The public has until June 1 to provide feedback on the two studies.
Two studies on visitor use in the most popular areas of the Adirondacks and Catskills are recommending the state institute daily hiker limits and parking restrictions.
The New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) released the two visitor use management reports on Friday, April 3. The reports were prepared by the planning firms DJ&A and Otak and focus on visitor use in the Adirondack High Peaks Wilderness and the Kaaterskill Clove region of the Catskills.
The studies began two years ago as the state looked to address the issues associated with rising visitation in the Adirondacks and Catskills.
As the number of visitors have increased, so have the problems. Officials said more visitors in these areas have meant an increase in traffic and parking congestion, crowded trails and summits, and deteriorating trails and facilities.
Officials said full parking lots often lead to a spillover onto road shoulders, creating safety hazards and traffic problems.
Both studies looked for solutions that would address the rapid rise in visitation to these areas. But their recommendations—if implemented—could reshape how hikers experience these places.
The report on the High Peaks region said such peaks as Mount Marcy, Algonquin, and Cascade Mountain are often overcrowded. It recommended monitoring visitor usage to decide what steps to take next to better manage usage in this area.
The report also suggested limiting the Adirondack Log and South Meadows trailheads to roughly 400 visitors per day. This would limit parking capacity and require enforcing roadside parking bans, but the study suggested it could help reduce overcrowding on the area’s summits and trails.
The study on the Catskills focused primarily on the area around Kaaterskill Falls.
It stated the area around the falls can accommodate up to 1,000 visitors a day. While the falls average roughly 860 visitors a day on weekdays during the summer, the study showed the number of visitors soars to an average of 1,850 per day during weekends and holidays, and reaches almost 3,000 people on the busiest days.
To deal with the crowds, the study recommends instituting a reservation system from spring through the fall.
With both studies now released, the DEC is seeking public feedback on the reports and their recommendations.
DEC is holding virtual meetings for each report this month. The High Peaks Wilderness virtual meeting will be held on April 22, 2026, at 6:00 p.m.; the Kaaterskill Clove virtual meeting will be held on April 29, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. Learn more about the meetings here.
Comments on the reports can also be submitted by email to forestpreserve@dec.ny.gov by June 1, 2026.
