Hikers Suffering ‘Debilitating High’ from Magic Mushrooms Rescued in NY Catskills

As Jerry once sang, "Maybe you had too much too fast."

Last Friday, a group of four young hikers in New York's Catskills apparently did have too much, and much too fast. All four tripped on magic mushrooms that afternoon, but one of them launched into what the DEC report described as a "debilitating psychedelic mushroom high".

Lost and disoriented in the Slide Mountain Wilderness near Giant Ledge, the hikers sent for help late Friday evening.

Responding Forest Rangers successfully found the hikers at dusk and led them to safety before returning to gather their lost car keys and personal items. None of the four hikers were injured or required hospitalization. Just some water and rest, perhaps.

The DEC noted that as of July 1, rangers had already responded to 139 search and rescue incidents in 2025. They logged 362 rescues in 2024, a reminder of the agency’s steady workload in one of the Northeast’s most popular hiking areas.

Magic mushrooms, or psilocybin mushrooms, are a naturally occurring psychedelic that contain the compound psilocybin. When ingested, psilocybin is converted into psilocin, which can alter perception, mood, and cognition. Effects often include visual and auditory hallucinations, a distorted sense of time, and changes in how users perceive reality. While some people use them recreationally or for therapeutic purposes, psilocybin can also cause confusion, disorientation, and anxiety. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that can become dangerous in backcountry contexts.

Remember folks, set and setting!