Burroughs Range Trail

Burroughs Range Trail is a long-distance, expert Catskills hike built around a loop over Wittenberg, Cornell, and Slide Mountain. It’s typically done as a rugged 15–17 mile loop (depending on starting point and road walking), with about 5,000 ft of elevation gain and a full-day timeframe of roughly 8–11 hours for advanced hikers.

The route’s standout difficulty comes from steep rock scrambling and exposed moves, including the Cornell Crack approach on Cornell Mountain—about a 20-foot vertical crevice that requires confident hand-and-foot technique (and a careful plan for how you’ll negotiate it).

Common access patterns use either Woodland Valley Campground to climb Wittenberg first or the Slide Mountain Trailhead on Oliverea Road to climb Slide first; to link the full loop, you should expect about a mile or two of road walking to connect ends of the trail network.

If you want the classic “range” experience, plan on summit time on all three Catskills 3500-foot peaks: Wittenberg (3,782 ft), Cornell (3,858 ft), and Slide (4,184 ft). The route is best approached by hikers who can handle steep terrain and frequent changes in footing without relying on a simple grade-only climb.

Route pacing matters: it’s often executed as a two-day hike with primitive camping along the range, particularly in the col between Cornell and Slide. Designated lean-to and primitive campsite areas exist along the route corridor for overnight options.

For terrain and traction planning, expect rocky ledges and slick sections at times, with terrain that repeatedly pushes traction and foot placement. Plan for sturdy, high-traction hiking boots; rocky scrambling is a core part of the day, not a side feature.

More information: Burroughs Range Trail Loop, Burroughs Range Trail, 4/30-5/1 Burroughs Range Loop (Wittenburg-Cornell-Slide)