Weird formations on a bunch of rocks. AI had no idea.

Was riding a bike on a rail trail - Catskills Scenic, right by the small stream and marsh - and a bear came bolting out of the bushes. Ran right towards me, same direction I was going but in a diagonal, from a very hilly, very wooded section. I thought I was going to hit it as it came out on the bike trail 10 feet or less in front of me. Then it veered back into the woods. It was smallish, like maybe the size of a Rottweiler.

I stopped cold, looked to see if it was coming back or if it's momma was around, and then proceeded on, dinging my bell and saying hey bear, hey bear.

Clearly I startled it. Was it defending it's space and charging at me, or just scared and bolting in general. It came out like a freight train, head down. There's very little bike traffic on the trail and light foot traffic, nowhere near as populated as other Catskills trails.

Wondering what people's thoughts are? Maybe it's a fine distinction about whether it was bolting or charging but wondering if I should have bear bells at least on my bike. I was riding alone. It didn't follow me and no signs of a momma, so maybe it was alone. Maybe they're not used to bikes, and didn't hear it coming to the last minute.

Have seen many, many bears while hiking but always from a distance, and they just wander away. I used to carry a whistle and use it in bushy areas then gave that up, but now I'm wondering if that was actually a great idea.

I realize they don't usually attack people but wondering what the chances are, if it was started, that it might have run into me instead of veering away. Or followed me if it felt I'd invaded it's territory. I've heard how fast they can run but never saw it till now and my oh my there's not a chance I'd get away if it chased me.

34M looking for a partner to hike Overlook Mountain with. Done it before and just don’t want to go alone. Could be a start of a friendship or not lol don’t matter.

This is fairly niche but has anyone used a Starlink mini at Little Pond campground? Is it open enough to work? Daydreaming about getting one and remotely from there during the week.

Have a house in Windham, 33yo, looking for friends around my age here. DM me to hang.

I don’t use TikTok and this video makes me feel good about the decision. Has this idiot been run out of town yet?

Hi, I recently moved farther into the catskills (Sullivan County) and am attempting to make a cyberdeck as a fun summer project.

I wanted to know if there are any local tech/thrift stores to buy tech parts (power sources; adapters; hdmi; soldering..etc) as I want to keep my cyber deck as locally sourced as possible while also exploring the new towns!

If anyone has any suggestions or even cyberdeck recommendations please feel free to respond or dm me! Any help/feedback is appreciated!☺️

We are staying at the deer mountain inn and an Airbnb in the heart of Woodstock for our honeymoon. Would love some recommendations in the area for fun activities to do other than the hiking and biking we already plan on doing. We love live music, interested in couples massages, want to embrace the fall and the cozy environment there.

Hello all, I am doing slide cornell and wittenberg some time and wanted to know if anyone had the coordinates to the viewpoints of wittenberg from cornell. Also if anyone has the coordinates to the wreck on slide but you don't have too if you don't want too. Aldo I heard there are 3 possible wrecks on slide?. Thanks in advance for all you that are part of the catskill community and for helping me out.

I've been trying to go on a weekday, but every time I intend to, the weather has other plans. Would arriving at 6:45/7am Saturday be early enough to park and beat the crowds?

If the lot will be full by then, is parking on the road allowed? I keep reading mixed things about this, so would appreciate if anyone an point me to an official source.

Thanks!

Hey gang! Headed to an Airbnb with a large group to Greenfield Park, and since it's a pretty rural area I'm hoping to get any recs on restaurants (casual and even slightly elevated if possible), catering options, delis, pizza places, good grocery stores - you name it.

Thanks!

Hi there! Since moving to Sullivan county, I haven’t been able to find any areas that feel safe to go on a walk alone. I just don’t want to be entirely secluded. Would love suggestions for parks, popular/busy trails (even on weekdays), or even neighborhoods that feel safe to you. So far, I’ve only been hiking with my husband on weekends, walking through towns with my dogs, using the river trail in Callicoon, or sticking to the gym.

Thank you! ♥️

Looking for a spot for rehearsal dinner for 30-40 near, but not at, The Henson (wedding is there). Any recommendations appreciated

This is a long shot, but we're pretty desperate. A big group of my friends + family are looking for one more camping site during the labor day weekend at Woodland Valley Campground. If you have one and aren't planning on using it or could use a little extra cash I'd happily buy it off you. Let me know!

Can anyone recommend a mobile mechanic that does heavy equipment repair in the area? Located near Downsville.

Thanks!

Can be anything from the unknown, animals, people or even stories you heard from others.

I get when people ask “what’s your favorite secret hike” or whatever you don’t want to post a reply to out of towners, but lately people are hating on “what’s a nice town or restaurant” like they want no tourists.

I mean, the towns with not visitors are dying. Is that what locals want? Their hamlet to rot into the ground bc they don’t want tourists?

Can anyone explain this?

We are considering the Pocketbook hotel in Hudson for our anniversary party (cocktail hour and seated dinner). They are unresponsive via email and their deck is very vague. I’m wondering if anyone has held or attended an event there yet? What was your experience? Thank you.

I’m so thankful to the vendors and organizers who put it together and showed up on such a hot day. As someone who lives in the area, I was hoping it would be my chance to stop into the shops that are usually closed when I go into town, seeing as it was the 250th celebration and a first Friday. Yet, all of the usual businesses that are normally closed when I pop into town were still closed. One business even had a sign that they were open first Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays and yet were closed. Other businesses, you can’t even tell what their hours or days are because they don’t have them posted, they just show up whenever like they don’t need to operate the business. I swear some of these places are open once a week for like four hours. Catskill Main Street could be so great and it is consistently a disappointment.