Thirty-one guided hikes and walks explore the rich variety of landscapes in eastern upstate New York that offer still-visible evidence of the area’s long and colorful history from prehistoric Native American settlements to abandoned 20th-century industries. Walk in the footsteps of those whose lives had a profound impact on history—like John Burroughs, Eleanor Roosevelt, Sir William Johnson, and “Gentleman Johnny” Burgoyne—and many others who led quieter lives but also left a legacy.
Visit the site where a British Army surrendered and ended one of the pivotal battles of the American Revolution; an abandoned bluestone quarry where hikers have created “Catskill furniture”; Colonial homesteads and estates; remnants of “Clinton's Ditch”—the original Erie Canal; “Gilded Age” great estates and presidential retreats; crumbling icehouse ruins and geological marvels; magnificent waterfalls, ice caves, and four-state views; and much more—a kaleidoscope of upstate New York's beautiful natural areas and the stories they tell. Featuring nearly 150 full-color photographs and maps.