Cinematic Views: A Filmgoer’s Guide To The Eastern Catskills
Written by Woodstock Land Conservancy (WLC) Program Manager Miranda Javid
The films shown at the Woodstock Film Festival present dozens of different stories. But while attendees move from one thrilling screening to the next, they shouldn’t miss out on the opportunity to immerse themselves in an entirely different kind of narrative: that of the natural world, embodied by the beauty of the Eastern Catskills where Woodstock resides.
Right now, late-blooming asters offer some of the season's last nectar to pollinators. Mosses and lichens appear strangely brighter in the dimming autumn light. As the days grow short, moments of full sun become precious. Eastern chipmunks gather acorns and hickory nuts, hoping to store enough food for the impending winter. Mushrooms like turkey tails emerge almost overnight, recycling fallen debris into the rich soils of the Woodstock area. If you’re lucky, you may even glimpse a tiny, bright-orange eastern newt, called a red eft in its juvenile state.
One of the most striking natural features this time of year is the changing of the leaves. Once verdant leaves turn umber and carmine as trees shed their canopies in preparation for the darkness of winter. The Woodstock area is home to a tremendous diversity of tree species: towering firs, ancient cedars, solemn pines, and shady ash, amongst others. Even if you don’t make it to one of our preserves, we recommend taking a moment to stop at Tinker St. and Tannery Brook to admire the beauty of the large sycamore, rooted in front of Allison’s.
Woodstock Land Conservancy Presents The Ashokan Rail Trail 7th Anniversary Walk / Ride – FREE & OPEN TO ALL!
Sat. October 18, 12 - 3 PM – Boiceville Trailhead, 5080 NY-28A, Boiceville, NY (Parking: Onteora High School, 5203 NY-28)
Good Food | Traditional Music | Epic Leaf Peeping
For details, visit www.woodstocklandconservancy.org or follow us on IG at woodstock_land_conservancy
To the attentive festival-goer, the woods offer up beauty not just through sight, but sound. Year-round residents like black-capped chickadees, tufted titmice, white-breasted nuthatches, pileated woodpeckers, and blue jays call while migrating birds like Canada Geese pass overhead.
If you find yourself with an hour or two to spare between screenings, we at WLC welcome you to visit one of our public nature preserves. Below, find an overview of our various sites.
Zena Cornfield is an easy half-mile walk through an historic agricultural site with stunning views of Overlook Mountain. Dogs allowed on leash.
Location: Zena Road, across from Little Deep
Trail type: Mowed Walking Path
Difficulty level: Easy
Dog rules: Dogs must be on leash
Parking: Limited to three spaces off-road on Gitnick Road
Sloan Gorge Preserve offers a one-mile woodland loop through 350 million years of geological history. The gorge features bluestone, fungi, and exceptional mosses. Check the kiosk for our Geological Field Guide, created by Dr. Robert Titus.
Location: 487 Stoll Road, Woodstock
Trail type: Hiking trail with self-guided geologic tour
Difficulty level: Moderate
Dog rules: Dogs must be on leash
Parking: Parking is limited to 6-7 spots. If the lot is full, please return another time.
Israel Wittman Sanctuary, our largest preserve, features more than four miles of trails winding through forests, wetlands, creeks, and springs. Please note: Dogs are not permitted at this preserve.
Location: End of Old Sawmill Road, Saugerties
Trail type: Three hiking trail loops totaling 4.4 miles
Difficulty level: Easy
Dog rules: No dogs permitted
Note: Bikes allowed
Parking: Parking is limited to 6-8 spaces. No parking allowed along Old Sawmill Road.
In West Hurley, off 28, Rock Oak Preserve, after a few switchbacks, reaches a scenic overlook, passing oaks and glacial erratics deposited by the last ice age. Observe the history of the Ashokan Reservoir’s creation with a stark rock cut, once used to move materials to the reservoir.
Location: 230 Basin Road, West Hurley
Trail type: One-mile loop trail with switchbacks and a spur trail through the rock-cut
Difficulty level: Moderate
Dog friendly: Dogs allowed on leash
Parking: Parking is limited. If the lot is full, please return another time.
Snake Rocks Preserve includes a secluded quarry pond surrounded by hills of slag and views of the Catskills and Burroughs Range. Parking is quite limited, with two marked spaces on Yerry Hill Road, necessitating an uphill ¼ mile walk to enter the right-of-way leading into the Preserve.
Location: Top of Nordic Drive. Walk a steep ¼ mile hill from Yerry Hill parking spots.
Trail type: Hiking trail
Difficulty level: Moderate
Dog rules: Dogs must be on leash
Parking: Parking is limited to two spots along the guardrail on Yerry Hill Road, south of Nordic Drive. Parking is not permitted on Nordic Drive
The Comeau is one of the closest hikes to the Festival’s center in the town. Right behind the Woodstock Town offices, bright paper birches frame Woodstock’s beloved Sawkill Creek. Woodstock Land Conservancy oversees the conservation easement at this site.
Location: 45 Comeau Drive, Woodstock
Trail type: Walking Trail
Difficulty level: Easy
Dog rules: Dogs must be on leash
Note: Bikes not allowed
Parking: Parking in the upper Comeau lot
If you're looking for an accessible outing, the Ashokan Rail Trail, stewarded in partnership with Ulster County and the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, stretches 11.5 miles along the Ashokan Reservoir and offers expansive views of both water and mountains. Join us for our Anniversary Walk and Ride on October 18 from 12 - 3 pm at the Boiceville Trailhead.
Location: 3 Trailheads in West Hurley (6a), Shokan (6b), and Boiceville (6c)
Trail type: Walking Trail
Difficulty level: Easy
Dog rules: Dogs must be on leash
Note: Bikes allowed
Parking: Parking at Trailheads only
Please check www.woodstocklandconservancy.org for further instructions about preservation rules and hours.
The Woodstock Land Conservancy is committed to the protection and preservation of the open lands, forests, water resources, scenic areas, and historic sites in Woodstock and the surrounding area. Accredited by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission, the Conservancy protects and stewards more than 1,000 acres of land in the eastern Catskills area. Learn more at www.woodstocklandconservancy.org or follow us on Instagram @woodstock_land_conservancy.