From answering questions at busy trailheads to offering guidance on responsible recreation, the Catskill Center’s Catskill Stewards have spent the first half of the 2026 season doing what they do best: meeting people where they recreate and helping protect the places they came to experience.
Since the season began on May 4, our team of 11 full-time Stewards has been stationed across some of the busiest and most recognizable destinations in the Catskill Park, including Peekamoose Blue Hole, Kaaterskill Falls, the Devil’s Path, six fire tower locations, and the Catskill Center’s Platte Clove and Thorn Preserves.
And it has already been a busy season.
As of July 15, Stewards had welcomed 39,571 visitors and meaningfully engaged with 34,213 of them, providing directions, answering questions, explaining regulations, sharing Leave No Trace™ principles, assisting injured hikers, and helping visitors make informed decisions about where and how to recreate.
These numbers reflect visitation recorded while Stewards are on site, generally between 9:30 am and 4:00 pm, and do not represent total visitation at these locations. Coverage varies by site, from seven days a week at Peekamoose Blue Hole and Kaaterskill Falls to part-time and weekday or weekend coverage at other locations.
At Peekamoose Blue Hole alone, Stewards helped 3,321 visitors who arrived without required permits find other places to explore in the Catskills. Across all locations, they provided directions to 28,551 people, cleared 13 blowdowns from trails, and helped 39 visitors avoid parking citations.
Those numbers represent thousands of individual moments when having a knowledgeable person on the ground made a difference for a visitor, a trail, or the surrounding landscape.
That presence is increasingly important as visitation continues to grow. Through mid-July, Stewards counted 26,630 visitors at Kaaterskill Falls, roughly 7,400 more than during the same reporting period last year. Visitation recorded at Peekamoose Blue Hole, Platte Clove Preserve, and fire tower locations also increased, while Steward coverage expanded to the Devil’s Path and Thorn Preserve this season.
Stewards are also taking education beyond the trailhead through our new Protect the Path hiking series, where participants learn Leave No Trace™ principles while exploring the Catskills alongside members of our team.
The season continues through October 13, with plenty of busy weekends still ahead. But the mid-season metrics already demonstrate what a difference a Steward can make simply by being there: answering a question before someone heads down a trail, addressing a potential hazard, or sharing the knowledge that helps someone become a more thoughtful visitor the next time they return.
Read the full 2026 Catskill Stewards Mid-Season Report here.
The work of the Catskill Stewards is made possible by people who believe that protecting the Catskills also means helping people experience them responsibly. Every conversation at a trailhead, every question answered, and every visitor guided toward a safer, more thoughtful day outside helps care for the places we all love.
Please consider making a gift to the Catskill Center today. Your support sustains the Catskill Stewards and strengthens all of our work to protect and preserve the Catskills, from conservation and stewardship to education, advocacy, and responsible public access. Make a gift today and help keep the Catskills welcoming and protected for generations to come.
