On my final day in the Catskills, I opted to do a repeat hike that is just fun - Overlook Fire Tower. It's one of the most popular hikes in the Catskills, so the trail would be broken. Plus, the hike is on a gravel road, so while it's uphill the entire way, the terrain isn't difficult.
Because it is so popular, a second parking lot has been built down the road, with a connecting trail and two side loops added. These I had not yet done.
Despite not getting an alpine start, I saw only a few people on the trail when I set out. I stopped at the ruins before proceeding to the tower. Two women and a dog were at the overlook, but no one else was at the top of the mountain, so I climbed the tower.
On the descent, many more people were streaming up the hill. But when I turned off to the access trail, the people disappeared.
These new trails were peaceful and enjoyable, but they don't go to any vistas or natural sites of interest. They're just a nice walk in the woods.
From there, it was home again, because a storm was due to come in that night. I just thought it would make for bad hiking, but it turned out to be devastating. It was rain, not snow, and it melted all the snow on the ground, causing massive flooding. This, in turn, caused major infrastructure damage.
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