Pakatakan Mountain(Dry Brook Ridge Wild Forest-Catskills)

Decided to do a short afternoon hike up to 2430 foot Pakatakan Mountain, which is actually just a shoulder of Dry Brook Ridge, but hovers imposingly over the village of Margaretville.  I knew it wouldn't be a terribly long hike, but I did want to scout out some other peaks in the area, so I would make the most of my time.  I parked on the shoulder of the road at the trailhead located on South Spur Road just south of Margaretville, elevation of 1380 feet.  I was the only car there when I arrived at this trailed mountain.  We have been blessed with some really nice weather recently, but today temps were pushing 80 and it was getting quite warm and even a bit humid.
Right out of the gate, the trail begins to climb steeply up through rugged terrain.  I really love the rock formations on the first segment of this hike.

 I'm not always so good with my flower identification.  Spring beauties perhaps? 

 The woods are really starting to green up, and luckily there weren't really many bugs.

The steep climbing got me sweating pretty good on this warm day, but the spring time woods are just so refreshingly beautiful.

The trail doesn't actually go up to Pakatakan's "high point", but the highlight of this hike isn't even on trail anyways.  A herd path, marked with a rock cairn leads south to a nice little clearing and a set of ledges with framed views SW towards the Pepacton Reservoir.

 

 A zoom view towards the Pepacton.

Looking south across Cold Spring Hollow towards the unnamed ridge that is part of the Huckleberry Loop Trail.

Classic Catskills.

With more time I would've continued on, but I did want to check out some other off trail spots in the area for future hikes.  A nice and easy descent brought me back to the car in no time.  3.7 miles RT with about 1050 feet of climbing.