>>2712132>>2722076Yes. Catskills are not shit, but just mid by comparison.
Pic related was me at the top of Marcy. It's the only place in the Dacks I've actually had to pay for parking, but it's a very cool experience to be based out of the ADK Loj. Some stuff has weird permit requirements like the AMR, but there's a lot of free parking if you're up early and have a game plan. Ideally you should go in mid-late August and not on weekends, avoids blackflies, parking filling up as fast, and seeing huge groups on most trails. I've gone most summers for the past 10 years and I'm going again next year with my gf (our third trip). Last summer I did a solo canoe portage and reserved a campsite on a lake to enjoy all to myself.
>>2722089You can do that out of the hikes in the ADK Loj, where there's some lean-to spots and campsites available on the trail. Almost everyone starts with Cascade/Porter (Porter is hardly worth it desu). If you want a shorter hike do Balanced Rocks across the road. Other good day hike is Giant.
