Peekamoose Blue Hole

General Information Permits for Peekamoose Blue Hole are required 7 days per week, from May 15 through September 15 of each year. Permits are valid for one vehicle and up to 5 people. Permits are available as late as the same day, but no more than 7 days in advance. There is a limit of 50 permits issued per day. Walk-ins and cancellations are not permitted. Parking is limited to designated parking areas only. Parking along the shoulder of the road is prohibited by the Town and is a Tow Away Zone. Except for the nearby designated camping area, the Blue Hole is only open to the public from one half hour before sunrise to one half hour after sunset.
There is an approximate 0.6-mile walk from the parking area to the Blue Hole. The Blue Hole is a day-use area and is part of the Rondout Creek, which flows through the Peekamoose Valley to the Rondout Reservoir. The reservoir provides almost half of the drinking water for more than 9 million people in the New York City metropolitan area. To protect water quality, users are required to use portable restroom facilities for human waste disposal and the dumpsters for all other waste.
Special Regulations DEC has issued Special Regulations for the Blue Hole and Peekamoose Valley because of high visitor use. The purpose of these regulations is to increase public safety and reduce impacts to the environmental resources. The following are prohibited at the Blue Hole (limited use will be allowed at the nearby designated camping area only):
o Camping
o All fires (including charcoal fires, wood fires, gas grills, propane stoves or other portable stoves)
o Coolers larger than 12” in any direction
o Use of portable generators
o Glass containers
o Alcoholic beverages
o Radios and other audio devices
Additional information regarding Special Regulations and permitted activities is provided below:
o OCCUPANCY - Limited to 5 individuals and one vehicle per permit. Users must have a permit with them at all times (paper copy or electronic copy accepted).
o AGE REGULATIONS - Permits are only issued to a responsible person 18 years of age or older, children must be accompanied by an adult at all times.
o LENGTH OF STAY - Your Day-Use permit is only valid for one day.
o AUDIO DEVICES - No person shall play a musical instrument or audio device, including, but not limited to: radios, tape players, compact disc or digital players at the Blue Hole at any time.
o GLASS CONTAINERS - Glass containers are prohibited.
o ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES - The possessing of alcoholic beverages is prohibited.
o GENERATORS - The use of generators is prohibited.
o FIRES - All fires are prohibited, including, but not limited to: charcoal fires, wood fires, gas grills, propane stoves or other portable stoves.
o ACCESSIBILITY - The trail to the Blue Hole does not meet ADA accessibility standards.
o SWIMMING - This location is not supervised by a lifeguard and caution should be observed by all visitors to the area.
o BATHROOMS - Port-a-Johns are provided near the Blue Hole and Lower Field parking areas.
o PETS - Are allowed with proof of a currently valid rabies vaccination in the form of a current year's tag or a certificate issued by the veterinarian. Dogs cannot be left unattended.