A Spiritual Experience: Huckleberry Point

I knew that every park around - in New Jersey and New York - would be packed on the 4th of July. It seems like even non-hikers rush out to bask in the outdoors when it's a holiday weekend. So I did some research and found a spot that was supposed to be quiet... Huckleberry Point in the Catskills (New York). We had never been to the Catskills and I was nervous that I wouldn't be able to physically do it. I mean it's the Catskills! I was intimidated. But a Catskill blogger called this hike "flat and easy." Well I can do flat and easy, I thought! That doesn't sound so bad.

However another blogger said not to be fooled - this is CATSKILL FLAT. Not flat, but flat in comparison to other mountains in the Catskills. Unfortunately I hadn't read that part before heading over to Huckleberry Point. Oh well! 

On our way there, the car complained about going up the hill. The parking lot was halfway up and our 2001 Saturn was pretty angry with us for what we put it through. When we finally made it to the parking lot, we saw that it was almost full! But I think had it been a more popular hike, there wouldn't have been a spot left. We signed the trail register and started the long, slow slog up the mountain. 

Onto the pictures!

The lighting was weird so I apologize for any blurriness.

The way up was rocky and covered with muddy patches.

It felt never-ending!

Come on, Mom! Hurry it up!

It was beautiful, but my sunglasses kept fogging up on me.

I have to wear them because a medicine I take 

makes my vision go blurry in the sunlight.

But when they fog up, I can't see!

Since then, I've gotten a defogger so we'll see how well it works.

Remnants of an old wall.

The trailhead didn't have a bathroom or port-a-potty

so we peed around here (stepping way off-trail).

We were nearly discovered by a couple passing through,

but we're stealthy. Ninjas, really. 

It was really lovely.

Well, as far as I could see, given my foggy sunglasses.

There were spots where we had to climb a bit,

but the trail wasn't very technical.

We started by going up and then down.

Huckleberry Point is actually not too much higher than the parking lot,

but the total elevation you climb is 1,200 feet.

On the way back, you retrace your steps.

So the order of march is: up, down, turn around, up down. 

It was lovely.

Moss-covered rocks are kind of my thing.

I took the easy way in situations like this.

Liam always took the hard way. 

Of course!

He marched ahead.

These kinds of hikes are relatively easy for him,

but he did not enjoy the long slog in the beginning.

He prefers technical scrambling.

Come ooooon.

My little hiker! You did it, Bubba Doo!

We made it to Huckleberry Point!

Love that smile!

The look of triumph!

I love this guy too!

Here's where I have to confide in you for a second.

Is that okay?

Up at the top of Huckleberry Point, everyone spoke in whispers.

We were all under a spell and nobody wanted to break it.

The scenery was... there are no words.

It was the most gorgeous view I have ever seen in my life.

Photos don't do it justice.

It felt like being in an ancient cathedral, a spiritual experience.

When I got home, I cried from the sheer beauty of it all. 

I wish my photos could capture how fantastic it was, but they don't.

No photos ever could. 

But I hope you enjoy them all the same. 

All of those tiny green things are trees!

The further you looked out, the hazier it was.

But you could see pretty darn far.

The closest mountain towered over us,

though you don't get that impression in the photo.

We found a quiet spot where it was just us.

We soaked up the view for a long, long time.

Looking out... way out.

We all enjoyed ourselves.

Liam wasn't quite as impressed as we were,

but he had fun all the same.

You could see quite a few mountains from where we sat.

Like these.

It was a cool 70ish degrees, but we were all sweaty from exertion.

Father and son. I love photos of them together!

I took way too many nearly identical

photos of the same mountains,

but I couldn't get enough!

Here you can kind of see how far up we were from the very bottom.

A close-up.

And what should we find at Huckleberry Point?

HUCKLEBERRIES.

We foraged for blueberries at Schunemunk

and we went to town on the huckleberries here!

Well Liam went to town. He just couldn't get enough!

What a view!

Looking very cool standing there.

You can see where Liam's priorities lie!

FREE FOOD.

Need more huckleberries!

Om nom nom nom!

The vastness...

He took photos of his feet hanging off the side.

He's braver than I!

BE CAREFUL,

screams my acrophobia!

I developed a moderate case of it since breaking my ankle on the trail

and developing life-threatening blood clots.

That kind of experience is enough to make you feel vulnerable.

But I still hike and climb mountains so there's that!

The lighting kept changing

and so the shadows danced across the mountain.

Huckleberry boy!

Yum!

On our way back.

Liam was being a silly little monkey!

Heehee, can't find me!

Some of the uphill we encountered on the way back to the parking lot.

Hmm, seemed so easy on the way out...

Crossing this little stream was a cinch,

but the stones were small and flat

and if it rained hard, it'd be completely impassable.

A hop, skip, and a jump!

He's either so far ahead that I can barely see him

or he's lagging behind.
There is no in-between! 

Enough pictures, mooom!

Come on!

The muddy, rocky part - almost back to the car!
Our feet were HURTING through this part.

And there you have it - Huckleberry Point! We are officially in LOVE with the Catskills and can't wait to go back! We've read that a lot of the mountains and points of interest get pretty crazy on weekends. Liam has summer school until August and Jon is searching for a job (crossing our fingers!) so we'll try to squeeze in a visit as soon as we can! I can't wait to go back to Huckleberry Point (I'm going to write about it for my freelance job at Outdoor Project), but Liam always wants to go somewhere new. Hopefully we'll be back soon! 

Until next time,

Mary