About this episode

The episode discusses proposed management changes for Kaaterskill Clove and the implications for public access.

The Catskill Park's most visited corridor — Kaaterskill Falls and the Kaaterskill Clove area along Route 23A — may be heading for a major management overhaul. In this extra edition, host Brett Barry sits down with Jeff Senterman, Executive Director of the Catskill Center, to dig into a newly released Visitor Use Management report that recommends capping daily visitors at 1,000, implementing timed entry and advance reservations, and evaluating a public shuttle service to replace the recently shuttered private one. Senterman welcomes the framework while pushing back on its most restrictive proposals, arguing that limiting public access to the forest preserve should be a last resort — not a first response. He also reflects on what the report misses: the history of the place, the unresolved dangers of pedestrian and car traffic along 23A, and the years of groundwork that preceded this process. The public comment period closes June 1st. To read the report, search "Kaaterskill Falls Visitor Use Management" at dec.ny.gov. NYSDEC is accepting public feedback on the report through June 1, 2026 at ForestPreserve@dec.ny.gov.

People in this episode

Host: Brett Barry

Guest: Jeff Senterman

Topics covered

• Visitor Management
• Public Access
• Environmental Policy
• Catskills
• Tourism
• Community Feedback

Keywords

• Kaaterskill Falls
• Visitor Use Management
• Catskill Park
• public access
• environmental policy
• Jeff Senterman
• Brett Barry

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Catskill Center, NYSDEC

Places: Catskill Park, Kaaterskill Falls, Kaaterskill Clove, Route 23A

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