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Highway 23A: Kaaterskill Clove, Catskills, New York
Photo: WuTang94 · CC BY-SA 4.0

Drives New York The Hudson Valley and the Catskills

Highway 23A: Kaaterskill Clove

NY 23A · Palenville → Hunter

Sweeping10.9 mi20 min1,700 ft climbHigh point ≈ 2,000 ftOne way
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The drive

Route 23A climbs Kaaterskill Clove from Palenville, a steep, walled gorge in the Catskill escarpment. The road gains about 2,000 feet in roughly two miles, with tight bends and a hairpin at Bastion Falls below Kaaterskill Falls.

It passes the Kaaterskill Falls trailhead, where hikers walk the narrow shoulder. At the top it crests near Haines Falls, then goes through Tannersville to Hunter.

This is a short drive of about 20 minutes.

Along the way

  1. Palenville
  2. Tannersville
  3. Hunter
Elevation
1,700 ft of climbing · high point ≈ 2,000 ft
PalenvilleHunter
Curves
Mostly gentle, with two twisty stretches
PalenvilleHunter
GentleHairpins

Good to know

  • Hikers walk the road edge near Kaaterskill Falls, so drive slowly there.
  • Landslides closed the clove road for months in 2006.
  • The state has proposed timed entry for the falls area, not the road.

Open all year, weather permitting. Roads close for snow, fire, storms and repairs: before you set off, check 511NY traffic and travel information.

Questions about this drive

How long is Route 23A through Kaaterskill Clove?

Route 23A from Palenville to Hunter is 10.9 miles and takes about 20 minutes.

Is Kaaterskill Clove twisty?

Yes. The steep climb out of Palenville has two twisty stretches and a hairpin at Bastion Falls.

Can you park at Kaaterskill Falls on Route 23A?

There is a trailhead on the road, but space is limited and hikers walk the shoulder, so check local signs and rules.

What you get in the app

Turn by turn, on this roadSpoken directions along the exact route. Carve never reroutes you onto a faster one.
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Distance, time, elevation, curves and intensity are from Carve's route. Checked 2026-10-28.

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Map of Highway 23A: Kaaterskill Clove, from Palenville to Hunter