Very cool visitor's center with a lot of info and taxidermied animals. If you are hiking, definitely bring waterproof shoes or crocs in sport mode because the path to the waterfall crosses a stream. Unfortunately, there's no man made bridge over it on the way. I'd recommend wearing long pants even in the summer because there's a lot of bushes that may scratch your legs on the way. Seems like the paths through the woods are pretty narrow. Maybe I'll come another time when it's blueberry season. Amazing views, just don't fall off! read more

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Boyfriend and I wanted to come here for over a year now. Last year we went to a different spot of the Minnewaska, and the view did not disappoint. Since the parking lot isn't big (more or less 60 cars), you need to make a reservation to get in. And they are strict about this. We wanted to come in one time and they made us turn around. I am not sure if you need a reservation if you are visiting during the week, but you definitely need one for the weekend visit. Making a reservation is relatively easy. You go to the park's website (newyorkstateparks.reserveamerica.com) and just find or enter the park, or google this park and the top link should get you there directly. The reservation is $10 per car (plus tax/ optional donation). You can choose either 9am-2pm or 2pm-evening slot. My boyfriend is not an early riser, so I booked us the 2pm slot. I don't know how fast the reservations sell out, but I booked our slot 6 days in advance just in case. When you get there, you need show your reservation to the employees. I think it is until a certain hour, because when we were back from our hike and leaving around 430-5pm the employees guarding the entrance were gone. There is a building where you can get a free map and brochures, a little gift shop (pins for pin collectors and stickers), bathrooms, water refill area, and a big room full of facts about the area and a table with a topographic 3D map of the hikes. There is over 15miles of trails to hike available. The map is interactional, you press a button with a hike you're interested in and the map lights up with the path. Pretty cool! My boyfriend isn't an experienced hiker or does not like to hike all day as I.... so we choose the 3miles loop. The path wasn't paved, but it was smooth enough for strollers to go on. We started from the direction of Sam's point and continued by the water and cell phone towers back. Once you come in you are walking up (not very steep) path in a forrest. about half a mile I think you see the rock formation where people go on to see the view. We found some rocks below that formation and took some photos there. We were all alone, so it wasn't embarrassing to set up a tripod and take as many photos and as funny ones as we wanted. About another .2miles you go up to the official "Sam's Point" overview. It was semi crowded, so we were grateful we found a non populated spot a little below. Same view. Continuing you walk through the path and on both sides you have not so tall (maybe 8-12 feet) trees and other greenery. Everything has a placket, which labels the type of tree/ plant that grows nearby. There is an area with dead trees, which combined with some dark clouds that passed up at the same time - looked pretty eerie! Like from a spooky movie. Then you pass a body of water. We saw mama and baby ducks swimming past us. Then you just walk through other various sights, like forrest with a some ferns, forrest without them, passing by what is left of Berry Picker Cabins, and the cell phone towers, until you reach the exit. I am definitely coming back! My boyfriend and I been here for 2 years in a row, so we are probably going to make this our new annual trip. The view of the mountains is truly incredible, especially for someone living in the middle of NYC haha. It is always a great joy to get out and see something this amazing that nature formed. Loved every minute of it! read more

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PROS: This was one of my favorite hikes. It wasn't intense being only 3 miles, it had nice ice caves, clear hiking trails, and great views. The lodge was clean, spacious, and had a gift shop and bathrooms CONS: it costs $10 to park and they have no trash cans. Meanwhile the lady that runs the register was rude to me without cause. OVERALL: Great place to come to, just bring your wallet, a trash bag, and stay away from Mrs. Grotchy read more

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I was not impressed. First there are no trash allowed. You are to carry it out but the trails are full of trash and dog crap. Secondly the woman working the info center was rude and I recognized I was back in NY. The ice cave were horrible. Trail is not maintained, definitely do not recommend this place. I'm curious why I paid $10 for crappy service or crappy trails? read more

