The trail heads east for a ways, then turns south, following the escarpment. An escarpment is a long, steep cliff at the edge of a raised area. The eastern escarpment of the Catskills is a 2,000' cliff that drops to the valley below. Along this trail section, although difficult to see in the picture, a rare mix of softwoods (balsam fir, red spruce, and white pine) are all found together. The fir and spruce are usually found on the highest summits, those approaching and surpassing 3,500'.
	Less than one mile after the junction, you will encounter Badman Cave. This large overhang got its name because it is believed that it was a hideout for criminals during the 1700s. From here, the yellow-blazed Rock Shelter trail leads back to North/South Lake Campground. We will continue on the blue trail.
In a few minutes, we reach Newman's Ledge. As you can see, there is a shear drop-off. The ledge is at 2,500' in elevation - with the Hudson Valley 2,000' below you. This is a great spot to hang-out for awhile. If you wait long enough, you'll see crows, turkey vultures, and maybe even ravens gliding along the cliff below you and out into the Hudson Valley. Ravens are commonly found in steep, rocky terrain, like Platte Clove and Kaaterskill Clove, and this escarpment connects the two.
	Along with the incredible views of the Hudson River, Connecticut, and Massachussetts, if you look below to the northeast, you can see this flat sandstone ridge (a spur of North Mt.), and its nearby hollow. This is known as "Rip's Rock" and the valley is the legendary "Sleepy Hollow", where Rip Van Winkle supposively fell asleep for 20 years.