Outdoors · Hudson Valley
Hunter Is Kaaterskill Clove
Hunter's local identity is shaped by Kaaterskill Wild Forest, dramatic clove roads, high Catskill terrain, and the careful management of a famous waterfall.
Published June 24, 2026 · Last verified June 24, 2026
Hunter is mountain-town drama with practical edges. DEC describes the 7,620-acre Kaaterskill Wild Forest as part of the Catskill Forest Preserve, with hiking trails, dramatic cliffs, scenic waterfalls, deep valleys, and iconic Kaaterskill Falls.
The Town of Hunter’s official site places the town atop the high peaks of the Great Northern Catskill Mountains. Its visitor advisory tells the other half of the story: Kaaterskill Clove and the falls are popular enough that parking rules, designated lots, backup plans, and towing warnings matter. That combination makes Hunter feel like itself.
The landscape is genuinely big, steep, and famous, but the local experience is also about narrow roads, trailheads, crowd pressure, and the town’s job of keeping the clove usable.
Kaaterskill Falls, Kaaterskill Clove, Hunter, and the Catskills all belong in the same thought. The beauty is real, and so are the parking rules, designated lots, and backup plans that keep a good day from turning messy.
That is the neighborly advice for Hunter: admire the drama, but plan for the bottlenecks. The clove rewards care more than improvising at the trailhead.