"Ran into friends Lorraine and Ed yesterday while descending Overlook mountain so we hatched a plan to do Mill Brook Ridge and Balsam Lake mountain today. Lorraine eventually backed out do to recent knee surgery and was concerned with testing the knee on a bushwhack. Ed and I dropped off one car at the BLM TH then drove down to the first Kelly Hollow TH to begin our easy stroll up the big loop trail. At the stream crossing we began our short whack up to the Mill Brook Ridge trail then reach the unmarked, other than a dinky cairn, summit after a little more ellie gain. So far we have only experienced very short periods of sprinkles but at the summit Ed informs me of more serious rain coming in few hours so we hot foot it over to the summit tower on BLM clearing the trail of fallen branches. Now we are eating a quick snack in low clouds and mist. Once we felt chilly enough in the damp weather we began a hasty descent down to the first car hoping to avoid some of the incoming rain. But right out of the gate we hit lingering ice with water on top….uh oh! I didn’t pack micro spikes and he was too lazy to put his on so we were like two geriatrics doing a slow steady shuffle down unti..." — Nimblefoot • Apr 10, 2024

"Headed up to Balsam Lake, from Mill Brook road, for a Spring round of the Catskill 35. Upon reaching the fire tower clearing I decided to head over to Mill Brook Ridge just for shitz and giggles as it was nice sunny day to hike on a trail I haven’t been on for years. It’s obviously a trail that doesn’t get a lot of use as it’s not well defined in many spots. I’ve heard there was a sign marking the summit but I only found a small cairn. Cleared numerous limbs and blowdowns off the trail on my way out and back. Finished my day by scooting up Halcott to complete my Spring round and four single seasons in a row for the third time. A fine Spring day, shorts friendly but not too warm. Black flies were my hiking buddies on this hike." — Nimblefoot • May 6, 2023

"Becca and I hiked from the south. There were several downed trees on the path, and one on the road on the way to the parking lot. We met a hiker from New Jersey at the firetower who had come 6 miles from the northwest. He passed us on his way back there while we headed to Mill Brook Ridge, and eventually retraced our steps. ~9+ miles all told." — mikebenjamin • Jun 21, 2022

"AMC/MH-ADK backpack on the Dry Brook ridge and Mill Brook ridge trails. After spending our 2nd night of the trip in the new Balsam Lake mtn leanto we awoke to 2-3 inches of snow on the ground. Same Park different scenery." — Nimblefoot • Oct 23, 2005