DEC Releases Visitor Use Management Reports for High Peaks Wilderness and Kaaterskill Clove - Public Feedback on Consultant Recommendations Inform Future Management Decisions

ALBANY — New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Amanda Lefton today announced the release of two reports, prepared by planning firms DJ&A and Otak, regarding Visitor Use Management (VUM) for the Adirondack High Peaks Wilderness and Kaaterskill Clove region of the Catskill Park. DEC is soliciting feedback from the public to help inform additional actions the State may take to enhance safety and the visitor experience.

“The Adirondack High Peaks and Kaaterskill Clove area in the Catskills are two of DEC’s most popular outdoor destinations because of their outstanding beauty and recreational opportunities,” Commissioner Lefton said. “Listening to public perspectives about our consultants’ use assessment will provide DEC with important input to continue supporting successful strategies for balancing public access and the long-term conservation and enjoyment of these popular Forest Preserve destinations.”

Over the last decade, visitation to public lands across the country, including New York’s Forest Preserve, has been on an upward trend. The Adirondack High Peaks and the Catskill Park’s Kaaterskill Clove are among the most highly visited regions in the State, with each location experiencing the compounding effects of traffic and parking congestion, potentially unsafe conditions along busy state highways, crowded trails, summits and other points of interest, and physical degradation of trails and other facilities.

Development of the VUM reports as a core management tool was recommended by two Advisory Groups convened to provide DEC with recreation recommendations for the High Peaks and Catskills. In 2023, DEC awarded a two-year contract to Otak, Inc., a research, planning, and design firm to develop the reports in consultation with the public, local officials, and other stakeholders.

Now completed, the High Peaks Wilderness and Kaaterskill Clove reports focus specifically on strategies to address impacts from increasing visitation and public safety impacts. The consultants’ reports highlight findings related to visitor use patterns, behaviors, and preferences while recreating within each area, and provide recommendations on adaptive management strategies that support a safe and high-quality visitor experience.

The release of the reports does not signify DEC adoption of the recommendations. The reports represent one set of tools and recommendations that DEC will utilize in future land management decision making. These independent consultant products will be evaluated alongside ecological assessments, trail and other recreational facility assessments, community input, statutory and regulatory requirements, and other land management principals and partnership opportunities. For example, DEC partners with the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry to monitor the physical impacts of recreation on nature at select recreational sites including trails, lakes, streams, camp sites, lean-tos, rock climbing areas, and boat launches in the Forest Preserve. This monitoring helps assess change dynamics and facilitate adaptive management decisions to support ecosystem health on the Forest Preserve.

Management actions specific to the High Peaks Wilderness and Kaaterskill Clove will be developed and implemented based on the feedback provided and in consultation with local partners.

Public Feedback  

Public feedback is integral to the ongoing VUM process. DEC is holding virtual meetings for each report: the High Peaks Wilderness meeting will be held on April 22, 2026, at 6:00 p.m.; the Kaaterskill Clove meeting will be held on April 29, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. Comments on the reports can also be submitted by email to forestpreserve@dec.ny.gov by June 1, 2026.

The Visitor Use Management Reports were informed by social research, public and stakeholder input, and DEC policies and regulations. DEC encourages the public to consider the following questions in sharing feedback:

Are there management strategies in the report for the High Peaks you support or would like to see prioritized? If so, why?

Are there management strategies in the report for Kaaterskill Clove you support or would like to see prioritized? If so, why?

Are there management strategies in the report for the High Peaks you do not support? If so, why?

Are there management strategies in the report for Kaaterskill Clove you do not support. If so, why?

To view the Recommendation Reports, public meeting details, and additional background information about Visitor Use Management on the Forest Preserve, visit DEC’s website.