. The drive into Big Hollow was super pretty, with Windham on the left and Thomas Cole on the right. The County Route I was driving on ended and then the pavement got rough before turning into a dirt road. It did feel comical to be driving on a dirt road with all these dashboard lights on, but c'est la vie! Naturally, my tummy was also in a weird mood.
The parking lot was expectedly full so I parked at a pull-off just before the lot. It was a nice afternoon in the upper 60s. The skies were cloudy with peeks of sunlight. I slowly suited up and started my adventure! The dream was three peaks, but we'll see!
[12:48pm - Start of Hike]
[12:49pm - Black Dome Trail (north)]
I walked back down the dirt road just a few feet before turning right onto the Black Dome Trail, walking past some nice flowers and then over a bridge to the trail register. I maneuvered some slabby stonework around a few streams before the trail became more of a traditional footpath. The woods smelled delightful - it was clear it had just rained. There were a few gnats, but they were not much a problem. I was so happy to be back in the north (the average heat index was 100+ degrees every day I was in Florida). The trail wiggled through some wet spots on stepping stones, and I started my gameof "how many different trail markers can I see today."
I hiked past some nice fungi and was warming up quickly as the sun began to come out. I hopped along some more stepping stones and then danced over some slippery ones along a gentle creek before the trail began to moderate. My heart rate climbed steadily, my legs were tired from not moving for a week (which is silly in contrast to how my legs were tired from moving too much when I hiked Windham!), but the trail overall was quite pleasant. There was a lovely walking break around the 0.85 mile mark and I passed a wonderfully huge chicken of the woods (I think). This flat stretch led to the Escarpment Trail, which I could see through the trees!
[1:13pm - Escarpment Trail]
The sign read it was only 0.7 miles to "Acre Point" (mountain sign typos are always so funny to me!). The Batavia Kill Trail (my first bailout point) is 3.0 miles from this point, and Blackhead Mountain is 3.5 - we'll see how it goes! I followed the blue and teal blazes (this doubles as the Long Path - I wonder why Windham didn't have any LP signage?) along more flat trail with a nice breeze before turning onto a switchback and making an easy climb.
The trail hit a few more easy switchbacks before making two small scrambles and climbing more steeply after. I crossed paths with my first person of the day and the trail leveled again onto a narrow ridge. There was a herd path to a grown-in view on the left, and just after there was a yellow-blazed path on right to a wonderful view of Blackhead, Black Dome, and Thomas Cole. I especially loved seeing the Big Hollow valley - it sure was a big hollow!
This little plateau area was just a delight. I found another herd path on the right a few minutes later, but it seemed like it just connected to the previous viewpoint. The trail got a little grassy after the good view, but it was totally fine, and the gentle breeze continued. There was another short, steep pitch to another grassy area, and I realized that I need to figure out how I'm getting home - I started checking for cell service to download offline Google Maps - it was not going well!
[1:35pm - Escarpment Trail/Acra Point]
The Escarpment Trail circled Acra Point's high point, which was a whole lot of nothing! Just a "no camping" sign off-trail at the highest point. I got a picture of it, but a very low-pitched buzzing got me to run away quickly. It was now time for a nice, long ramble along the Escarpment, which I was actually looking forward to based on how delightful the trail had been.
The Escarpment Trail hugged the left side of the ridge with good footing and delightful breeze. I imagine the tree views in the winter would be quite nice! I stepped on a loose rock that made a fart sound, which made me laugh, and then I almost fell slipping on another rock just after. The descent became more moderate around 2.45 miles from the trailhead before bottoming out. It was a bummer that I had a steep climb coming up at some point! I also passed a snail!
I zoned out for a while and blacked-in as I hiked through a dark, moise, fairytale forest around the 3.0 mile mark. I noticed some hobblebush leaves were starting to turn red - the first sign of fall! I also crossed paths (and accidentally scared the living daylights out of) someone I can best describe as the archetype of a "nerd." Once he composed himself he dropped a low-pitched "hey what's up bro how you doing."
[2:13pm - Escarpment Trail/Batavia Kill Trail]
Another moderate downhill around 3.25 miles led me to the junction with the Batavia Kill Trail, which came earlier than I thought it would! The numbers weren't matching the signs, but I truly did not care about that. From here, it was 0.9 mile sto Blackhead Mountain. It looked like the Batavia Kill Trail, or the original road bed, used to continue over the notch and down the other side. I was not emotionally ready for the climb. I also noticed the first Long Path blazes since the last junction.
