Autumn is a wonderful time to immerse yourself in the Catskills, with crisp evenings made for fireside stargazing and the smell of harvest in the air, the leaves celebrating their existence in a blaze of glory. And it’s hard to imagine a better place to dive in than at the Emerson Resort & Spa in Mount Tremper.
Named for naturalist and writer Ralph Waldo Emerson, the property offers luxury lodgings while focusing on the splendor of its surroundings and keeping the hospitality neighborly. Your room features oversized windows, and complimentary bicycles and binoculars are available for you to reserve (rooms do not come with bicycles and binoculars— they are available on a first-come, firstserved basis), so you can revel in the glorious surroundings. Ask at the desk, and a Brookside Wander guide will be provided, unlocking the secrets of the teeming habitat at your feet and what humans can do to protect it. Or join one of the regularly scheduled guided nature walks for a truly immersive experience. Want to range farther afield?
Named for naturalist and writer Ralph Waldo Emerson, the property offers luxury lodgings while focusing on the splendor of its surroundings and keeping the hospitality neighborly.
Start at the Maurice D. Hinchey Catskills Visitor Center just five minutes away to learn about a lifetime’s worth of exploring opportunities. Take a pedal-powered railbike cruise along the Esopus with Rail Explorers or stroll the spectacular Ashokan Rail Trail.
Your room features oversized windows, and you can reserve a complimentary bicycle and binoculars, the better to revel in the glory surrounding you.
Also nearby are the fascinatingly funky downtowns of Phoenicia, Woodstock, and Saugerties, offering arts, culture, and one-of-a-kind shops that defy description.
Or just take some chill time at the on-premises spa. Treatments are customized to bring you the healing power of organics (how about the Luxury Pedicure followed up by a CBD Bath Balm Splash and CBD Eco-fin Bootie treatment?) and can be enhanced with the addition of any of a number of goodies, from oxygen infusion to a glass of Prosecco. Get your new best look at the sustainable beauty salon, or journey inward with expert tarot readings and crystal reiki treatments. Between therapies, you can sustain yourself with an array of bowls, boards, and cocktails from the Spa Bites menu.
Want something more substantial? Woodnotes Grille, located in a 1960s streamside landmark the locals call the Catamount, serves up the finest fresh local fare lovingly crafted into contemporary cuisine. (Try the maple brined pork chop with sweet potato/bacon hash.) There are mouthwatering house-made desserts and signature cocktails inspired by great poets and writers and made with local spirits. There’s exceptional avocado toast. Meals at the Woodnotes are the perfect counterpart to days and evenings full of playful adventure.
Take some chill time at the on-premises spa. Treatments are customized to bring you the healing power of organics, and can be enhanced with the addition of any of a number of goodies, from oxygen infusion to a glass of Prosecco.
Want to take home a souvenir? There’s a 19th-century dairy barn filled with unique shops. Or make your own: Nature-themed workshops help you craft a fairy door, paint pebbles or a watercolor postcard, or create a miniature ecosystem in a Mason jar terrarium. Don’t miss the World’s Largest Kaleidoscope: Housed in a 60-foot-tall silo, the Kaleidoshow is a showcase of fractal figures and storytelling. It’s open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays, and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays, Sundays, and Mondays.
By the time you retire to your spacious, well-appointed room (go contemporary at the Inn or rustic at the Lodge) you’ll be ready for the kind of night’s sleep only fresh mountain air can provide, filled with dreams of tomorrow’s pleasures—and perhaps of a longer stay next time.
Emerson Resort & Spa
5340 Route 28, Mount Tremper
845-688-2828 emersonresort.com
