Slide Mountain Wilderness

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.

• Info from NYS DEC
• Learn more about the Catskill Mountains

FLT Map M34