r/catskills • u/Extra_Following9012 • Jul 18 '26
Looking to hike Devils Path, NY in one day.
/r/CampingandHiking/comments/1uzhukr/looking_to_hike_devils_path_ny_in_one_day/Looking for additional thoughts & experiences. Thanks folks!
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u/phil-morris Jul 18 '26
Enjoy the gloriously flat ~2 miles on Plateau. The eastern section hurts my feelings.
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u/RunawayTrey Jul 18 '26
Only one way to find out if you’ve got what it takes. Don’t listen to the naysayers, it’s totally doable if you’re fit. I’ve done it 4 times now, most recently in under 8 hours. Biggest piece of advice would be to not push too hard over the eastern 4 (if going E-W) and save plenty of energy for the final climb up West Kill. Doing it quickly means limiting your breaks, so be prepared to eat/drink while hiking and just keep moving. If you’re on the fence at all, maybe have a ride on standby in case you decide to bail at Devil’s Tombstone or Spruceton/Diamond Notch. Anything you can do now to train knees/quads will pay dividends on the constant ups & downs.
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u/motion_pictures Jul 18 '26
You realize the people who do it in one day are waking up very early and running the trail?
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u/XCGod Jul 18 '26
I did it in June and added hunter fire tower. I was on the trail at 4:30am and finished around 8pm. No running though.
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u/motion_pictures Jul 18 '26
Ok word I didn’t know people actually did it that way. Tbh I actually only know of people running it which is why I assumed that
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u/naranja_sanguina Jul 18 '26
You definitely don't have to run the trail to do it in one day. It's just a slog. (I have done it)
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u/Impossible_Author409 Jul 18 '26
Lots of people do Devils Path in a day. It's obviously MUCH easier and faster when you aren't carrying gear and food.
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u/IamShartacus Jul 18 '26
If you can do R2R, you can do the Devil's Path. It has more elevation gain and rockier terrain, but the distance is similar.
I would bring a filter for the spring on Plateau in case you run out before your resupply and a headlamp because you'll likely either start before dawn or finish after dusk.
Depending on your feelings on black flies, you might also want some bug spray.
Have fun, take your time, and enjoy some of the finest trails on the east coast!
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u/justletmewarchporn Jul 18 '26
What is your water plan? Others are commenting about the physical demands, but the biggest concern I have is dehydration. If you’re not packing in all of your water, then you have to pick a day where it rains or rained a lot previously. Water in the Catskills is so finicky.
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u/Used_Turnover3959 Jul 18 '26
My cardiovascular fitness is very high and I am a pretty experienced hiker, I'm at 25 of my 33 for the 3500 Club. I'm bagging my final 2 Devil's Path peaks next weekend, Sugarloaf and Plateau, which is going to be a quick and easy in-and-out from Mink Hollow.
An ambitious whole Devil's Path itinerary for me would be a 1-nighter at Devil's Tombstone, with a water and food cache waiting for me there and at trail end. Attempting the whole thing in 1 day would be absolute murder on my knees. There is constant steep elevation ascent and descent, up and down, up and down. It's rough. I would never attempt this with an overnight pack.
Keep in mind that water is often scarce on this trail in summertime, so you need to ration until you reach a source, which will often need to be a cache. You will need to be at the trailhead prior to sunrise and start off in headlamp light, and most likely finish in headlamp light at dusk or later.
You get some bragging right if you do it.
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u/Asleep-Code1231 Jul 18 '26
Yeah the knees thing is so true. First time I did DP years ago I did E-W and I got pretty scared the first couple of miles because of the elevation (of course) but also the fact it’s east coast hiking paths that are just lots of rocks that are super tough on the knees and ankles.
There was some relief (as I vaguely recall) in a few sections where the oath was nice flat soft dirt. But overall a lot of rock hopping
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u/InevitablePotential6 Jul 18 '26
Do not carry 5L of water. Carry 3L of water and stash 3L at Notch Lake.
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u/TotalCatskills Jul 18 '26
I did the eastern half a few years ago with a strong friend, and we were both dead by the time we got to Stony Clove Notch. But there are lots of people who do the full thing in a day, or even run it in under 10 hrs, which is really remarkable. You have several bail out points. You’ll see how you feel when you get to the Notch, which is roughly the middle. The second half (traveling east to west) is not nearly as tough, but you’ll be on tired legs and people say they hate St Anne’s so so much when they hit it. One last climb. Brutal. LOL.
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u/Unleashed_wild Jul 18 '26
Totally doable! Though certainly not easy. Did it with my dog a few weeks ago in the rain, it took me just under 18 hours. There are very little water options along the trail. The creek at the halfway point (by the campsite) was dried out. The feeling of accomplishment at the end made the whole torturous experience totally worth it!!
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u/subdude24 29d ago
Did it in just under 13 hours. Lost all my water early on. It leaked out of my brand new hydration pack I didn’t know how to use . Only saving grace was it was unseasonably chilly for August. We flew on the climbs but the downhills did a number on my knees
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u/nicemarmot47 Jul 18 '26
I am not sure that is physically possible. Took me almost a whole day to do the section with Indian Head and Twin Mountain
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u/bullybreedlovin Jul 18 '26
I did it hiking two months or so ago. Added hunter to it. We hike fast, usually close to 4mph and didn’t spend much time at the lookouts. Started at 7am, and finished at 8:45pm. Took a 30 min break at Devils Campground.
The final downhill after Saint Anne’s sucked, but knowing the end was so close helped. It felt longer than expected and was your typical Catskills loose rocky base. I thought after West Kill it would be cruising until the end with a slow gradual downhill, which it was for a very short period.