Platte Clove
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| | Raps:12-19, max ↨110ft
Red Tape:No permit required Shuttle:Optional Rock type:Sedimentary | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Condition Reports: | 2 May 2026
"If continuing past R3, bring webbing! Do not underestimate the cold water temps. 4/3 or thicker wetsuit or drysuit required. Winter flooding has creat |
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| Best season: | May-June
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42.1329, -74.0821
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Introduction
This is a beautiful, scenic area which holds some of the best canyoning in the Northeast US. The upper part of this Platte Clove Canyon is on private property owned by the Catskill Center. The remainder of the property is mainly NY State until the last 100 yards of the canyon.
The ACA ratings are not used in this region of the country as they don't apply to the environment. We follow International ratings as to not confuse travelers by using a rating only present on the West Coast. This canyon is a V3 A4 III/IV. People come from all over the world to go canyoning in this location. Many guide services operate in the canyons like Stay Rad Climbing Guides, Northeast Mountain Guiding, National Rescue & Response Institute and a few others. To guide, you must hold a license with the NY DEC through their licensed guide program.
Popular individuals with detailed canyon beta are Joseph "Joey" Vulpis and Jody Smith.
Approach
Parking is available in the Huckleberry Point Trailhead on Platte Clove Rd. in Elka Park NY. For canyon access, walk down the driveway to Huckleberry Point parking area back down to Platte Clove Rd. Walk across the road and the trail is just to the left of the large tree with all of the signs on it. Stay on that trail through the small field into the hemlock forest. Stay left on the trail, through the switchbacks down to the canyon bed at the base of Plattekill Falls.
Enter into the river/canyon from this point.
Gear considerations and planning
- 1 - 200' static rope
- 1 - 100' rescue rope
- 30' of webbing and rap rings or stainless steel quick-links to replace anchors damaged by flooding
- If descending in April-May with flow, do not underestimate the need for a thick wetsuit (4/3 minimum) or drysuit.
Descent
The upper two waterfalls (Old Mill & Plattekill Falls) are on private property of the Catskill Center and not able to be rappelled. Start at the base of Plattekill Falls and walk in the river or along the riparian zone. Follow the creek until canyon walls start to form and force you to stay in the river. There are a couple of short scrambles over some pour-overs toward a sharp bend in the canyon with a large overhang canyon right. This is a short 10-12 foot rock slide/lower or you can go canyon left on a short trail toward the top of a Bridal Veil Falls.
R1: 100' Bridal Veil Falls
This waterfall has plenty of anchor options on the top via an elevated cedar tree DCL that usually has webbing or several other points allowing for descent in the flow. Webbing DCR offers a good view for setting rope length and monitoring descents.
DCR also has some bolts that rappel you out of the falls. Bridal Veil is a vertical waterfall with a 10-15' apron at the bottom that leads into a rock pile on canyon left or a 'wet exit' pool on canyon right.
From Bridal Veil Falls at the base, scramble through the riverbed boulder field staying canyon right which will bring you to the top of R2.
R2: 60' from webbing DCR
Anchors are usually on the aspen birch next to the boulder at the top of the falls canyon right. This waterfall has a few feet of low angle and the remainder is inverted and a free rappel to either a wet exit pool or a boulder pile. This has been nicknamed "Hells Hole" due to it not being fully visible from up above. From here you can continue downstream to a low-angle waterfall which is just upriver from a larger waterfall.
WARNING: Descending R3 commits you to the rest of the canyon to R7.
R3: 40’ from webbing DCL or DCR 25’ low angle waterfall
Most tours exit here. This is the last chance to exit DCR to rim line trail. Canyon is completely committing from here to R7.
From this point you'll rappel through a semi-slotted riparian zone. Continue to work your way down the canyon which has a bunch of various sized gradients.
And don't forget to look back every so often, it's quite lovely.
R4: 80’ into a pool
Webbing DCR and webbing DCL. Rock falls have turned DCL into a small overhang.
R5: 60’
No webbing located DCR (May 2026).
R6: 25’ from webbing DCR
R7: 40-50’ into a deep (but cloudy) pool
No webbing located DCR (May 2026). Features rope swing from shore. This may be an opportunity for technical jump from obvious platform, but always check depth and for hidden water obstacles.
First exit to trail from river
An unnamed trail continues to end of recreation area to private property, making for an easy bushwhack to the road above. Walk up the road 1.5 miles to trailhead.
The total number of gradients starting at Old Mill Falls is ~19 leaving ~12 falls if continuing.
Exit
Exit point is canyon left/North side at the base of the canyon before the house. Follow the fence back up to Platte Clove Road.
Red tape
The upper two waterfalls, Old Mill & Plattekill, are on Catskill Center property.