Taconic Crest Loop
- Reach Your Summit
- Oct 14
- 14 min read
Total Miles: 33.5 miles
Total Elevation: 9,987 ft
Duration: 2 -3 Days
The Taconic Crest Loop hits several iconic landmarks and is similar in mileage, elevation gain, and number of climbed named peaks to the Pemi Loop of New Hampshire's White Mountains. It circumnavigates the Taconic Mountain Range by way of the South Taconic Trail and Appalachian Trail with a couple of connectors.
The Taconic Crest Loop is a backpacking loop I pieced together back in 2019 after successfully pioneering the 40 mile FRV Loop one year prior. It is made up of a network trails around the borders of New York, Massachussetts and Connecticut. Though I've put this Taconic Crest Loop together, I'm sure others have completed something similar as there are different options for completing a loop in the area. The trails I've used are:
South Taconic Trail
Mt Washington State Forest Trails
Riga Plateau Trails
Appalachian Trail
Video of my solo 2 day backpacking trip on the loop in September 2025. I went counter-clockwise for this one.
Gear I Used On My Recent Solo Completion Of The Loop
Taconic Crest Loop Maps
What To Expect On The Taconic Crest Loop?
Terrain: rocky, rooty, singletrack, scree, forest service and farm roads, asphalt, soft and hard pack dirt
Vegetation: hardwood forest, wetlands, farmland, ski trails
Wildlife/Insects: black bear, coyote, bobcat, chipmunks, squirrels, fox, hawks, owls, rattlesnakes, ticks, bees, flies, mosquitoes
Remoteness: somewhat remote, cell service might be spotty in places but otherwise reliable
Water/Resupply: water is pretty reliable in most places depending on seasonal conditions, resupply isn't required for such a short loop but there are some options just outside of the loop in the towns of Copake and Salisbury
Possible Natural Hazards: flooded trail, blowdowns, thunderstorms, snow storms, heat/humidity, wind, lightning
Permits: not required for this loop, though reservations and a fee are required if camping in Taconic State Park
Season: this engaging loop can be hiked year-round and offers something different in each season
Trip Planning & Logistics
A satellite view of the Taconic Crest Loop
South Taconic Trail
There are several starting point options for this loop, but the best and most reliable is at Catamount Mountain Resort. This will help break the loop nearly into half if planning a 2 day trip, or break mileage up almost equally for a 3 day trip. I've always contacted Catamount Mountain Resort a week in advance to ask if I can park on their property and they've always been accommodating. This makes the pre-trip preparations easier and offers a nice starting point and end point for the loop. Though this loop can be completed in all seasons, try to avoid going during the winter if any significant snow is expected as this ski area can be very busy. The same will apply to all of the other starting point options throughout the loop as you might get plowed in at the other trailheads. The following information will break this loop down into a 3-day trip.
Day 1: 12.5 Miles
Starting from the lot, I like to take a short dirt road walk through Catamount property and connect with a ski trail that the resort has designated as a summer hiking trail. This trail makes its way up toward the summit of Mt Fray. As you approach the top, you'll share part of the trail with some of the mountain's ski trails and will also notice a zip-line. Toward the upper end of the zip-line the South Taconic Trail then subtly cuts back into the woods at around the 1.6 mile mark from the parking lot. It's important to note that part of this stretch also passes closeby to residential private property so awareness of any boundary markers and respectfully passing by will help prevent this section of the trail (and loop) from being closed or rerouted in the future.
Shortly after entering the woods, a clearing at the offical top of Mt Fray provides a beautiful view of the Catskills to the west. Continuing south, the loop continues to Prospect Hill and then Sunset Rock. There is a short out-and-back spur trail here that can be bypassed, but I always enjoy stopping here for a quick break and enjoying another view of the towering peaks to the west. The STT then begins to descend into a beautiful and pristine ravine as you make your way toward Bash Bish Falls. This ravine is one of two throughout the loop. At the bottom of the ravine is the entrance to Bash Bish Fall State Park. This park can be busy and can be bypassed, but the 1.5 mile out-and-back trip to the falls is well worth it.
