Kelly Hollow Loop is one of the most beautiful hiking trails in the Catskills.

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This track leaves out the northwestern 0.8 mile section of the loop. I can’t wait to go back and explore this missing section.

Hiking Trail Description

Short, easy and thoroughly absorbing, Kelly Hollow Loop is one of the most beautiful trails in the Catskills. It came highly-recommended to me from several friends and it really delivered.

The drive out to Mill Brook Road, from Rte 28, passes through a picturesque area of rural New York that includes many working farms. From there, the day only improves.

After a short walk from the parking area and trail register, the trail crosses a small stream, turns right, and heads uphill past an iron gate.

The trail, an old road, soon passes through a spruce forest that was planted by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930’s.

The CCC was a voluntary public work relief program that operated from 1933 to 1942, as a New Deal initiative — part of FDR’s response to the Great Depression. The Corps provided manual labor jobs for unemployed, unmarried men. It focussed on the conservation and development of natural resources owned by federal, state, and local governments. To this day, the Catskills are peppered with many traces of the CCC’s work.

After half a mile of moderate incline, you come to a junction. You’ll arrive back here via the connector trail to your right. For now, stay to the left. The next two miles are the heart of the hike.

Right away, my wife and I picked up an abundance of tracks in the snow: mice, rabbit, chipmunk, deer, and a steady bobcat track that patrolled the hollow almost the whole way around the entire 4 mile loop.

The yellow-blazed trail is marked for cross-country skiing. The east side is flat and easy. The west side offers a more drama. Mountain hikers will find it all exceptionally easy.

Continuing on, the woods in Kelly Hollow switch back and forth continually between soaring spruce and hemlock, and stands of bare deciduous trees.

After leaving the spruce woods, the trail turns right and heads down to cross a stream. This spot is a jumping-off point for a bushwhack climb to Mill Brook Ridge.

Cross the stream and follow the trail heading northwest. To your right, across the hollow, you can see the spruce woods you just walked through.

After working your way around the shoulder, the trail heads up into a Norway spruce plantation.

The lean-to here is situated beautifully. This is a great spot to camp overnight and listen to the coyotes yip and howl.

Work your way around the beaver pond. This was another CCC project, but now the beavers own it. You’ll see their lodge as a low hump on the right side of the pond. The northern flanks of Mill Brook Ridge tower over the hollow. It’s a really beautiful protected enclosure.

Here, the bobcat tracks we’d been following left the trail and headed out to the lodge for an inspection.

The trail now turns right and heads north.

There are so many cute footbridges in Kelly Hollow I lost track of how many we’d crossed. There are a handful more to cross on the way out.

The descent is gradual though there are a few spots that are a little steep and, in winter, require extra care (and microspikes).

My track from this hike leaves out the northwestern section of the full loop. Adding that section, plus the short road walk back to your car, would add about a mile to the hike. But the 0.2 mile connector trail back to the east side of the trail is really charming and not to be missed. If you do the whole loop as a figure-eight, you’ll cross it from both directions.

We turned right here and followed the connector trail. It descends windingly to a stream, where there’s one more footbridge.

There are not many rock outcroppings along the trail so it was nice to pass by these grand moss-covered boulders near the end of the hike. This trail gives you a little of everything.

The trail curves left again and you come to the final footbridge, which might be the prettiest of the lot.

Finally, the connector trail then ascends sharply to the junction with the main trail. Turn left to head back down to your car in less than half a mile.

After the hike, we drove through Arkville on Rte 28 and pulled in to Oakley’s for a slice of pizza. Verified that top-notch wood-fired pizza dough with my face.

You might enjoy this list of beautiful hikes in the Catskills, or this growing list of hikes that features exceptional stands of hemlock trees. This trail is next to Mill Brook Ridge, one of the Lower Catskills Mountains, many of which offer wonderful hiking trails and bushwhacks, and exceptional scenic views.

If you do this hike, let me know how it goes in the comments below…