Several established trailheads and parking areas provide developed access. From the East Mount Pleasant Forest Preserve Access Town of Shandaken, on south side of Route 28. Recreation A variety of wilderness recreational opportunities ranging from hiking, snow-shoeing and primitive camping to hunting, fishing and trapping await the visitor. Hiking All 35 miles of trail in this area are open exclusively to foot travel, affording the visitor an uninterrupted back country experience. Harboring the tallest of the Catskill Peaks and offering numerous trailside vistas, the Slide Mountain trail network is quite attractive and, as a result, is the most heavily visited wilderness trail system in the Catskills.
Visitors seeking solitude are less likely to encounter others during mid-week.
For all but the northernmost mile, the Woodland Valley - Denning Trail follows an old carriage road, making this an easy to moderate hike with steady, moderate ascents. Other than its historical significance as the sole thoroughfare from Phoenicia to Claryville in the days of horse and carriage, its greatest attribute is that it offers the public access to other trails. Accessed either from the Woodland Valley Campground on the east or the Woodland Valley-Denning Trail on the west, this trail provides a challenging route through the heart of the Slide Mountain Wilderness, ascending Wittenberg, Cornell and Slide Mountain. The eastern approach is notably more difficult, often requiring the use of one's hands to negotiate several rock ledges. At higher elevations, thick stands of balsam fir channel the hiker upwards, adding an element of surprise to the beautiful panorama that unfolds on the various summits.