Peekamoose Mountain

Peekamoose Mountain is a mountain in the Slide Mountain Wilderness, nested within the Catskills mountains of New York. It is a part of the Catskills 3500 club list of required peaks. It is a popular hike in the region, with multiple routes to the top, as well as other peaks and points of interest nearby that can be possibly added tot he hike.

Common Routes

The most direct route up to Peekamoose is from the Peekamoose Road trailhead via the Peekamoose Table Trail. This route is only about 3.6 miles to the top with 2,588 ft. of elevation gain. While the distance is short this route is steeper than the average ascent in the Catskills. There is also a $10 fee to park along Peekamoose Road, due to the increasing popularity of the Peekamoose Blue Hole and the overuse issues that have come with the increased use of the area. Another common route would be to do this peak in combination with Table Mountain via the Denning Road Trailhead. The summit of Table is only about 0.8 miles away from the summit of Peekamoose. More ambitious pairings exist as well, with this being one of The Catskill Six, as well as The Catskill Nine. These routes include the rest of the high peaks in the Slide Mountain Wilderness, which are Table, Lone, Rocky, Balsam Cap, Friday, Cornell, Wittenberg and Slide. Any combination of these peaks exists as a possible route for capable hikers.

Summit and Views

The summit has a partial clearing and a large rock to sit on and enjoy views of the Ashokan Reservoir. On a clear day and with binoculars, the Smiley Monument near the Mohonk Mountain House can be seen to the south.

Water

There is no reliable water on the way up Peekamoose from Peekamoose road. The closest reliable water source would be the spring near Table Mountain, about a mile from the summit. Hikers will pass this source on their way if they approach from the Denning Road Trailhead.

Camping

When approaching from Peekamoose Road, there are no designated campsites or shelters to speak of, however, hikers can always camp in the wilderness if they are 150 ft. away from a water source, trailhead, or shelter, and are below 3,500 feet in elevation. From the Denning Road Side, there are ample camping opportunities. There are many designated campsites near the Neversink River and the Fisherman's Path, as well as the Table Mountain Lean-to which is close to the summit of Table.

Other Nearby Points of Interest

The Peekamoose Blue hole is an extremely popular swimming destination in the Catskills and is known for having extremely blue water. This site attracts people from all over and can get very crowded in the summer months.