The Catskills Swimming Hole Map — Permitted Spots for Adults 21+

## The Catskills Swim Reality The Catskills' swimming-hole reputation runs ahead of the actual access. Most of the famous spots are either on NYC water-supply land (where swimming is forbidden), or on state forest preserve where access has tightened over the past decade in response to overuse. The result: a handful of legitimate spots, a permit system at the most-famous one, and a long list of "wild" spots that are technically off-limits, dangerous, or both. This is the practical version — what's actually permitted, what requires a reservation, what's worth the drive. ## Peekamoose Blue Hole — Permit Required The Peekamoose Blue Hole in the Sundown Wild Forest (Ulster County, off Peekamoose Road) is the most-photographed Catskills swimming spot. After years of overuse, vandalism, and emergency-services calls, the New York DEC introduced a **permit-required reservation system** that runs Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. Permits are limited per day, free or near-free, and book through the DEC's reservation site weeks in advance for summer weekends. Outside the permit window (mid-September through mid-May), the area is open without a permit but seasonal closures and parking restrictions still apply. Cold water year-round; the swim window is realistically June through August even with the permit. Adults 21+ should know the area is **state forest preserve land where cannabis consumption is prohibited**. Bring sealed product to the lodging, not the trailhead. ## Diamond Notch Falls and Hollow Diamond Notch sits between West Kill and Spruceton in the Greene County hill country. The trail to the falls is short (under a mile from the parking on Spruceton Road), the falls themselves are real (about 8–12 feet), and the pool below is cold-and-deep enough to swim in. Less crowded than Peekamoose because the parking is small and the road in is narrow. This spot doesn't currently require a permit but state forest preserve rules apply (no consumption, leave-no-trace, pack out trash). The drive in is part of the experience — Spruceton Road is a working back road, not a tourist route. ## The Esopus Creek Pools The Esopus Creek runs through Phoenicia, Mount Tremper, and Boiceville with a series of swimming-and-tubing-friendly stretches. Tube-rental operators (Town Tinker in Phoenicia is the long-running one) shuttle visitors to put-ins for half-day floats; for swim-only spots, the public-access points along Old Route 28 between Phoenicia and Mount Tremper are the standard. The creek is shallower and warmer than the high-mountain pools — better for families and longer hangs. The Esopus is part of the NYC water-supply watershed but is itself navigable and swimmable below the Ashokan Reservoir release point. **State-owned-land cannabis prohibition** still applies to creek-side parking and any state-park access. ## Mongaup Pond and Beaverkill Campground For lake-and-pond swimming on developed sites, **Mongaup Pond State Campground** (Sullivan County) and **Beaverkill State Campground** offer designated swim areas with lifeguard-managed access during the summer season. Day-use fees apply; both fill on summer weekends. These are the family-friendly options for a swim-as-the-day's-activity rather than a hike-and-swim combination. ## What to Skip - **NYC reservoir water** (Ashokan, Pepacton, Schoharie, Cannonsville, Roundout) — swimming is illegal across the entire water-supply system, period. Enforcement is real. - **Below Kaaterskill Falls** — the falls themselves are spectacular and the pool below looks tempting, but swimming has caused multiple fatalities; signage prohibits swimming and DEC enforces. - **Random "wild" spots from social media** — most of the Instagram-famous Catskills swimming spots are on private land, NYC reservoir buffer zones, or unmaintained state-forest stretches. Trespass risk, fines, and rescue costs are all real. ## What to Bring - Permit (Peekamoose specifically, summer Memorial Day–Labor Day window) - Water shoes (rocky bottoms across all spots) - Layers (water is cold even in August at the high-mountain spots) - Pack-out garbage bag (forest preserve rules) - Cannabis-aware planning: pre-roll at lodging, swim clean ## Where to Buy For a Catskills swimming weekend with cannabis-aware framing, the closest licensed retailers depend on which side of the region you're hitting: - **Eastern (Diamond Notch, Esopus)**: [Wintergreen](/dispensary/wintergreen-000003) in Tannersville, or [HERbal](/dispensary/herbal-woodstock-000017) in Woodstock - **Western (Peekamoose access via Sundown)**: [Lively Harvest](/dispensary/lively-harvest-000014) in Margaretville, or southern Ulster County options ## Why the Permit System Is Worth It The Peekamoose permit system feels like friction at booking time but it's the reason the Blue Hole still works. Pre-permit, the area was overrun, trashed, and dangerous. The permit version gives you a guaranteed reasonable-crowd experience at one of the most beautiful natural pools in the Northeast. Adults 21+ planning a structured Catskills weekend should treat the Peekamoose permit like a dinner reservation — book early, plan around it, show up.