The West Kill Mountain Wilderness Area is a high elevation east-west ridge that lies between West Kill Creek to the north and Esopus Creek to the south.  West Kill Mountain Wilderness is a remote mountainous location of more than 19,250 acres. The terrain is very steep in places with elevations ranging from 1,000 feet to 3,880 feet.

There are five named mountain peaks - West Kill (3,880 feet), North Dome (3,610 feet), Sherrill (3,540 feet), Balsam (3,340 feet), and Sheridan (2,220 feet). This area serves as watersheds for two New York City water supply reservoirs, the Schoharie and the Ashokan.

A variety of wilderness recreational opportunities ranging from hiking, snowshoeing, bird-watching, mountain biking, cross-country skiing and primitive camping to horseback riding, hunting, fishing, and trapping await the visitor. Visitors are encouraged to travel and camp with care, utilizing the principles promoted in the Leave No Trace Outdoor Ethics Program.

Hiking

There are 10.2 miles of marked and maintained trails available for hiking in this area.

The Devil's Path
Seven miles of the very popular Devil's Path traverse the northeast portion of the area, rising to the summit of West Kill Mountain. The hike is considered moderate, rising approximately 1,600 feet from Buttermilk Falls, and 2,000 feet from the Devil's Path Trailhead along Spruceton Road. This scenic trail offers hikers breathtaking views of the Central Catskills from the Buck Ridge Lookouts - located just east of the West Kill Summit. The Devil's Path is tagged with red trail markers.

The Diamond Notch Trail
A gentle three mile hike with an ascent of 1,300 feet from the south of the notch, and a 700 foot ascent from the north to the notch. Hikers will find the Diamond Notch Lean-to just to the north of the notch, and can visit Buttermilk Falls at the Devil's Path Junction. This beautiful waterfall drops about 25 feet in an amphitheater-like setting, with a small meadow nearby. Just to the east of the Falls, the Devil's Path enters the Hunter Mountain Wild Forest.

The northern portion of the Diamond Notch trail, leading from the parking lot along the Spruceton Road to the Falls, is a popular 2 mile round trip family hike and is identified as such in the "Catskill Adventure - Day Hikes and Paddles for Families" brochure. The Diamond Notch Trail is tagged with blue markers.

Access to the Wilderness

The area can be accessed from NY 28, NY 42, Greene County Route 6 (Spruceton Road) and the Diamond Notch Road via NY 214. Watch for trailheads and forest preserve access parking areas along these routes.

From the North

Along Greene County Route 6 (Spruceton Road):

• Angler parking area approximately 2.7 miles east of the hamlet of West Kill.
• Devil's Path Trailhead - approximately 3.75 miles east of West Kill.
• Diamond Notch Trailhead - approximately seven miles east of West Kill.
• Hunter Mountain (Spruceton Road) Trailhead may also be used - 6.75 miles east of West Kill on the north side of the road.

From the East

• Diamond Notch Trailhead - approximately 1.5 miles north of NY 214, at the end of the Diamond Notch Road (note: the last 300 yards of this road surface is very rough, use caution)

From the South

• Peck Hollow- Just south of the county line, approximately 1.7 miles north of NY 28 in the Shandaken Wild Forest.
• Broad Street Hollow - approximately three miles north of NY 28 on Broad Street Hollow Road. **Seasonal parking is allowed; please do not block this snowplow turnaround**

From the West

• NY 42 lot - approximately four miles north of Shandaken along NY 42.

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