The Catskills Are Waking Up! Be Here When It Happens - The Mud Season
Western Catskills · Belleayre Mountain (Bel Air Mountain) · Highmount NY · March & April 2026
Most people don't know about mud season. The skiers have gone home. The summer crowds haven't arrived. And the Catskills — right here near Belleayre Mountain (also known as Bel Air Mountain) — enter their most quiet, beautiful, and unhurried chapter of the year. At Alpine Four Season Lodge, this is the season we love most. Here's everything happening around you this March and April.
The Local Maple Syrup Season is in March
🍁 HAPPENING NOW · MARCH Maple Syrup Season: The Catskills' Sweetest Tradition
March is when the sap runs. Sugar shacks across the Catskills tap trees and boil down the season's most beloved ingredient. Local farms like Catskill Mountain Sugar House open their doors for tours — showing the centuries-old process from tap to table.
Catskill Mountain Maple Festivals (held throughout March) features pancake breakfasts, syrup tastings, maple candies, maple barbecue sauce, and maple cotton candy. It's one of the most authentic local traditions in the region — and it's 20 minutes from your room.
"Mud season is the Catskills' best-kept secret — fewer people, lower prices, and the mountains waking up all around you."
⛷️ STILL GOING · LATE MARCH
Last Ski Days at Belleayre — Zero Lift Lines
Belleayre Mountain — literally a 2-minute walk from the lodge — runs through late March with spring snow conditions. Soft, forgiving, golden afternoon light on the slopes. No icy cold, no crowds. This is the mountain at its most relaxed.
Belleayre has 64 trails across 171 acres with a 1,404-ft vertical drop — and the only gondola in the Catskills, the Catskill Thunder, which offers stunning summit views even for non-skiers.
🌸 COMING UP · APRIL
April: Every Week Brings Something New
April in the Catskills is a slow-motion awakening. Waterfalls rush with snowmelt. Wildflowers push through the forest floor. Migratory birds arrive. The trails open one by one. And the whole mountain valley smells like thaw, pine, and fresh earth.
🥾 Spring Hiking Opens Kaaterskill Falls, Giant Ledge, Ashokan Rail Trail — lush trails, roaring waterfalls, and the crowds nowhere to be found.
🎣 Trout Season Opens April kicks off fly fishing on the legendary Catskill streams — brown trout, rainbow trout, brook trout. Some of the best fishing in the Northeast. Take a look at the Birch Creek Ashokan watershed stream management.
🌷 Wildflowers Arrive Meadowbrook Farm's Spring Flower Walk (April 25–26) plus trillium, trout lilies, and wild violets covering the forest trails.
🦅 Peak Birding Season Warblers, tanagers, and migratory species flood the Catskills all April. The lodge's bird-watching verandas are perfect front-row seats.
📚 THE SECRET
Mud Season Is a Feature, Not a Bug
Yes, the trails are soft. Yes, there are puddles. And yes — that's the point. Mud season is the Catskills' invitation to slow all the way down. This is the season for:
📖 Reading a whole stack of books · 🧘 Morning yoga by the fireplace · ☕ Slow coffee with mountain views · 🍳 Cooking real meals in a full kitchen · 🧖 Small ladies' and ole boys retreats · ✍️ Writing & creative retreats · 🍺 Afternoon at a local brewery · 🎲 Board games & fireside evenings · 🌿 Gentle nature walks
This is prime time for small group retreats, girls' weekends, and creative escapes. Midweek rates are the most affordable of the year. The whole lodge sleeps up to 22 — or book one cozy room for two.
🐦 The birds are back and they mean business. Early spring at Alpine Four Season Lodge — the mountain is waking up and so are we. Come listen. 🌿
📅 WHAT'S ON · MARCH & APRIL
MARCH — 🍁 Catskill Mountain Maple Festival, Margaretville (20 min away)
Pancake breakfasts, syrup tastings, farm tours. The tastiest morning of the season.
MARCH — ⛷️ Last Ski Days at Belleayre (2-min walk from the lodge)
Spring conditions, empty slopes, afternoon sun. Check belleayre.com for snow report.