This is a 6.8 mile (10.9 kilometers) moderately challenging hike (1,007 feet elevation gain) at Minnewaska State Park Preserve. Highlights of the trail are Sam's point, Ice cave and lastly Verkeerderkill falls. At Sam's point there are dramatic overlooks and spectacular cliff views, A photographer's paradise. Ice cave was amazing, we had to go through some crevices, my headlamp was very useful at those dark areas and footpath, I noticed remnants of ice inside even at the start of summer (that's when I did the hike), did a little rock scrambling outside the cave, there was an extraordinary ridge overlook at the end of the cave and a fantastic view from a large rock outcrop. The most challenging and strenuous part was the hike from the Ice cave to Verkeerderkill Falls - rocky, narrow, lengthy, uneven, wet, slippery, stream-like path, trekking poles and waterproof hiking boots was a big help to endure the trail. Verkeerderkill falls is a spectacle to see, there are a few ridges, escarpment, and ledge spots (somewhat perilous as all were near the drop-off) to rest and view the falls (I found a good spot facing the falls while hydrating, snacking and replenishing my energy). A solid day's workout, this is everything I could ask for from a great recreational, adventurous, stimulating hike with mother nature. read more

Sam's Point Area - My hiker's pose at Sam' Point. - Hiking Near Me - Cragsmoor, New York

Absolutely breathtaking for a $10 parking fee. It is a small hike to a beautiful view. The area is filled with such an amazing gift from mother nature. I encourage everyone to make the drive and experience the sights. read more

My brother and I took our bikes out to Sam's Point, hoping to see the ice caves. Parking lot was almost full, and it's unpaved. Unfortunately, you have to pay $10 to park, even if it's two bikes in one spot. The visitor center has bathrooms, maps, and a gift shop. Grab a map before you hit the trail. The hike to Sam's point is short. It's just a winding path up the hill to the overlook. The view is amazing. But it's windy up there and a little bit scary since it's so high. We continued the trek to Ice Caves Road to see the Ice Caves. But unfortunately, we saw no ice this late into the summer. I'll probably be back eventually to check out Verkeerderkill Falls and hopefully the caves will have ice the next time I visit. read more

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If you are looking for a a nice stroll with beautiful views, this is definitely the place to visit. read more

Sam's Point Area - Fall views - Hiking Near Me - Cragsmoor, New York

So many views points! The first one is really close to the beginning of the trail. Then as you continue if keeps getting better and better! The CAVES WERE MY FAVORITE!!! I've been on a lot of hikes and this has to be of my tops! read more

Great place to hike if you need to do an easygoing hike! We did the sams point area which was three miles Rt. The ice caves were closed due to icyNess atm. read more

Sam's Point Area - Sam's point - Hiking Near Me - Cragsmoor, New York

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I was skeptical to take my 5 year old nephew and my 6 year old twin girls hiking here. They have done small hikes before but nothing like this. I have to say it was a really beautiful experience for them. During our hike we saw many families with small kids which may me feel at easy during the hike. We did Sam's point and the ice caves. It took us about 3 hours and many stops in between. I would recommend taking water, snacks and wearing good shoes. Do not take big book bags or heavy bags, the ice caves can be steep and narrow to get through. Have fun! read more

Holy shit, the views are incredible. The ice caves are amazing -- you'll feel like Indiana Jones while going through them. Definitely worth a visit! read more

Loved hiking here in Minnewaska State Park! I haven't been on too many hikes but this was great! We got insanely lucky though - drove in and the parking lot was full!! The attendant was about to turn us away but then two cars pulled out of the lot and we got in!!! So biggest advice would be to reach here early esp on the weekends, otherwise you might be turned away. With that said parking is $10. I will certainly be back and I would totally recommend this anyone looking for a moderate level hike. The the view point itself is a short and mild hike, but the path to the Ice Caves and Verkerdeer falls is a bit more challenging. Bring sturdy shoes, bugs spray and some water! read more

Wonderful area to hike, lovely vies. beware it can become super crowded here and the parking lot fills up early. you may come here from far away only yo be turned away. it wold be wise to call ahead and reserve a parking spot. read more

My first official hike and it was well worth it! The drive from Brooklyn was about 2-2.5 hours depending on traffic. Upon arrival, there's a $10 parking fee. No big deal. Make sure you have some comfortable and grippy sneakers, because it is going to get tiring and you want to make sure your shoes has good grip, because some paths are slippery and rocky. Going up towards the Loop Road is a fairly easy hike. It's slightly uphill with some gravel, and the path does get more flatter. Once you reach a certain point, you can choose to turn left to see the Sam's Point overlook, which is absolutely breathtaking. You can really spend about 30minutes or so here trying to get some good shots of the view. Not overly crowded, which is a huge plus! Once you continue up in Loop Road, you come across signs to either turn left and go see the Falls or go right to the Ice Caves or continue up on the Loop Road to Lake Maratanza. My boyfriend and I decided to take the trail of Verkeerder Kill Falls to see the Waterfall. This being my first official hike, the trail to the Falls was definitely a tough one! A lot of rocks of all different sizes so be careful not to sprain your ankle. There were paths where you had to go uphill, so that was a challenge. The trail itself was very narrow, so it's better to have long pants because a lot of branches will be touching you. Once you are near the Falls, you have to strut through water or figure out a way not to step on the water to get your shoes wet, but at the end it was all worth it. The Falls was gorgeous but I was hoping the stream would be bigger. However, I wasn't exciting for the hike back LOL! It took a total of 2 hours back and forth and I think that's not bad considering it was our first time hiking and we were going at a decent pace. After the hike to the Falls, we were quite exhausted and it was getting late so we decided not to do the Ice Caves. Even though there was gazillion of bugs hovering around me and how dirty I felt towards the end of the day, it was a wonderful experience! read more

