Peekamoose Blue Hole

Sundown, New York · on Rondout Creek · Sundown Wild Forest

Verified · 3 independent sources

WATER: creek
ACCESS: Designated swim area
FEE: $10
SEASON: Best in summer

About Peekamoose Blue Hole

Peekamoose Blue Hole is a well-known natural swimming hole formed by a deep, crystal-clear pool in the Rondout Creek within Sundown Wild Forest in the Catskill Forest Preserve, Ulster County, NY. Since 2021 the NYS DEC has required a paid day-use permit for the site due to heavy crowding, and it is one of the most visited informal-but-regulated swim spots in the Catskills.

The Blue Hole sits in the Peekamoose Valley along Rondout Creek within Sundown Wild Forest, part of the Catskill Forest Preserve, reached via Peekamoose Road (Route 42) in the Town of Denning. The valley is forested and steep-sided, with the creek carving a deep circular pool into bedrock; Buttermilk Falls, a 36-foot waterfall, lies about a mile up the road.

Swimming at Peekamoose Blue Hole

The Blue Hole is a natural depression in the Rondout Creek streambed carved by swirling water and sand, producing a clear, deep pool described in sourced accounts as roughly 10 feet deep at its deepest point (one visitor account estimated as much as 20 feet). The water is consistently very cold even in summer heat, described by a first-hand visitor as producing a tingling cold-shock sensation, and rock ledges around the pool are used for jumping/cliff-jumping.

How to get to this swimming hole

Located off Peekamoose Road (Route 42) in Sundown/Denning, Ulster County; visitors park in a designated DEC lot (about 60 spaces) and walk roughly 0.6 miles down a steep trail to reach the pool.

Parking: Single designated DEC lot with about 60 spaces (cannot accommodate vehicles over 20 feet or trailers); a secondary Lower Trailer Field lot exists for permitted campers only. Roadside parking on Peekamoose Road is prohibited and enforced as a tow-away zone with fines reported around $250. Lots fill quickly in summer and visitors may have to park up to a mile away.

The hike in

To the water: 0.6 mi one-way (per NYS DEC)

Difficulty: Short but steep descent; DEC and visitor accounts advise proper closed-toe footwear given the grade.

Trailhead: Starts at the DEC-designated 60-space parking lot on Peekamoose Road (Route 42) in the Town of Denning/Sundown, Ulster County; the path is unsigned/unnamed in official materials and one visitor account notes it's easiest to locate via the MAPS.ME app rather than a marked trailhead sign.

This 0.6-mile path is the entire access route from parking to the Blue Hole itself (not a spur off a longer through-hike); the nearby Peekamoose Table Mountain Trail and Bangle Hill Trail have separate trailheads in the same valley but are distinct, longer hikes not required for the swimming hole.

No official name for the access path was found in DEC materials or elsewhere; it appears to function as an informal, unmarked descent rather than a named or blazed trail.

Plan your visit

Bringing kids

OK with supervision

Water is consistently very cold (visitors report a tingling cold-shock sensation on entry) and the pool is reported around 10 ft at its deepest, with locals cliff-jumping off surrounding rock ledges. The 0.6-mile access trail is short but steep, requiring sturdy footwear. Fine for older kids/families who stick to shallower edges and avoid the jump rocks, but not a wade-in shallow beach for toddlers.

Parking

Paid, $10 per-vehicle day-use permit

Single DEC lot with about 60 spaces on Peekamoose Road (Route 42); cannot accommodate trailers or vehicles over 20 ft. Permit required 7 days/week May 15-Sept 15, bought 24 hours to 7 days ahead via Reserve America (covers 1 vehicle/up to 5 people). Roadside parking on Peekamoose Road is a strictly enforced tow-away zone (fines reported ~$250); lot fills early on summer weekends.

Restrooms

Yes

Two portable toilets plus a dumpster at the parking lot, provided seasonally between Memorial Day and Labor Day only; site is otherwise carry-in/carry-out.

Water clarity

Clear

Consistently described as a clear, deep, 'crystalline emerald-blue' pool with a visible bottom; DEC's own page touts 'clear, pristine waters' supporting trout fishing. These notes draw on DEC materials and first-hand visitor accounts.

Hours

Half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset, per DEC emergency regulations (confirmed directly on the DEC site page).

Swim smart

Very cold water year-round creating cold-shock risk, especially for those with cardiovascular conditions; steep trail descent; cliff/rock jumping into the pool; heavy crowding on weekends (reported up to ~700 visitors on busy days) leading to potential parking unavailability or turned-away visitors; no cell phone service in the valley.

Rules: DEC emergency regulations restrict access to one half hour before sunrise through one half hour after sunset. Prohibited: camping at the Blue Hole itself, all fires (including charcoal/wood), gas grills, portable stoves, generators, alcohol, glass containers, coolers larger than 12 inches, and radios/music. Site is carry-in/carry-out; visitors must use portable toilets for human waste.

This is an informational listing, not an invitation. Conditions and access change; verify locally before you go. Visiting any swimming hole is at your own risk. See our Terms of Use.

On the water

No source mentions kayaking, canoeing, paddleboarding, tubing, or any watercraft at the Blue Hole; it is a small pool on a headwater mountain creek reached by a steep foot trail, not a boat-accessible body of water. DEC's prohibited-items list (coolers, glass, generators, etc.) does not need to address watercraft because the setting doesn't support it. Treat as not applicable rather than confirmed-prohibited.

What regulars say

Visitor reports: the cold water hits fast and hard ('cold-shock' tingling within seconds), so plan for a shorter dip rather than a long swim, and one visitor's practical tip was to cap the visit at about 2 hours and pair it with a 'Plan B' activity (e.g., nearby Buttermilk Falls or blueberry picking) given how quickly the spot can feel done. Multiple visitors flag that the trailhead/parking lot is easy to miss without GPS help since there's no prominent trail signage, and that arriving early is important both because the 60-car lot fills fast in summer and because roadside parking is actively ticketed/towed.

Backstory

The NYS DEC introduced a paid permit system in May 2021 for the Peekamoose Blue Hole and the broader Rondout Creek riparian corridor after the site became overwhelmed by crowds and litter, partly attributed to social media popularity; the emergency regulations (hours, fire bans, permit requirement) followed from that overuse.

Peekamoose Blue Hole: FAQ

Does Peekamoose Blue Hole charge a fee?

$10 per-vehicle day-use permit required 7 days a week from May 15 through September 15, purchased in advance (as little as 24 hours to up to 7 days ahead) through Reserve America; permit covers one vehicle and up to 5 people. Licensed hunters and anglers are exempt.

Is Peekamoose Blue Hole kid friendly?

How hard is the hike to Peekamoose Blue Hole?

A hike is required, about 0.6 mi one-way (per NYS DEC) to the water. Wear real shoes, since approaches to natural swim spots are often rocky or rooty.

Where do I park for Peekamoose Blue Hole?

When is the best time to visit Peekamoose Blue Hole?

Permit system runs May 15 through September 15, which corresponds to the main swimming season; water remains cold even in peak summer.

What are the rules at Peekamoose Blue Hole?

DEC emergency regulations restrict access to one half hour before sunrise through one half hour after sunset. Prohibited: camping at the Blue Hole itself, all fires (including charcoal/wood), gas grills, portable stoves, generators, alcohol, glass containers, coolers larger than 12 inches, and radios/music. Site is carry-in/carry-out; visitors must use portable toilets for human waste.

What water body is Peekamoose Blue Hole on?

Peekamoose Blue Hole is on Rondout Creek, a natural creek verified in USGS hydrography data.