Leaving the falls, the STT passes a set of cabins which offer a place to stay for the night for a fee. I always like to continue south. From here, there will be a pretty significant climb to the top of the wooded Bash Bish Mountain. A reliable water source will greet you at the start of the climb and can be helpful for the steep scramble ahead. Once at the top, the trail then mellows out as you gradually make your way to Alander Mountain. The stretch to the summit of Alander includes a couple of short, steep climbs filled with some fun rocky, root filled terrain and remnants of an old fire tower that once stood near the top of the peak.
Mount Washington State Forest Trails
The 4,619 acre Mount Washington State Forest offers over 30 miles of hiking opportunities, some of which the TCL utilizes. Terrain in the forest is varied and the summit of Mt Alander is one of my favorites in the area. It is also home to the northeastern rattlesnake so it's good to keep aware while hiking through here on warm days when the sun is at its strongest.
After enjoying sweeping views of the Catskills to the west, and surrounding peaks to the south and east, there are two options:
The first is to continue south along the STT. The second is to take a side trail down from the peak to a primitive campsite about 0.75 miles away. If I am doing this loop as an overnight trip, I will go with the first option. The first option will continue on the STT (seen in my 2 day trip video shared earlier in this post) and will bring you along a descent with a couple of scrambles and some loose scree before coming to a junction. At the junction, bear left to stay on the South Taconic Trail. Eventually this will link up with the Ashley Hill Trail which you'll come off of if taking option two (shared below).
For a 3-day trip and the sake of this blog post, I'll go with the 0.75 mile hike down the Alander Mountain Trail to the primitive campsite.
This section of the trail has a couple of water sources along the way and a cabin close to the summit. The cabin is a neat highlight to check out and a nice option for shelter if the weather unexpectedly turns foul, but I always enjoy having a more wild experience out on the trail and prefer setting up my tarp or tent at the handful of spots within the designated primitive camp area. These sites are first come, first serve. There are also a couple of privies and bear boxes in the area, and water sources close by. Each site also has a picnic table which can be useful depending on the type of experience you are going for.
Day 2: 9 miles (10 miles if including Brace Mountain)
Leaving my site, I like to continue to Ashley Falls to fill up my water bottles for the day and then take the Ashley Hill Trail to link back up with the South Taconic Trail. This section is relatively flat and can be very muddy, water logged, and buggy depending on the time of year. Still it is quite beautiful and offers a fair amount of solitude. After a few miles of hiking this trail connects back with the South Taconic Trail and continues south gradually to a juncton that leads to the summit of Brace Mountain. Though this peak is not a part of the loop, it is a nice highlight to include and will add around another mile to the total mileage for the day. The grassy summit offers a 360 degree view of the surrounding area and its many prominent features. This peak can be bypassed if desired, but I always enjoy the short climb to it and like including it most of the time in this loop.
Riga Plateau Trails
From here, I'll retrace my steps back north on the STT and connect with the Mt Frissell Trail. This trail will bring you to a few highlights. First will be a tri-state marker for New York, Massachussetts and Connecticut, followed by Connecticut's Highpoint along the southwestern slope of Mt Frissell. Since most of the mountain itself is within Massachussetts, it is not a true Highest Peak in CT. Bear Mountain just to the south holds that claim as the entire mountain is within the Nutmeg state. After passing the highest point, I've always enjoyed a sweeping view of the Riga Plateau and the peaks I have ahead to complete the loop. From there the loop then makes its way to the wooded summit of Mt Frissell.
After leaving the summit, the trail involves a fairly steep, rocky and root filled descent similar to what can be found along certain hikes in New Hampshire's White Mountains. The trail then plateaus and begins a climb to the top of Round Mountain, which offers views in multiple locations. Another steep descent similar to Mt Frissell then leads out to a small dirt trailhead parking lot for the Mt Frissell Trail. Here I like to make my way across a dirt road over to a parking lot for the AMC Northwest Cabin and connect to a 0.6 mile trail which connects to the Appalachian Trail. The cabin is on private property and is reservation only through the AMC for a fee, but there is a nice reliable water source by the trail which can be a nice spot to fill up. Especially if leaving the STT ridgeline in dry conditions.
