Catskill Center Stewards Engaged More Than 57,000 Visitors During 2025 Season

ARKVILLE —  During the 2025 season, Catskill Center Stewards engaged 57,003 visitors across some of the Catskills’ most heavily used destinations, providing education, safety guidance, and on-the-ground stewardship that supported responsible recreation and protected natural resources.

Launched by the Catskill Center in 2018, the Catskill Stewards Program helps balance increasing visitation with the long-term protection of the Catskills’ “forever wild” landscapes. Stewards promote low-impact recreation practices, reduce damage to sensitive environments, and foster a shared sense of responsibility among hikers, swimmers, and other park users.

From May 1 through October 13, Catskill Stewards were stationed at Peekamoose Blue Hole, Kaaterskill Falls at the Laurel House Road Parking Area, Platte Clove Preserve, and the Catskill Fire Towers. During scheduled field coverage averaging four days per week from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, stewards recorded an observed visitation total of 70,320 individuals.

Kaaterskill Falls at the Laurel House Road Parking Area remained the most heavily visited site, with 47,365 visitors observed over the course of the season. Peekamoose Blue Hole followed with 16,701 visitors, while stewards recorded 3,636 visitors at Platte Clove Preserve and 2,618 visitors at the Catskill Fire Towers. In addition to visitor engagement, stewards collected approximately 107 bags of litter, deconstructed 34 rock dams, removed 194 rock stacks, rehabilitated 34 campsites, and helped visitors avoid 64 potential parking citations, demonstrating the tangible role stewards play in managing high-use recreation during peak periods.

The 2025 season began with two weeks of intensive training, including a Leave No Trace™ trainer course, Authority of the Resource Technique, Wilderness First Aid, radio protocols, wildlife encounter procedures, trail maintenance, plant identification, and wilderness preparedness. Stewards also participated in training with the New York–New Jersey Trail Conference and Catskill Mountainkeeper Stewards, hosted by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC).

Throughout the season, stewards provided trail guidance, shared safety information, assisted Forest Ranger staff with emergencies, and supported visitors with first aid and preparedness resources.

At Platte Clove Preserve, stewards responded to increased swimming pressure by concentrating staff during peak-use periods and redirecting visitors to more appropriate recreation areas, helping protect fragile aquatic and riparian habitats. Across all sites, stewards also guided visitors to less heavily trafficked trails and shared information that supported local communities and businesses.

Beyond daily stewardship, Catskill Center Stewards assisted Forest Ranger staff with carry-outs of injured hikers, cold-water rescues, wildfire reports, and other emergency situations, while offering first aid, water, and support to visitors in need. They also led educational programs including Hike for the Catskills, Lark in the Park, and Fire Tower hikes, offering deeper engagement with Catskills history, ecology, and responsible recreation.

The Catskill Stewards Program is funded by the New York State Environmental Protection Fund, as administered by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, with additional support from key partners. The Catskill Center thanks NYSDEC Natural Resources staff for their close collaboration and the Rondout Neversink Stream Program—a project of the Sullivan County Soil & Water Conservation District, in partnership with the Towns of Denning and Neversink and funded by the NYC Department of Environmental Protection—for continued support at Peekamoose Blue Hole.

Through education, outreach, and on-the-ground care, the Catskill Stewards Program continues to help ensure the Catskills remain healthy, resilient, and welcoming for all.