Black Dome Mountain Trail

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Features Fall Colors · Views · Wildlife

This trail starts from the Big Hollow Parking Area. The red-blazed trail runs along a brook for the first 0.6 miles before turning straight south and diverging from the yellow-blazed Batavia Kill Trail. It then gains elevation more quickly along a rocky stretch of trail.

Once at the shoulder between Black Dome and Blackhead, turn right (west) to stay on the red blazes. The trail will get steeper and require some scrambling. The scrambling was pretty fun, with good grips and the route never left you very exposed. The true summit of Black Dome is hard to gauge as it really flattens out and is heavily covered in dark spruce trees (which from a distance appear black, hence the name).

From Black Dome, you can continue onto Tomas Cole Mountain which is the tied for the 4th highest peak in the Catskills with Blackhead. The trail then descends to the parking area on Barnum Road.