Appalachian Trail
The majority of the rest of this loop then follows the famed Appalachian Trail as it connects below the summit of Bear Mountain and continues north down into Sages Ravine. The ravine is close to 1 mile in length and parallels the Connecticut/Massachussetts border. Along the way are several waterfalls, hidden pools and dramatic rocky outcrops carved out from the past. All encased by hemlocks and dense forest that feels like something out of a fairytale book. There is an option to stay at the designated Sages Ravine campsite within the ravine itself, or to continue north along the AT into Massachussetts.
Near the end of the ravine are CT/MA border signs and a Welcome To Massachussetts sign/trail log soon follows a water crossing. Depending on the time of year and conditions the crossing can be a little tricky. The trail then gradually climbs
If completing the loop in a 3 day timeframe, I often like to stay at Laurel Ridge campsite. This site has tent pads, tent platforms, a bear box, privy, picnic table and reliable water nearby. It serves as a nice way to break things up evenly over the few days out and allows for a good place to get rest before some bigger climbs ahead.
Day 3: 12 miles
After a good night's rest, I'll fill up my water once more and continue along the AT for the first climb of the day to Race Mountain. This is always one of my favorite sections of the loop as it includes some incredible cliff edge walking that provides sweeping views below and a view out to Mt Greylock on a clear day. At the top of Race Mountain the views continue above stunted growth pitch pine with a 360 degree view.
A fun rocky, root filled scramble down Race eventually leads to a plateau and a junction with the Race Brook Falls Trail (and an additional designated campsite for the night if desired). Here I like to continue north along the Appalachian Trail for the next steep climb up to the summit of Mount Everett. Though the top of this peak is mostly wooded, there are still a couple of opportunities for a nice view on the way up and the way down. Remanants of where an old fire tower once stood sit at the top along with a summit sign. The area is rather large and offers a great opportunity for a snack break after the challenging climb.
Descending down loose rock, the loop then passes through a day use hiker parking lot and quickly enters the woods with an opportunity to add in a small side loop of Guilder Pond or continuing on the AT to Glen Brook and Hemlocks, a great spot to fill up water if needed and take a nap if desired. The area filled with hemlocks and dense forest always brings back recent memories of passing through Sages Ravine earlier on in the loop, before it then gradually flows along rolling terrain to the summits of Bushnell Peak South, Mount Bushnell, and Jug End.
The section between Bushnell and Jug End serves as a good indicator of what is to come with some steep, rocky and pine needle filled descents which also involve some careful footing and knee lunges before exiting the woods onto a dirt road known as Jug End Road. Here begins what I often feel is one of the tougher parts of the loop, but the only way to close out the loop, an approximate 3.5 mile road walk back to Catamount Ski Area.
The dirt road quickly turns to pavement along quiet scenic roads and passes Jug End Wildlife Managment Area. Eventually it connects to MA/NY-23 which can be a bit busier at times, but has enough room to walk safely. The road walk along 23 includes the final climb of the trip before dropping down to an old South Taconic Trail marker.
Here I like to enter the woods again as I am also mindful with where I step due to the specific section not receiving as much foot traffic as the rest of the STT. The short wooded section of trail then connects with a dirt road which leads back to the ski area (This road can be taken off of MA/NY-23 to avoid the short lesser maintained woods walk if desired).
Gear I Used On My Recent Solo Trip
I went out for this trip with a 6lb/2.72kg baseweight and was really happy with how everything performed, not to mention the benefits that come with carrying a light pack. Though I'm always testing new gear I've purchased out of personal interest and to provide honest feedback to my clients and readers/viewers, I'm pretty dialed with what I typically like to use and I wouldn't change anything I had used to complete this loop near the end of September.
