Blackhead Mountains facts for kids
The Blackhead Mountains are a cool mountain range located in the northern part of the Catskill Mountains. You can find them in Greene County, New York State, in the United States. This mountain range helps separate the towns of Windham and Jewett.
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Discovering the Blackhead Mountains
The Blackhead Mountains are famous for their unique shape. They look a bit like a rooster's comb! This special shape makes them easy to spot. You can even see them from places as far north as Albany and its nearby towns.
Tall Peaks of the Range
The Blackhead Mountains are home to some of the Catskills' highest peaks. There are three main mountains with names:
- Thomas Cole Mountain stands at 3,940 feet (1,201 meters) tall.
- Black Dome is even taller at 3,980 feet (1,213 meters).
- Blackhead Mountain also reaches about 3,940 feet.
These three peaks are very important in the Catskills. Black Dome is the third-highest peak, Thomas Cole Mountain is the fourth-highest, and Blackhead Mountain is the fifth-highest.
The Highest Gap
Between Thomas Cole Mountain and Black Dome, there's a special spot called a gap. This gap is about 3,700 feet high. It is actually the highest gap in the entire Catskill Mountains!
Other Summits to Explore
Besides the three main peaks, there are two smaller mountains to the west of Thomas Cole. These are not officially named, but locals call them:
- Camel's Hump (3,520 feet; 1,073 meters)
- Caudal (3,320 feet; 1,012 meters)
How to Hike the Blackhead Mountains
Most of the mountains in this range are great for hiking. You can climb all of them except Blackhead Mountain using the popular Black Dome Range Trail. If you want to reach the top of Blackhead Mountain, there's a short path that branches off the Black Dome Range Trail. This path connects to the Escarpment Trail, which leads you right to the summit of Blackhead.
Van Loan Hill is another hill located just west of the Blackhead Mountains.
