Summer - Overlook Mountain, Woodstock, New York

Winter on Overlook Mountain, Woodstock, New York

Summer on Overlook Mountain Summit

Artists at Overlook Mountain, Woodstock, New York

Seeking to

Identify and protect Native American ceremonial stone landscapes (CSL)

as resources of cultural significance

"Let the Landscape Speak"

- Doug Harris

Former Narragansett Dep. THPO

Environment - Culture - Community

Sacred Mountain

Overlook Mountain

in Woodstock New York, may well be one of the most important and sacred mountains in our region. Since the mountain has entered human consciousness many thousands of years ago, it has served people in innumerable ways and has attained high status and recognition not just in the local community, but worldwide.

Read More about Overlook Mountain

The mountain acts as a major gateway to the nearly one million acre Catskill Forest Preserve, offering the closest Catskill Mountain summit trail head to the New York City metropolitan area. Overlook Mountain is also the center of Tibetan Buddhism in North America and was recognized as a sacred site by the Iroquois Confederacy at the Council at Onondaga in 1979.

The ancient importance of Overlook Mountain is reflected in a Native American ceremonial stone landscape (CSL) present in Lewis Hollow. Consisting or stone constructions, subsurface hydrological features, and effigies with a connections to the constellations, these archaeoastronomy and landscape archaeology features represent unique resources of cultural significance. The research, identification and protection of such resources as sacred sites, is inherent in OMC’s core mission.

It’s time Overlook Mountain is honored and protected in a way that reflects its unique status and the immense contribution the mountain has made to humanity. The Overlook Mountain Center (OMC), through promoting cultural history, environment awareness, and community through collaboration, will act as a permanent human reflection of the mountain, honoring Overlook; the mountain that has given so much, to so many, in so many ways, for so long. OMC will create programming, exhibits and experiences that celebrate all aspects of Overlook Mountain, its’ past, present and future.

Mission Statement

OMC, a NYS nonprofit formed in 2013, promotes awareness and understanding of the relationship between Overlook Mountain and the human populations that have encountered it throughout time. OMC creates programs, exhibits and tours to educate, experience and celebrate all aspects of Overlook Mountain and its ecosystems.

Overlook Mountain Center 2022 Program Schedule

2022 Scheduled OMC Hikes & Programs. NOTE: Due to COVID 19 OMC has altered our tours and workshops to include social distancing and wearing masks when appropriate for safety.

Please check back for updates, added workshop and lecture events. (Schedule and programs subject to change)

Sun. 2/20 – OMC Lewis Hollow Hike

Sun. 3/20 – OMC Vernal Equinox Hike – Location TBD

Sun. 4/24 – Mysteries of Mink Hollow cairns and walls

Sun. 5/22 – Spruceton Valley – Camping with the Cairns

Sat. 6/18 – Summer Solstice Sunset at Spruceton Valley cairns, walls and effigies – Location TBD

Sun. 7/17 – Lewis Hollow cairns, walls and effigies

Sun. 8/21 – Mysteries of Mink Hollow cairns and walls

Sun. 9/18 – Autumnal Equinox Hike – Location TBD

Sun. 10/16 – Spruceton Valley – Camping with the Cairns

Sun. 11/20 – Lewis Hollow cairns, walls and effigies

Sun. 12/18 – Winter Solstice Sunrise Event

For more detailed hiking & workshop info please go to our Programs page

Printable OMC Brochure

Project Goals

Oversee the stewardship, conservation and preservation of the 37 acre upper Lewis Hollow Mantiou Hossennesh (spirit stones) site on Overlook Mountain in Woodstock, NY, containing cairns, “great” cairns, serpent effigy walls, springs and a possible Draco constellation petroform

This has been made possible thanks to funding secured by the Overlook Mountain Center, from a local private family foundation and other contributors.

Oversee the transfer on the Lewis Hollow site property to an entity that will protect the site, the Manitou Honnessech (spirit stones) and the land they exist on, permanently, forever and in perpetuity.

Conduct interpretive hikes that will lead visitors through the property, highlighting and explaining the site history, features and artifacts in their proper cultural context.

List the upper Lewis Hollow Property on the National and State Register of Historic Places as a sacred Native American Ceremonial Stone Landscape (CSL). This unique, one-of-a-kind property was Catskill historian Alf Evers backyard. The flora and fauna, along with the mysterious man-made stone constructions, have been the source of study for not only historians, but ecologists, biologists hydrologists, and archaeological researchers as well, all seeking to understand the various site features in their proper cultural context.

Create outdoor, experiential education programs related to landscape archaeology and archaeoastronomy.

Organize programs, lecture, workshops and seminars promoting and protecting a healthy environment, diverse culture and strong community, through interaction with Manitou Hossenech (spirit stones) present on Ceremonial Stone Landscapes on Overlook Mountains and elsewhere in our region.