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Sam's Point has been on the agendas of my brother and I for quite some time now. A couple weekends ago the weather was cool and not too sunny; prime biking and hiking conditions. As luck would have it the parking lot was full but we were allowed in because we were on two wheels. Despite not actually being in a parking spot we did have to pay $10 per vehicle for parking. Slightly disappointing, but I guess it's worth it to preserve nature. Being that we had about a 1.5 hour ride up and we like to stay hydrate, we queued up for the bathroom before anything else. There are only 2 so the line moved a little slowly. There is a sign mentioning that the bathrooms have potable water but unless I was dying of dehydration I don't think I'd drink from the sinks. The visitors center has some infographics and it's probably a good idea to take a map before hitting the trails. I had my motorcycle backpack on and the lady inside asked if I had a drone as I assume they're prohibited within the park. I won't say much about the park/trails aside from the fact that the views are picturesque. The hike to Sam's Point Overlook is quite short and highly recommended. My brother and I also trekked to the ice caves which unfortunately did not have ice but they were nice and chilly. I will say you should definitely wear appropriate hiking footwear if you do go to the ice caves. It would be very easy to slip and fall without sufficient traction. Pack some food and bring plenty of water. There's certainly enough to do to spend a whole day here. read more

It's a beautiful place to be. Any time of the year. It's hiker's paradise and so much more!... Bird watching, ice caves, waterfalls, and breathtaking views of valley below... The day was cold, spring just starting to warm up our cold NY grounds, and snow was still hiding in the corners of the rocks - but most of it melted away and created streams and rivers on the trails. (Waterproof boots are the must of you coming here in spring of after the rain!). Sam's point itself is a spot not far from park entrance in the beginning of Loop trail - on top of the rocks hugging the carriage road. The views from here are gorgeous, and it's also a good spot to watch birds in flight, since it's unobstructed by trees. Walking further the Loops trail, you will come to the ice caves - it was really iced-out still, and most I managed to climb down was 2 flights of stairs before it turned into solid sheet of ice. I left my ice axe at home that day, in another girly purse of mine, bummer!! (kidding, of course, I do not own ice axe - unfortunately). Trek back along the Loop trail, and you will see Verkeerder Kill trail marked by the green paint on the stone to the right. The trail is long, and narrow, and filled with many sharp rocks, it turned into small rivers in many places - so good hiking boots will definitely be a good idea. It's a beautiful hike, along the picturesque dwarf pines, and with big rocks seating on the ledge here and there, offering photo opportunities, or a place to rest and have sip of water. Was not very crowded either, very peaceful. You cannot get lost - it's very clear narrow path, with green markers along the way. (it's about an hour and change hike to the falls, but you can continue further on a trail, it loops around back to the parking area) About half way thru the trail you will hear it - the VerKeerder Kill Falls. You coming out at high point of it, and while in summer days it's pretty easy to cross the creek that turns into falls it was not possible in spring, after all those rainy weeks we had (unless you wearing high waterproof boots). There are stone cliffs on other side - clean and clear viewpoint of the falls, but if you cannot cross, there is still nice viewpoint to the right, just walk a bit down and around. Fair warning - there is no railing or safety, just wild mountain cliffs, so be cautious at the edge of the cliff and watch for wet stones. And here you are... Sitting on this sun-warmed stone edge and watching eagles fly... Listening to the roar of falling water.... Can you imaging better day than this in early spring? I cannot. read more

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This is by far my favorite hike near NYC, and just a 2-hour drive so very easily accessible. It has plenty to do and see, including lots of hiking paths, a waterfall, ice caves and views to die for! I've been here several times now, and do recommend getting here early on weekends as it gets busy and parking is limited. Parking is $10 for the day and they have finally upgraded to parking machines, so now you can pay with cash, or debit/credit cards. Trust me - the $10 is absolutely worth it! You can make this a full day experience, 8+ hours, or a few hours (2-3) depending on which paths you take, how much time you spend enjoying the views, etc. but I totally recommend it either way. read more