I crossed paths with two more hikers just after this junction and started to climb with a few loose rocks to make things exciting. I crossed paths with another during this steep push, and I realized that it made complete sense that I'd be seeing more people now, as the Acra Point trip was fully a detour of mine. The trail briefly calmed down to give my heart rate and sweat a chance to settle down.
I passed a spur on the left to another grown-in viewpoint during said reprieve, and then the trail steepened again up through some classic cool Catskill rocks.
After another section of Cool Catskill Rocks, there was another grown-in view, and looking at the map this was roughly the halfway point. I was DRIPPING in sweat - this climb was a doozy! The steep led to another brief flat where I took a breathing break and caught a little view, and then the trail steepened and climbed up some wet, slippery slabs. Thankfully, there were many rock steps to help!
Eventually, the trail entered the coniferous forest (where I believe it gets the "black" part of its name from), and starts to mellow out. Soon, I was on a big rock that marked the summit of Blackhead Mountain!
[2:52pm - Escarpment Trail/Blackhead Mountain]
There were no official summit signs or discs to be seen. The Escarpment Trail turned left while the Blackhead Mountain Trail, currently blazed in yellow but seems to be formerly blazed in red, turned right. There was a lovely breeze up here.
[2:54pm - Escarpment Trail/Camp Steel Overlook]
I saw "Camp Steel Overlook" on AllTrails, so I followed the Escarpment Trail left for just a couple minutes on a wonderful footbed to find it. Similar to other viewpoints of this hike, there was no sign, only trees, but there was a painted sign for "Camp Steel" on a rock, which was fun?
[2:56pm - Blackhead Mountain Trail]
Back at the summit, I continued onto the Blackhead Mountain Trail. I had 0.6 miles to Lockwood Gap and 1.3 miles to Black Dome Mountain. I was feeling super satisfied now that I had seen all three trail colors, too. The trail started with some lovely moments of flat dirt and then began an easy descent.
The descend became more moderate, but with good footing, and then came up to a commanding (and slighly rude) view of Black Dome, with an even better view just afterwards! I didn't expect many views at all, so this was a treat! I could see Hunter Mountain Ski Area, Hunter Fire Tower, the notch between Hunter and Plateau, all of Plateau Mountain, and beyond! There was a spectacular breeze, too.
The trail began to zig zag down the mountain side with more and more stunning views. The trail was really well built here, and seemed pretty recently redone (which seemed correct according to the AllTrails track). The switchbacks made for some delightfully easy hiking with views on one side and flowers on the other, and the breeze was rapidly drying me off. I was in heaven!
[3:19pm - Lockwood Gap]
All good things have to end, though, and eventually I was back in a land of erosion, but the erosion led me right into the notch! I swapped my Nalgene at the notch and gobbled up some pistachios before peeing.
[3:24pm - Black Dome Trail]
From Lockwood Gap, I had 0.6 miles to Black Dome and 1.4 to Thomas Cole Mountain, and after that descent, I was feeling great! I climbed moderately up the Black Dome Trail, soon hitting the 3500' sign (I did not see one going up Blackhead), which was followed by some steep dirt. My left achilles was in a mood, but I was not! I hit an easy scramble and climbed more to round a massive boulder. There was a slightly better-than-medium view back to Blackhead at the next steeper push before entering a dark, wet, rocky area that was reminiscent of the Devil's Path. The Black Dome Trail scrambled up, under, and around a decent cliff.
This tricky scramble led to a wonderful view of the range from Blackhead over towards Windham (but I do not think I saw Windham from here - I thought I did, but it was one of the sub peaks along the Escarpment). The trail eased just for a minute before steeply climbing again - my legs were tired!
The Black Dome Trail rounded a shoulder and I immediately spooked a grouse. After taking two more steps, I spooked another one! They're evil chickens. The trail was pretty lovely from this point. I passed a couple of illegal campsites, and soon made it to the summit!
[3:47pm - Black Dome Trail/Black Dome Mountain]
The top of Black Dome Mountain was a barely-noticeable high point, similar to Indian Head. The footway was joyfully soft and the woods were beautiful - I just wished there was some form of summit marker! Just after the high point I saw a yellow-blazed spur on the left which led to a mostly grown-in view. There was a person sitting with a notebook and official-looking shirt on - I couldn't tell if they were a volunteer, ranger, or someone/thing else? There were some old rock-chisel graffiti here. I hit it and quit it and started working my way down to the col before Thomas Cole Mountain.