MARCH — 🥾 Lower Trails Opening
Kaaterskill Falls, Ashokan Rail Trail — first spring hikes as snowpack clears.
APRIL — 🎣 Opening Day, Catskill Trout Season
Brown trout, rainbow trout, brook trout. Legendary streams, no crowds.
APRIL — 🦅 Peak Migratory Birding (All Month)
Warblers, tanagers, and more arriving from the south. Binoculars recommended.
APRIL — 🚵 Mountain Biking Season Begins
120+ miles of trails in Greene County open up. greatnortherncatskills.com
APRIL 25–26 — 🌷 Meadowbrook Spring Flower Walk
Tulips, wildflowers, and spring blooms in the Catskills.
⭐ WHAT GUESTS ARE SAYING
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "We came for a girls' weekend in early April and it was absolutely perfect. The yoga room, the fireplace, the mountain views from the porch — we didn't want to leave. Booked directly for the best price and Daniel our host was incredibly responsive." — Sarah M. · Verified Guest · NYC
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Belleayre literally steps away. We skied in the morning, soaked in the lodge all afternoon. The kitchen is fully stocked, the beds are cloud-level comfortable, and the whole vibe is just zen. Best Catskills stay we've had." — Marcus & Jess T. · Verified Guest · Brooklyn
⭐ VRBO Top-Rated Property · 4.9/5 across verified guest reviews
🏔️ ABOUT ALPINE FOUR SEASON LODGE
Alpine Four Season Lodge is a nature-inspired, bird-themed lodge at 32 Galli Curci Road, Highmount NY — steps from Belleayre Mountain (Bel Air Mountain) in the heart of the Western Catskills. 10 unique suites sleep up to 22 guests, with private rooms for individuals and couples, or full-property buyouts for groups and retreats.
Just 2.5 hours from New York City via Route 28. Every room includes its own bathroom, kitchenette, smart TV, and high-speed WiFi. There are suites that have fireplaces, French doors to private porches, and in-room yoga setups.
🚗 2.5 hrs from NYC · ⛷️ 2-min walk to Belleayre · 🧘 Yoga rooms & mats · 🔥 Fireplaces · 🐾 Pet-friendly (some restrictions) · 👥 Sleeps up to 22 · 🏡 Full kitchens · 🌿 Steps to nature trails
❓ FREQUENTLY ASKED
What is there to do in the Catskills in March? March offers late-season skiing at Belleayre, the Catskill Mountain Maple Festival, opening spring hikes, birdwatching, and cozy lodge stays perfect for reading, yoga, and small retreats. It's the quietest, most affordable time of year.
What is mud season in the Catskills? Mud season (late March through April) is when snow melts and trails get soft. It's one of the most peaceful times to visit — fewer crowds, lower rates, and the mountains waking up with wildflowers, waterfalls, and birdsong.
Is Belleayre Mountain open in March and April? Ski season runs through late March. By April the mountain transitions to hiking and outdoor activities. Alpine Four Season Lodge is steps from the base year-round.
What is the best lodge near Belleayre Mountain? Alpine Four Season Lodge at 32 Galli Curci Road, Highmount NY — a 2-minute walk from the Belleayre base. Book directly at alpinefourseasonlodge.com for the best rates.
How far is Alpine Four Season Lodge from New York City? About 2.5 hours via the NYS Thruway to Route 28 west. One of the closest mountain lodge retreats to the city.
Can I book the whole lodge for a group or retreat? Yes! The full property sleeps up to 22 and is available for buyout. Email alpinefourseasonlodge@gmail.com or book on the website.
DON'T MISS THE SEASON
April weekends are already moving. Midweek is wide open — and the rates won't be lower all year.
"We built this place for people who need the mountains the way we do. Come slow down with us."
📌 Check Availability & Book here for the best rates: www.alpinefourseasonlodge.com
Email Us for Large Group Inquiries Question → alpinefourseasonlodge@gmail.com
Daniel & Crew
Alpine Four Season Lodge · Highmount, NY · Western Catskills