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Waterfall with clifftop vantage point, dwarf pine preserve, lake, ice caves, Indian rock, and panoramic views. Enough said. 1) This hike has everything wonderful to see. (As mentioned above.) 2) However, doing the grand loop is long. I would say 5-8 hours, for most people. So come early. 3) Enjoy! It is worth a visit. read more

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This is not a review of the hike, but for the parking situation. I understand some aspect of luck is a factor, but when you have the same 5 cars popping u-turns on a two lane road because "they can't have you waiting" -- again, I repeat the SAME 5 cars who probably wouldn't mind waiting in an orderly fashion at this point -- and in every instance, lose an opportune chance to park to a newcomer (because, luck)... the levels of frustration is at an all-time peak. First come, first serve. There's merit in that, but none found here at Sam's. read more

This was one of my favorite hiking spots I've been to. It was definitely worth the drive. The waterfalls were so cool!

Spectacular. Come here for the Ice Cave, if not anything else. Wear good shoes with traction and take it easy - slippery in spots and not necessary for the novice hiker but it wasn't too challenging in my opinion. Gorgeous visitor center, with a gift shop and free hike guides/maps. So many amazing things to see here (the old homesteads were so cool!) and family-friendly. Absolutely loved the Ice Cave experience; hadn't experienced anything quite like that before. read more

Awesome hiking at any season. The hike to the top is gradual so you don't realize how high you've climbed. The caves are great (I only checked those out in the summer). There are also little abandoned shacks that locals used to live in during the summer to pick berries (according to our friend that has a house here). read more

Sam's Point Area - Icicles!! - Hiking Near Me - Cragsmoor, New York

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If you want to bring elderly members of your family for a light autumn hike, Sam's Point could be a perfect autumn hike for you. After about 15-30 minutes of leisurely walk on mostly flat or slightly inclined gravel pathway from the parking lot, you can already reach the flats where you can enjoy the beautiful view of the larger Minnewaska State park preserve. You can continue beyond this point to perform a more challenging hike toward the Verkerdeer Falls and the Ice Caves. Come during autumn mid-October to enjoy the sweeping view of the fall foliage and you won't be disappointed. read more

Sam's Point Area - This Sam's Point vista point is perhaps the easiest hike ever to see this kind of view! - Hiking Near Me - Cragsmoor, New York

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This is probably one of my favorite hike thus far! It's around a 2 hour drive from Brooklyn and I do suggest you to get there early (before 11:00 AM) as their parking lot is very limited in space. Parking fee is $10 - you pay at the machine by the visitor center. They do turn you away if the parking lot is filled up so again... get there early! I did my research prior and knew I wanted to visit Sam's Point via Loop Road then visit Verkeerder Kill Falls via Verkeerder Kill Falls Footpath. My friends and I started at the visitor center then make a right and follow the sign to Sam's Point. About 20 mins in (or even a bit less), you should see an opening to your left - that is where Sam's Point is! The hike is very easy and the view at Sam's Point is absolutely breathtaking. After some picture taking, we exit to continue our trail to the waterfalls. We took an accidental detour and walked all the way past Lake Maratanza until we realized we missed our turn for the waterfalls. This is okay though because the lake was absolutely stunning - the water was super clear and cold! We walked our way back to the correct turn and hiked around 2 miles until we reached the waterfall. Note, you will end up on the TOP of the waterfall (I don't believe there is a way to get to the bottom of the waterfall) so you won't really see too much (unfortunately) but this is a great spot to just chill and have lunch. The hike here was VERY scenic (probably the most scenic hike I ever been on) and not too difficult. There were many tiny rocks on the floor though so I do suggest you to wear appropriate hiking shoes so you don't hurt your ankles. The total time we took for this hike was a little less than 5 hours. We had 3 dogs with us and by the end of the hike, they were all very exhausted. Ido highly recommend this place for everyone who enjoys a scenic / moderate hike! read more

