Catskills Visitor Center

Yes - you can park at the Catskills Visitor Center and walk the (easy & lovely) trail from the CVC across Route 28 and down to the Esopus. Or if you prefer you can also park in the smaller lot across the street from the CVC and take a shorter trail down to the Esopus. That lot is more convenient but can fill quickly on weekends and nice summer days. There are a number of other places to access the Creek in the area, but the CVC definitely offers the easiest parking and access to other amenities (restrooms, picnic tables, snacks, etc). Happy exploring!

The Fire Tower and Cabin are expected to be constructed in 2019. When complete, the tower and cabin will include information on the role of fire towers and observers, along with information on Forest Rangers.

The Catskill Interpretive Center is not staffed 24-hours a day and therefore, the building itself cannot be kept open 24-hours due to security issues. The bathrooms are located within the building. The building is open 7 days a week from 9:30am to 4:30pm and until 6:30pm on Fridays. We are exploring opportunities to increase the hours of operation and provide additional on-site services, but at this time, nothing is planned in the short term. The Catskill Interpretive Center is a partnership between the Catskill Center, a nonprofit organization and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. The Catskill Center is responsible for the management and operation of the CIC.