I rounded the shoulder of Black Dome and moderately descended. My face was WILDLY itchy from the combination of stress, sweat, and not shaving in a minute. I FINALLY was able to ping a bit of cell service and figured out how to get home right before descending a bit steeper (but not as steep as the climb up Blackhead). Oh, I was in the notch! That was easy! The ground in the notch was a little muddy, but the soft ground felt lovely.
I had a short moment of soft rambling before going uphill again - it started so gently that I hardly noticed! There was one trickier scramble out of the gentle stretch that started a more moderate climb, but after one last easy scramble, I was suddenly on the summit plateau!
[4:10pm - Black Dome Trail/Thomas Cole Mountain]
It was incredibly confusing and difficult to find/figure out what/where the true high point was up here. I found a herd path first to what I thought was the summit, and there were more herd paths around it, and then I went further down the Black Dome Trail, and found an area that looked more like a traditional summit clearing. From there, there were a few herd paths that definitely went to higher land, but it was more or less a maze. I really just wandered until I found something. It's a mystery to me why they don't at least build summit cairns or put signs up so people stop needlessly wandering around! I did one quick Google search with the service that I had, determined I must have hit it, and started my journey back down!
I had a wonderfully quick return down to the col between Black Dome and Thomas Cole, and I was remarkably slower going up Black Dome than I was before! My legs were cooked and I was thrilled that this was my last climb. I noticed some old trail markers behind the new ones, which was interesting. I still wonder why NYDEC goes with plastic versus paint?
[4:36pm - Black Dome Trail/Black Dome Mountain]
I passed a new person at the top of Black Dome with a shockingly fluffy dog (especially on a warm summer day!) and as I began my descent into Lockwood Gap I felt that wonderful breeze from before. I enjoyed the big viewpoint again, noticing some rain to the north and very faint hints of yellow on the trees below, and then steeply descended to the gap.
[4:54pm - Black Dome Trail/Lockwood Gap]
I swapped my Nalgene at the gap and had only 1.7 miles to the car! The trail easily descended along the contour line, and I kept thinking about my Stewarts Cheeseburger waiting for me on my dashboard. The soundtrack in my head was strictly "It Sucks to Be Me" from Avenue Q, specifically due to the murder, my car issues, and not feeling great about my relationship. I followed some eroded switchbacks downhill and really enjoyed this easy walking. The breeze was following me and I was cruising!
The trail did eventually get rockier and crossed two dry creek beds, soon getting noticeably warmer. I crossed another dry stream bed and then a short spur to an unmarked spring. I crossed the water from the spring just after as the trail descended moderately and I was back to sweating. I then wrote "okay back to being kind of dreadful with endless flat, loose rocks."
The footing improved right as my watch pinged nine miles and later I crossed a less-dry creek bed with a bit of water cascading between the rocks. I had an easy rock hop across the stream that feeds the main one, and then came to a bridge for the Batavia Kill Trail! The bridge seemed wildly unnecessary, but maybe the spring runoff gets the brook flowing?
[5:25pm - Black Dome Trail/Batavia Kill Trail]
I followed a trail relocation for a minute and then rejoined the original trail grade near a little wading/swimming hole. I crossed a bridge (BRIDGE! BRIDGE! BRIDGE!) and the trail afterwards looked like it gets hit pretty bad with storm runoff. The trail was wonderfully flat again before descending with annoying rock footing, again. I noticed a [maybe] property line with yellow blazing, and then other bridge, and then more yellow blazing! I later passed a Catskill Forest Preserve Wilderness area sign and the I was officially at the end of the trail.
[5:37pm - End of Trail]
I turned left onto the dirt road (right looked like it led over a bridge to private property) and had a quick walk through the main parking lot back to my car!
[5:40pm - End of Hike]
Back at my car, I changed, packed up, and carefully started my car. Lights still on, but car running fine! I had a stunning drive out of the Catskills to I-87, and then had a LONG drive home to Boston, where I would be planted (so help me god) for the forseeable future. This was an absolutely bonkers way to end my summer, and I am glad to put a bow on this chapter!
Step-by-Step
- Start hike on Black Dome Trail (north) (red).
- At terminus, turn right onto Escarpment Trail (blue).
- At Blackhead Mountain, turn right onto Blackhead Mountain Trail (yellow).
- At terminus, continue straight onto Black Dome Trail (red).
- Summit Black Dome mountain, then continue.
- Summit Thomas Come Mountain, then turn around.
- Summit Black Dome mountain, then continue.
- At jct., turn right to descend along Black Dome Trail back to car.
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