West Hurley

New York's ghost towns are canal towns the railroad bypassed and Adirondack iron and lumber settlements.

West Hurley is a hamlet (and census-designated place) in Ulster County, New York, United States. The population was 1,917 at the 2020 census. West Hurley is located in the Town of Hurley and is inside the Catskill Park. The community is northwest of Kingston on Route 28. It was one of many villages that were flooded during the creation of the Ashokan Reservoir. The village was moved, and currently resides on the northern bank of the reservoir.

The on-the-ground condition of West Hurley is unverified — it's listed here with unknown status. That could mean standing buildings, or an empty field. Go prepared for either, and consider sharing what you find so the record improves.

Nobody has confirmed the access situation, so treat any visit as reconnaissance: verify land ownership first, and be ready to admire from the road.

Here's the honest truth: access to West Hurley is unverified. We couldn't confirm whether the site sits on public land, private property, or something in between — so verify land ownership and local rules before visiting, and respect private property at all times. The mapped point for West Hurley is roughly 42.0044, -74.1094 — use it as a starting point and cross-reference a current topographic map before leaving pavement.

Ghost-town etiquette is simple: take only photographs. Removing artifacts is illegal on public lands and disrespectful everywhere else — and on federal land it can be a serious offense.