I absolutely love coming here! Sam's Point is part of Minnewaska State Park which has a ton more hikes and views. However, this Sam's Point region has a lot to offer! First off though, there's $10 parking which is a bit annoying but it's well worth it. There's plenty of parking which makes it convenient even though it gets very busy here in the summer. I've been here twice and I still love it. If you're going to Sam's Point overlook, then it's a fairly easy hike. The path is an even, gravel, uphill hike. Once at the top there's an intersection where you could go left to see the beautiful view from the overlook. It really is a gorgeous view where you can spend enough time taking pictures. But there's more! Instead of turning left for the overlook, you can go straight. After a few minutes, you'll get to a sign where left leads to Verkerdeer Falls and continuing straight leads to the Ice Caves. However, sometimes it will be closed due to the ice or how slippery it is. If you plan on hiking the Falls and Ice Caves, it's a lot more difficult and takes a couple of hours. The path to the falls is very long and rocky. Not rocky in the sense that you're climbing over rocks. These rocks are small but you can easily step on a rock wrong and sprain your ankle if you're not too careful. The path is long and narrow, but pretty even besides all the rocks. It was great coming here because it had rained the day before, but it made it difficult because the water was higher. My boyfriend and I had to go over a tree log going towards the waterfalls. In the end I gave up because my sneakers got wet. I took off my shoes and walked in the water. It feels amazing on a hot summer day! The waterfall is breathtaking! You'll get to some cliff rocks (don't fall!) where you'll get an amazing view of the waterfalls. But now, you gotta go all the way back up the trail which was kinda a drag, but it was worth it for the waterfalls. After the waterfalls, we were back at the sign and headed down towards the Ice Caves. It's not too long of a path going down but after coming back from the waterfalls, it was tiring. The Ice Caves is a challenging trail. When you're in the cave, the rock ceilings are low. There's some ladders you'll have to climb. It was also slippery so you could easily slip/fall. Unfortunately, that's what happened to my boyfriend, although he didn't get badly injured. So, I really suggest being careful. There's also dark areas but nothing too bad. This all leads to a view similar to Sam's Point but without being high up on rocks. There was only my boyfriend and I and another couple, so come here if you don't want to be crowded at Sam's Point. Then you'll eventually go back up the trail leading back towards the Falls/Ice Caves intersection and then back down from Sam's Point. You really can see so much from this part of Minnewaska. The overlook is spectacular. I thought the waterfalls were the best part. Then the Ice Caves were cool in both senses that it's cool on a hot summer day. Well worth the trip! read more

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Amazing view of fall foliage from the top of Sam's Point. There are also several hiking paths that are worth doing. It's a pleasant 15-20 minute uphill walk, deoensing on your pace, not too strenuous even for older folks. It's good to make sure to have a bottle of water in case you want to have a rest. read more

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We went to Sam's Point, Ice Caves and Lake Mataranza a couple weeks ago and my bf said the caves was the coolest hike he's been on. There was some ice which slowed us down for a bit but it was so much fun exploring the area. The views are gorgeous as well. We'll definitely return in the spring to check it out and hike to the falls. read more

As a kid growing up my My family would bring me and my siblings here to go hiking and everytime we went we would have an amazing time. It's a beautiful area and the view is breathtaking once you reach the top. I would recommend for everyone! read more

This place is awesome. Definitely go and bring lots of water. It is one of the more challenging hikes for sure but the views are INCREDIBLE. read more

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This is one of my favorite hikes in the Shawangunks. The view are beautiful. You can get a full day of hiking in, or a short hike depending on how many parts you go to which makes it versatile as well as beautiful. It's just a gorgeous area and the waterfalls are spectacular. HOWEVER, they have to do better with the parking situation. Since the popularity of this area has spiked, the availability of parking needs to be addressed. Driving long distances just to be turned away at the gate is frustrating. (Thus the 4stars instead of 5) Pro tip: if you are going on a "peak day", such as a weekend day with glorious weather, or a holiday, you must come EARLY or you won't get parking. I mean very early. Like calculate how long it'll take all the leaf peepers from the city to get there and get there before them. OR alternatively, what I do is go on the less than glorious days (overcast, a bit cold, a bit drizzly, whatever) and get more space to myself, or on a weekday, and there won't be the out of town people there to battle over parking with. read more

Sam's Point Area - Trail to the falls. - Hiking Near Me - Cragsmoor, New York

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Awesome place with plenty of great views! You can enjoy a nice scenic hike up a rocky pathway or go deep into the brushes and get freaked out and paranoid about ticks. What? That's just me? Even with ticks in my mind the hike was incredible! I was a hiker and rock climber all in one day. Bring plenty of water and make sure you have the map. It lets you know just how little you've come and how much more you need to do! read more