I carried everything in one of my homemade MYOG packs I made, a 35 liter frameless hipbelt-less pack. This pack has everything I need yet remains simple and is very comfortable. Since my pack is made of 100D ripstop nylon, I always line the inside with a Nylofume liner to protect my Zpacks 30 degree quilt and things I want to keep dry. My shelter preference most of the time is a Zpacks 7x9 DCF flat tarp, but I went with my Meadowphysics Abode floorless tent for this trip. I love the openness that a tarp offers along with its simplicity and versatility. This tent is similar to that, but offers a little more bug protection. My sleep system consisted of my Zpacks 30 degree quilt, a Gossamer Gear Thinlight 1/8" CCF pad and a Sea To Summit Aeros Down pillow. This worked pretty well considering that I stayed at a designated campsite. Despite the fact that the site receives a lot of use, I was still able to find soft ground on a bed of pine needles at the designated spot and get a good night's rest. I used a piece of Tyvek as my ground cloth to provide a clean surface to go through my gear, sleep on and seal up the opening in the bottom of my tent.
My shelter and sleep system. I hike with one trekking pole for water crossings or when I might be feeling tired near the end of the day. It works great with this shelter or if I am using a tarp.
Footwear is always going to be subjective and one of the most personal choices we make. After all, what works for me might not work for someone else. I wore my Altra King MT2 on this loop and they handled the terrain really well. Though the Lone Peak has always been a favorite of mine and my go-to over the years, these shoes come in a close second. In conjunction with my footwear, I wore a midweight pair of Injinji toe socks. This combination is what I've found to work best for me. For the rest of my clothing, I wore Old Navy 7" running shorts with a pair of Smartwool boxers, a Old Navy Go-Dry Cool t-shirt, my Senchi Designs Alpha 60 Polartec Alpha Direct fleece and a lightweight Ciele trail running cap. I had packed my Enlightened Equipment Visp and Montbell Tachyon wind pants but never needed them. The fleece has been a game changer for me and was highly versatile while completing the loop. It was my active insulation for the cool morning starts before the sunrise and it was also part of my sleep system at night. I had also packed a Arc'teryx Cerium SL puffy and wore it briefly at camp in the morning while having coffee and packing up, but probably could have kept it at home. Still it was nice to know that I had it if needed in an emergency. The 7.7 oz jacket is filled with 1000 fill power down, has pockets, a hood and packs up really small.
I went with a BRS 300T stove for this trip which was nice for having a coffee during the cool morning and a calorie dense warm meal at the end of my long first day. The rest of my food bag was filled with a nut mix, packaroons, dehydrated fruit, fig bars, nut butters, a couple of other bars, a multi-vitamin, instant coffee and some electrolyte replenishment powders. My water treatment for this trip was my Platypus Quickdraw, which has been one of my favorite water filters over the years. Aside from that, the rest were a few odds and ends. For those interested in my complete gear list it can be viewed here:
And if you'd like to get an idea of how I pack a frameless pack like the pack that I used for this trip, you can view that here:
Completing the Taconic Crest Loop in the fall was a real treat and it felt great to be back out on this unique loop. Temps were in the low 80s during the day and the mid 50s at night, which provided for comfortable hiking without many bugs. The foliage was beginning to really show and it brought a new perspective to a familiar place. I have now also completed this loop in all four seasons and it's been a lot of fun to see the changes that each one brings. Along with the foliage and highlights along the loop, I also shared camp and stories with a few hikers and was visited by a couple of barred owls that night. Water was a little rough due to drought conditions, but I made do and filled up whenever I had the chance.
Taconic Crest Loop Maps
(Maps can be used in conjunction with loop details in this post. Loop highlighted in Red involves coming down Alander to primitive campsite for the night and pairs with this blog post. Loop highlighted in purple involves skipping the bypass and continuing on STT off of Alander summit and follows my trip video. Both maps include adding Brace Mountain into the trip. Final map image is of the map I've carried for this loop which can be purchased through various online retailers and outdoor shops.)
Thank you to Appalachian Mountain Club, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Salisbury Land Trust, New York-New Jersey Trails Conference, Massachussetts DCR, New York DEC, Catamount Ski Area, private land owners, trail maintenance crews and everyone who has made this loop possible. If you have any questions about the Taconic Crest Loop or any of my gear, feel free to leave a comment in this blog post or you can send me a message by clicking on the Contact tab in the main menu on the website. I would be happy to help you get out there and hike this fun backpacking loop. It has a little bit of everything. If you've completed this loop, I'd love to hear what your experience was on it. Thank you for reading. I hope this has been helpful in someway, if not just entertaining.
Mat 'Knowledge' Jobin
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