44. Dry Brook

Distance:	Dayhike or overnight
Difficulty :	Moderate for children
Distance :	4.2 miles, round trip
Hiking time :	3.5 hours
High point/elevation gain :	2400 feet, 350 feet
Hikable :	June-October
Map :	NY-NJ Trail Conference Map 42

Whenever we ask kids what features they appreciate most on a hike, "water" is what we hear time and again. And why not? It's pretty to look at, fun to play in, and home to a great many interesting creatures. On this hike, you and the kids follow two delightful brooks, crossing over and back several times, tracking on fairly level terrain.

The paradoxical name Dry Brook is actually a corruption of the words drei Brücke, which means "three bridges" in German (there were many German and Dutch settlers in the Catskills and Hudson Valley in Colonial times). Many years ago, three covered bridges crossed the brook; they are long gone without a trace.

Two miles from the start is a well-constructed lean-to on the northern bank of Shandaken Brook (just inside the Catskill Park boundary). You can spend the night—or perhaps just relax—before heading back along the riverbank.

For younger kids who prefer hands-on hikes to trips featuring long-distance views, this one is a winner. Don't forget to bring whatever your youngsters need for river exploration: wading shoes, nets, jars, towels.

From New York City, take the Thruway (I-87) north to Exit 19 in Kingston. Follow NY-28 west for 36 miles. Turn left onto Ulster County 49A, following signs to the Highmount and Belleayre Ski Areas, and drive 5.2 miles. At a stop sign, turn left onto Ulster County 49. In 1.4 miles, at an intersection of gravel roads known as "Stuarts Turn," near a wooden building, bear right, following a sign for "SEAGER PARKING AREA, 2.9 MILES." (The mileage on the sign is slightly off.) Drive another 2.5 miles, passing a covered bridge on the left, and soon arrive at the Seager Trailhead parking area.

Sidestep a red metal gate and head southeastward, following the yellow-blazed Seager-Big Indian (SE) Trail which ultimately leads to Big Indian Mountain. (Signs indicate that only hikers are permitted to enter this private property.) Track along the southern bank of Dry Brook under high hemlocks on a wide path. At 0.15 mile, the blazes lead over a broad, seasonal tributary and return to the bank of Dry Brook. Look for tracks beside the brook: deer, raccoon, mink, otter, even coyote. (Coyotes are common in the Catskills, although it is not known whether any inhabited the area before the mid-1900s. In the 1950s and 1960s, researchers tracked their movement across Canada, into upper New York State and New England. Today, traveling in small packs, these predators help to control the deer population. You likely will not encounter a coyote on a dayhike; like most wild animals, they avoid contact with humans. The bobcat is another Catskills creature—less common than the coyote—that you'll probably never meet. You may spot tracks, or droppings on exposed ledges, but you won't come face-to-face with one.)

Before long, cross a section of the brook on stones to reach a belt of land running down the middle of the brook. After a brief walk on this "island," recross the brook to return to the southern bank. Let the youngsters take turns leading the way on these crossings: the leader chooses the stones that the rest of you will step on to get across. Whether your leader picks the easiest route or the toughest is up to her! At the 0.4-mile mark, the trail divides a marshy area. What varieties of plants prefer these damp conditions?

One-half mile from the start, the trail crosses a seasonal stream (called Drury Hollow) and reaches Dry Brook's most appealing segment, where water pours down a chute and plunges into a moss-lined pool. The kids can toss twigs into the water above the miniature falls and watch the inevitable shipwrecks below. If you plan to take an extended rest here, play a game with the kids. Ask them to close their eyes, then lead each one in turn to a tree, rock, patch of moss, or flower. Have the child feel the object, then help him return to his original spot. After he opens his eyes, can he point to the object he was just touching?

Beyond the falls, the trail snakes along the riverbank, soon joined by a gravel road that merges from the right. A sign at this junction reminds you that you have come 0.9 mile and that you have 1.1 miles to go to reach the Shandaken Brook Lean-to. Immediately, the gravel road departs left, crossing Dry Brook on a bridge, as you follow the yellow-blazed woods road straight, continuing to wind along the brook's southern bank. In 0.2 mile, the woods road you've been following also departs left to cross the brook; follow the yellow foot trail straight. You cross the brook soon, too, but at an easier point, marked with a yellow arrow and a trail sign (count on wet feet).

Once you're across, another trail sign updates your progress: you are just 0.85 mile from the lean-to. Head eastward, away from the brook, cutting across a woods road and climbing an embankment. As the SE Trail, still marked in yellow, rises and begins to track southeastward, it resembles an overgrown woods road. Look carefully at the trailside ferns. Are they all the same color? Are they all of the same variety? To the right, through the dense hemlock forest, catch your first glimpse of Shandaken Brook as it hurries through a dark, narrow chasm. The trail becomes increasingly soggy; wet feet are unavoidable at 1.6 miles.

At 1.8 miles, the trail drops toward Shandaken Brook and crosses on stones. As the blazes lead hikers along the wide, nearly dry streambed, the path begins to fade. Just under 2 miles from the start, cross onto state-owned land near a hiker registration box. After a final stone-to-stone crossing of Shandaken Brook at 2.05 miles, you can spot the lean-to atop a grassy knoll. Nearby, a pipe gushes cold springwater. One last uphill effort brings you to the remote cabin, solid and relatively new, with room for eight and a hearth for cooking. Unpack your overnight gear or return to your car by way of the Seager-Big Indian Trail.

Note: This trail is primarily on private land. (Refer to the map for boundaries.) The owner has permitted trail markings for the benefit of hikers. Hunting, fishing, and camping are not permitted. The Shandaken Brook Lean-to is on public land, in Catskill Forest Reserve.