A cache hidden on the Kaaterskill Rail Trail. The trail runs west from Laurel House Road for 1.5 miles to the Mountain Top Historical Society property in Haines Falls. The trail is flat and the wooden rail ties are still on the trail in spots.
The first phase of the Kaaterskill Rail Trail is a 1.5 mile section of the abandoned Ulster & Delaware Railroad between the Mountain Top Historical Society property in Haines Falls and DEC land at the end of Laurel House Road. The trail is open to public use for non-motorized, multi-use activities. Phase 1 of the Kaaterskill Rail Trail starts at the Mountain Top Historical Property on the former Ulster and Delaware Train Station and the trail ends at Laurel House Road, just above Kaaterskill Falls and close to the North-South Lake State Campground. A large portion of the trail is along the edge of Kaaterskill Clove, offering multiple views of Kaaterskill Falls, more of which will be opened up in the future.
The Laurel House was built in 1852 by Peter Schutt as a 50 room boarding house. The hotel was then operated by Peter Schutt's son, Jacob Schutt. In 1871 the Laurel House was purchased by Jacob Fromer, who was from Wittenburgh, Germany. After the Civil War, the Laurel House went thru it's final large development. Between 1881 and 1884 the house was enlarged to what you see in the pictures above. It then could handle up to 300 visitors. The hotel thru it's history was designed to attract middle-class clients, where the Kaaterskill Hotel and Catskill Mountain House attracted high-class clients. The cost of staying at the Laurel house was approximately half the cost. The hotel was located very close (100 feet) to the edge of the Kaaterskill Falls. It gave an outstanding view of the Kaaterskill Falls Clove. They also built a platform next to the top of the falls. They also had a pulley and rope for lowering refreshments to vistors at the bottom of the falls. For a quarter, vistors could have them release water dammed up to experience a massive flow of water over the falls. Back then, they had wooden steps from the top of the Kaaterskill Falls to the first water basin. They also had wooden planks under the Falls for their visitors. All of those wooden steps and planks are now gone. People today still follow the trail, but it is extremely dangerous, and many deaths have occured. The hotel stayed operation until 1965. New York State then acquired it and intentionally burned it to the ground on March 1, 1967.