Ashokan Reservoir Promenade West Parking Lot New York 12461,

"Very pretty, great view of the Slide Mountain Wilderness! Solid flat walk with a sweet view. Parking was easy. :)"

"Great bike ride! Plenty of people on this trail."

"This place is stunning! I love huge bodies of water and I love the Catskills. This place is surrounded by Catskills! It's such an easy walk as well. It's definitely a must see, if you want to experience the Catskills without the work of mountain climbing."

"Absolutely awesome pedestrian/biker path. I found this access point in particular to be quiet in the early mornings. From they parking lot to the East Promenade lot it’s about 2 1/2 miles making it a solid 5 mile walk/run."

"The Ashokan Reservoir Trails are one of the highlights of the Catskills. The work NY State with Scenic Hudson has done to build the different trails and parking areas around the Ashokan Reservoir is amazing. Some parking areas are still under construction. There are a few different parking lots all around the Reservoir. While the Reservoir trail is paved, in the winter it can be icy and difficult to walk on. The Promenade Trail gets great sun so it’s often in better shape in the winter. An easy walk is the almost 3 mile flat walk along the southern side of the reservoir. The path is flat. I’ve seen people biking, roller blading, pushing a baby carriage and running while I walk this path. There is one short section near the halfway point where you have to walk along the road without a sidewalk. While it feels safe I would be careful in this area. Both sides have parking and porta potties available. I’ve walked it both ways and it doesn’t matter which end you start at. The parking lots can fill up on busy weekends. The western end is more popular so you might find better parking on the eastern end of the Promenade Trail. The views of the Catskills are outstanding any month of the year. Looking west you see the Slide Mountain Wilderness area. It will make you want to get over to that area to hike those wilderness trails with Catskills highest mountain. You walk across where the Ashokan flows back into the Esopus Creek. There is an eagle nest in trees near the J. Waldo Smith monument which is near the halfway point and has a paved path off the main trail to get to it. Worth the short side trip. Keep an eye out and you might see a couple of eagles flying over the reservoir. I often pick up lunch at Bread Alone before starting the walk. It’s a great day in the Catskills for everyone."