This hike starts on Otisville Road shortly after crossing Route 211. Leaving Ottisville Road, the trail makes a steep climb up Gobbers Knob to the ridge. It goes along the ridge and after 2 miles returns back down to Otisville Rd. In .0.1 mile it turns left off the road and onto the Basha Kill Rail Trail. The trail follows the abandoned "Kingston Line" of the New York, Ontario & Western (O&W) Railroad. While the walk along the Basha Kill is straight and level, it is a wonderful area, with many fine views across the Basha Kill, one of the largest wetlands in southern New York. In the springtime the Basha Kill fills with runoff from the nearby Catskills and Shawangunks to form a giant lake. At that time of the year, sections of the trail may be flooded. If this is the case, South Road, which parallels the Basha Kill Rail Trail nearby, can be followed to bypass flooded areas.
In the summer the Basha Kill is a large wetland with many channels that are perfect for canoeing, and because it is a stop-off point on the Shawangunk migration routes,
I was hiking alone.