The trail is somewhat overgrown and not maintained, but is very accessible. The trail begins by immediately gaining elevation through an area of pine trees. Heading up Panther’s southern ridge is not difficult. Although the mountain appears little more than a hill on a topographic map, the 30-foot tower affords spectacular 270° views of the region. No recent reports found for Panther Mtn. Panther Creek Falls: the hike. 2019 (4) 2018 (6) 2017 (1) 2016 (9) 2015 (6) 2014 (21) 2013 (14) 2012 (25) 2011 (13) 2010 (2) 2007 (2) The trail winds left and right, through hobblebush stands and rock outcroppings… The views on this hiking trail are some of the best in the Catskills. Trip report archives compiled by year for posts tagged with Panther Mountain NY (or within 1.5 miles of it). The parking lot has space for maybe 4-5 cars. First is a series of 5 ledges that overlook Woodland Valley and several Catskill Peaks in the distance, including Cross Mountain, Wittenberg Mountain, Mount Pleasant, Romer Mountain, and more. One drawback of the hike is that the parking area for Panther Mountain is on the opposite side of Route 3 (south side) from the trail (north side), so I kept Wren on leash until we were well up the trail away from the often busy road. The Panthertown Valley is one of those unique places well revered by many different groups of outdoor enthusiasts: hikers, photographers, backpackers, mountain bikers, equestrians, waterfall seekers, and ecologists alike see the area as one of the foremost parcels of land in the southern Appalachian mountains. By Trail Contributor: Zach Robbins (Contact Zach) The Panther Top lookout tower is the westernmost tower in North Carolina, located in the southwest corner of the state near Murphy and Hiwassee Lake. Trip Report Archive. Although Panther also offers panoramic views from its summit, they are quite similar to those from Giant Ledge. The hike continues to Panther Mountain, one of the 35 high peaks in the Catskills over 3,500 in elevation. We took this trail all the way up to where it meets the S-BM Trail. The route crosses the entire ridge of Panther Mountain, from south to north. A panoramic view of the central and northern Catskills opens up all along the Panther Mountain, Harriman State Park (4/17/2010) Today's hike was a lollipop of my own invention. From Giant Ledge, the trail descends into the col between the two peaks. I've always been intrigued by the two viewpoint "stars" on the NYNJTC map for Southern Harriman on a hill called Panther Mountain. This hike climbs Giant Ledge, one of the most popular destinations in the Catskills, which features spectacular views from a series of ledges. Panther Mountain Trail Conditions . The adventure departs from the opposite side of Historic 441 from the Panther Creek picnic area (view maps and driving directions).The hike follows its namesake waterway downstream, traveling under a concrete overpass and diving into a young, mossy hardwood forest. Panther Mountain. Giant Ledge in particular is one of the most popular hikes in the area. Traverse Panther from Oliverea to Fox Hollow. You lose about 150’ elevation which isn’t much, and the trail is lovely. Hiking the Panthertown Valley. Parking for Panther Mountain Trail is a couple hundred feed down and across the road from the trailhead. At the power lines, instead of continuing along the trail, we veered off southwest instead to the unmarked trail (on the maps) that climbs up Panther Mountain. This was one of the first group hikes I went on. Use caution when crossing the road to the trailhead as the speed limit on the road is 55 mph. 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