So I took GF for a walk through Giants Workshop and then up the Crevice in the Preserve last weekend. Any ideas for a similarily beautiful and scenically varied hike of about 8 miles for this weekend?

Hey Crackie,

Well, not much compares to the Giant's Workshop. That place is awesome.

Two really nice hikes that me and the Mrs do quite frequently are:
Breakneck Ridge, outside of Cold Spring, or
Schunemunk, in Mountainville (near Vails Gate, south of Newburgh)

Breakneck is more scrambling, nice views of the Hudson, then an easier hike back around and down.
Schunemunk is just a beautiful hike, nice rock to walk on, kinda like a "mini-trapps", only the rock is shades of pink and maroon. (Plus there's an area called the Megaliths there, with huge detached blocks to scramble/boulder on and around)

PM me if you'd like more details on either. I have maps/guides for both.

Crackies got a GF! Crackies got a GF!
(we'll assume she doesn't climb, based on your prior posts)

An 8 mile round trip......The Indian Head Loop in the Catskills is a rugged and nice 8 mile round trip. I can provide more details tonight if you wanted.

crackies gf met mike at the bar and talked to him about giants workshop.

Now: Breakneck is out, cause i think its boring. But Schunemuck sounds interesting as does Strat's Lake Loop. Please post more info.

The Indian Head Loop trail begins on Prediger Road which is approached by taking County Route 16 out of Tannersville until it intersects with Platte Clove Road. Prediger is a side road to Platte Clove Road.

From the trail head on Prediger Road you have a half mile walk to an intersection with the Jimmy Dolan Notch trail. From here you can opt to do the loop either clockwise or counter clockwise. I find the counter clockwise approach, which takes you up Jimmy Dolan Notch Trail to be a bit of a grind 'off the couch'. So, I would probably opt for the clockwise approach.

So, instead of making a right at the JDNT, you head straight following the trail through a rather dull forest for about a mile. You then come onto a logging road, follow this for a quarter of a mile and then step right back into the woods. The trail is well marked and is difficult to lose.

Once back in the woods you begin climbing but it is somewhat terraced so you have short sections of steepness and then flatter sections. It is a pretty nice forest you are in now and the attached photo is from there.

There are a handful of view points along the trail that winds around the mountain top, then over the top and back to Jimmy Dolan Notch, where you take a right to get back to your car or go straight to get to Twin Mountain.

If you have enough gas, I recommend going to Twin Mountain GREATLY as it offers, what I believe to be, some of the nicest views in the catskills.

One addendum to my post. There are two parts on the trail where you are scrambling and the two places are usually wet. I would call it a few moves of 4.10. FYI.

Sam's Point to High Point, then take the Badlands trail and hook up with the Long Path going towards Verkeeder Kill Falls, and back to Sam's Point. Kaidy Kill falls has been called one of the last great places on Earth. Still, the Badlands trail is pretty cool, and it's a ridge hike right here in the Gunks. If you wat something interesting AND Challenging, try taking the Smiley carraigeway up from Ellenville to the Ice Caves, the follow the very faint trail up to High Point. If you are good you will find the "Grand Canyon" of the Gunks. Lots of neat hikes on the ridge. How about a through hike from Sam's Point to Minnewaska Lake, then across the Preserve to Skytop...that'll take you all day.

RangerRob

Don't listen to strat, he uses old maps. If you are going to go near indian head, do the sugarloaf loop instead. A couple of years ago a new trailhead was put in off of dale lane. Dale lane is off of Platte Clove Rd (county rt 16), which is the same road that gets you to prediger rd. It is less than a mile from priediger rd. The loop is about 6 or 7 miles, goes over a steep typical catskills peak and has a very interesting man made feature on the trail. There is a cool spot called dibble's quarry on the trail. I won't get into the description of it, go check it out for yourself. Just be careful if you wait until winter, the trail over sugarloaf tends to get pretty treacherous unless you bring crampons.
P.S. -Strat did provide a very good description of the indian head loop and if you don't want a steep hike, it may be a better alternative.

please excuse my ignorance but, whats up with giants workshop this is the first ive heard of it.
any beta would be appreciated on post or p.m..
thanks, charlie