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1.5 km
~27 min
94 m
Out and Back
“Two thundering falls, mossy gorge walls, and slick stone steps—short, steep, and best taken carefully.”
This is a short but steep waterfall-to-waterfall leg in Kaaterskill Clove (Catskill Park / Kaaterskill Wild Forest) that packs a lot into ~1 km / 0.6 mi with roughly 100 m / 330 ft of elevation change. Even at this distance it earns a “difficult” feel because the terrain is often wet, rocky, and stair-stepped, and the consequences of a slip near the gorge can be serious.
Because your hike-head field is blank, the most logical “Bastion Falls and Kaaterskill Falls” start for a ~1 km outing is the lower access at Bastion Falls on NY-23A in Kaaterskill Clove, near the well-known hairpin turn where the road crosses the creek. Bastion Falls is widely described as the trailhead area for the route toward Kaaterskill Falls. (greatnortherncatskills.com)
If you’d rather start from the top (often easier footing to a viewpoint), the common upper access is the Laurel House Road parking area in Haines Falls (ZIP 12436) for the viewing platform and upper trail network. (greatnortherncatskills.com)
You’ll begin right beside the road corridor in the clove—expect the sound of traffic mixed with rushing water. Within moments, Bastion Falls appears as a compact, powerful cascade dropping in steps right off the creek, especially impressive after rain. (worldwaterfalldatabase.com)
From here, the route toward Kaaterskill Falls quickly commits to the gorge environment: stone steps, slick bedrock, and rooty tread are common. Over only ~0.5 km / 0.3 mi, you’ll gain on the order of 50–100 m / 165–330 ft depending on exactly where you turn around (or which overlook/landing you target). The short distance can be deceptive—plan for slow pacing and frequent “three points of contact” moves on wet rock.
As you climb deeper into the clove, the forest shifts into classic Catskill escarpment mix—hardwoods with hemlock pockets in cooler, shaded drainages. Wildlife is typical for the region: songbirds, chipmunks, and the possibility of black bear in the broader forest preserve (rarely an issue on busy corridors
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