Dog-Friendly Activities in the Catskill Mountains

For dog-lovers, a vacation can seem incomplete without man's best friend. The stresses of everyday life affect you and your pets; sometimes pets need vacations as much as humans do. If you and your dogs are ready for a vacation and an outdoor adventure, take a trip to southeastern New York and visit the Catskill Mountains. The Catskill Mountains extend across four counties and offer dog-friendly options in lodging, restaurants and trails for your pooch.

  1. Trails

    • Hiking through the wilderness is a healthy activity for both you and your dog.

      The Catskills have a "hike with your dog tour," which is a two-day journey through some of the Catskills most popular trails. You start off at Kaaterskill Falls and walk along the hour-long trail. The Kaaterskill Falls drop 175 feet, and you and your dog can take in the sights while hiking along the short trail near the waterfall. From here you head to the North-South Lake trail, which is level but longer than the Kaaterskill Falls hike. The trail lies on the eastern edge of the mountains, where you and your dog can stop to take in the views from the Hudson River Valley below. The last part of the tour is a four-hour hike through Minnewaska State Park Reserve, a dog-friendly park offering views of waterfalls and lakes.

    Attractions

    • The Catskill Mountains, along with dog-friendly trails, have dog-friendly attractions. If you are tiring of parks and trails, take a trip to the Mountain Top Arboretum. The arboretum sits at 2,500 feet and provides a living museum of trees and shrubs. Take a time out from long trails and learn about the history of the Catskills and it plants, and let your dog stop to smell the flowers. Or visit the Woodstock Byrdcliffe village. This village consists of 30 buildings across 300 acres of the mountain range. The village hosts exhibitions and performances, but dogs have to stay outside on the trails through the village.

    Restaurants

    • After all the hiking and sight-seeing you and your dog are bound to get a little hungry. Two restaurants allow dogs outdoors on their patio areas. The first, Matthews on Main, is located in Callicoon, which is just a short drive from many of the parks and trails. The second is Spa Cafe, located in Mount Tremper, near the off-leash dog park Catamount at Emerson Place. Spa Cafe uses healthy local ingredients to serve freshly prepared salads, soups, wraps and smoothies.