The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is promoting trail safety during the fall hiking season. The agency has made safety improvements to a Catskill trail after a series of fatal accidents near Kaaterskill Falls.
DEC officials highlighted an $800,000 investment into trails at the Kaaterskill Wild Forest area in the Town of Hunter.
Using funds from Governor Andrew Cuomo’s NY Works program, improvements include a new 200-foot cable hand rail on a trail leading to the middle pool of the Kaaterskill Falls.
The Adirondack Mountain Club also completed improvements to the trail. A half-mile section of a trail leading to the Kaaterskill trail system was also upgraded.
DEC Forest Rangers are reminding hikers to stay on designated trails, wear proper footwear, and not allow children to wander.