Echo Lake is a mountain lake within the Indian Head Wilderness of the

Catskill Mountains The Catskill Mountains, also known as the Catskills, are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains, located in southeastern New York. As a cultural and geographic region, the Catskills are generally defined as those areas c ...

, located in the valley between the two mountains Plattekill and

Overlook A scenic viewpoint – also called an observation point, viewpoint, viewing point, vista point, lookout, scenic overlook,These terms are more commonly used in North America. etc. – is an elevated location where people can view scenery (often w ...

, near

Woodstock, New York Woodstock is a town in Ulster County, New York, United States, in the northern part of the county, northwest of Kingston, NY. It lies within the borders of the Catskill Park. The population was 5,884 at the 2010 census, down from 6,241 in 2000 ...

, United States of America. Echo Lake was historically named Shens Lake in state law defining the borders of Ulster County, circa. 1777-1801, or Shoes Lake in the Beer's 1875 Ulster County Atlas.

Description

It carries many species of game fish,

fowl Fowl are birds belonging to one of two biological orders, namely the gamefowl or landfowl (Galliformes) and the waterfowl (Anseriformes). Anatomical and molecular similarities suggest these two groups are close evolutionary relatives; together ...

, and amphibians. There is a lean-to and seven designated campsites near the lake. Access is by an 8-mile hiking trail, starting around Platte Clove Preserve (County Route 16) up the Old Overlook Road and then around Plattekill Mountain to a junction culminating in a half-mile section called Echo Lake Trail. Another route starts at the top of Mead's Mountain in Woodstock, NY; it is quite remote and camping in this spot is backcountry camping, accessible by backpacking only, with no hookups or facilities. Echo Lake is also the Source of the Sawkill River, the main body of water which runs through Woodstock. The psychedelic folk-pop band Woods named their 2009 release,

At Echo Lake ''At Echo Lake'' is the fifth studio album by the band Woods. ''Pitchfork Media ''Pitchfork'' (formerly ''Pitchfork Media'') is an American online music publication (currently owned by Condé Nast) that was launched in 1995 by writer Rya ...

, in its honor.

References

{{authority control Natural history of New York (state) Lakes of New York (state) Lakes of Ulster County, New York