Slide Mountain Wilderness

History along the Finger Lakes Trail

Slide Mountain Wilderness

Phoenicia, New York 12464, United States

Created By: Diane Lebo Wallace

Information

The Slide Mountain Wilderness encompassese more than 47,500 acres and is the largest and most popular wilderness area in the Catskill Forest Preserve. Extensive foot trails provide access to the remote interior, often climbing over lofty peaks with spectacular views. Slide Mountain, the tallest peak in all of the Catskills, inspired poet and naturalist John Burroughs to write; "Here the works of man dwindle, in the heart of the southern Catskills." A plaque commemorating both the man and the mountain graces the face of the summit rock, in tribute to Burroughs and his vision.

Slide Mountain is named after the repeated large landslides that occur high on the mountain's south east side. The slide areas are devoid of trees and vegetation and are covered in granite rock and decomposed granite sand. This gives the barren slopes a whitish color, and the distinctive slide zones are plainly visible from points to the southeast of the mountain in Washoe Valley.

The most recent large slide occurred on May 30, 1983.

FLT Map M34

This point of interest is part of the tour: History along the Finger Lakes Trail


 

Leave a Comment

 


 

Download the App

Download the PocketSights Tour Guide mobile app to take this self-guided tour on your GPS-enabled mobile device.

iOS Tour Guide Android Tour Guide

 


 

Updates and Corrections

Please send change requests to changerequest@pocketsights.com.