Cedar Brook & S. Taconic Trails to Catamount

Tuesday was a glorious fall day with long visibility! We started at the parking area at Bash Bish Falls in Copake Falls, NY and walked north to Catamount Ski area in Hillsdale, NY,  and South Egremont, MA, about 6 miles. Across the road from the parking area, we took the Cedar Brook Trail up the brook, crossing it several times and then up more to the South Taconic Trail, north across the ridge to Catamount and down the ski trails. The trail runs back and forth across the state border between Mass. and NY. 

This is a great hike. It starts with some short steep uphills, then has moderate ups and downs along the ridge and some steep downhills on the ski trails depending on which you take. We stayed on the easier trails and found them very enjoyable with views and fall flowers as you will see in the photos below.

We lingered for almost an hour enjoying the air, sunshine, conversation
and views including Albany and the Catskills. Oh, and lunch, too! 

Amazingly bright red berries on a Mountain Ash.

A sweet little flower called Purple Milkwort.

A plentiful white aster on the ski trails.

My favorite fall flower is the tall, intensely-colored New England Aster.
Its color varies from raspberry to a deep purple. It's common along the roadside.