Hunter has been a ski town since the late 1950s, when local businessmen carved the first trails on Colonel’s Chair. The village grew around the sport and never lost its connection to it. Tannersville, two miles down Route 23A, adds its own personality with a painted Main Street of restaurants and independent shops. Between the two, you have a mountain basecamp with more character than its size suggests and enough to fill a long weekend in any season.

The mountain spreads across four zones, from beginner-friendly greens on Hunter One to the expert-only double blacks of Hunter West. The main face offers 1,600 vertical feet off a high-speed six-pack chairlift, and Hunter North, added in 2018, expanded the skiable terrain by a third with new glades and its own six-passenger lift. Snowmaking covers 100 percent of the 320 skiable acres. When the snow melts, the scenic skyride carries visitors to the 3,200-foot summit, and the calendar fills with festivals, mountain biking, and zip-lining.

Kaaterskill Falls rewards the short drive from the village. The Laurel House trailhead leads to a viewing platform above the upper cascade, about a half-mile walk on a clearly marked path. Hudson River School painters made this spot famous in the 1820s, and the view still holds. The Catskill Forest Preserve surrounds the area with hundreds of miles of trails, including summits that offer panoramic views on clear days.

For dinner, Hunter Tavern at the lodge serves hearty dishes and cocktails in a space designed for unwinding, with a fireplace and fire pits for cooler evenings. In Tannersville, Tabla offers Mediterranean fare and brick-oven pizza, and Last Chance Antiques & Cheese Cafe has been serving fondue and live music since 1971. Pancho Villa’s has poured margaritas on Main Street since 1993. The dining is close enough that an evening can cover more than one stop.