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When I was growing up in the 1960's this place was a privately owned park called "Ice Cave Mountain." Now it is a state park. It's a lovely, fairly easy climb to the lookout, which boasts a beautiful view from the top of the Shawangunk Ridge. There is also an interesting plant ecosystem of scrubby pines and blueberries growing on top, stunted not because of elevation but due to the lack of soil and exposed rock. I visited in October and the foliage was gorgeous. I wasn't able to visit the ice caves themselves due to lack of proper footware are the time. While in the area, stop in nearby Cragsmoor to see the lovely stone church, which perches right on the edge of the ridge. read more

Gorgeous scenery with great pine barren and valley views, along with sitings of Ellensville and Cragsmoor. There are several great viewing areas as well as separate trailheads to hike a loop through Ice Caves or to hike down and back to the VerKeerderkill Falls. It's also a stones throw from Minnewaska State Park which has some great hiking too, and could be done in one day if you start very early. DOGS: We brought our two Boxers on the hike, and they managed it just fine. There are several areas where there are fresh streams where they could refill themselves on water. However, we had a moderate rainfall two days prior which might explain the strong running water and how clean it was. Might be more stagnant at other times? A side note, the Ice Caves does have two separate ladders which are only about 6-10 ft in height, but may prove difficult for some dogs. Our dogs refused to try the first ladder (10 ft or so) so we had to find a small outcropping to heave them up on. As for the second ladder, they climbed it themselves. Smaller dogs this will be no issue as you can just carry them up yourself. We hiked a picnic lunch down and sat on a rock outcropping which overlooked the falls while we ate. But please, "Leave No Trace" and make sure you take out everything you bring in with you. For the most part it seemed untouched, and I think everyone there has been following this general maxim. DIFFICULTY CONSIDERATIONS: The hike to the falls requires an approximately 750ft ascent up a switchback trail, and then another 1.7 mile hike down (and then roundtrip, back up another 1.7) to the falls from the VerKeerderkill Falls trailhead. The Ice Caves would be an additional approx. 2 miles. You don't have to be in amazing shape to make this trek (for instance, I am not), but there is a lot of steeper portions of the trail, some of which is single file over medium-small rocky boulders which can strain the ankles. Still, I saw families of all ages so unless you have major injury or cardiovascular considerations, this should be doable for most everyone. PARKING & HOURS: There is on site parking if you following Google Map directions to Sam's Point Preserve it'll take you right to the lot. $10 fee per car to park. Try to get there before noon during the summer and fall months as the lot seemed to be ready to fill up any second after we got there around 11. They close the lot at 5pm (with a little grace time) so make sure you are back to the lot before then, though they do take phone numbers and hiker information before you set out in case there are any issues. LOVED IT! read more

Wow what a view! Came here with my fiancée for a relaxing Sunday day trip. The drive from NYC was worth it! It's a really busy point of interest and families with young children hiking up to see the view. Takes about 20 minutes to get to the top. The entire trail loop takes about 2.5 hours. Definitely recommend for all ages ! read more

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Overwhelmingly beautiful, I really mean it. My husband and I hiked to Sam's Point and to VerKeerderkill Falls, which took us about 5 hours because we stopped a lot to take pictures and enjoy the views. We're also not in the best shape, so we were pretty tired by the time we got back to the trail head. Unfortunately we didn't make it to the ice caves on this trip but are definitely planning on going back to take that hike. Our pictures came out beautiful, but there's nothing compared to what you see. I got emotional there and still get emotional thinking about it. We went on October 10, when fall foliage was almost at its peak, and it made for breathtaking views. There's a long stretch of trail where you're hiking along the side of the mountain and you're surrounded by blueberry bushes, to the right views of the Shawangunks. The bushes had turned bright bright red, and it was absolutely brilliant. Follow other reviewers' advice and get there early. We got there at 9:15ish and the lot was pretty full. read more

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My BF and I hiked to Sam's Point and Verkeerderkill Falls. It was a beautiful place for photos. Awesome hiking trails, make sure to have hiking shoes due to mini boulders. Incredible experience. The staff was helpful. read more

Sam's Point Area - Hiking Near Me - Cragsmoor, New York

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OMG what a hike! Yes, it's rugged, yes, it's long and yes, it is beautiful. We under estimated how long it was going to take to hike the 10 mile trail and arrived around 12pm. We started with the Ice caves, then to the falls and then trailed all the way to the high point. Our group of 9 had a lot of fun hiking to the caves and the falls (approx 4miles in)... After the falls and having lunch.. We were deciding if we should turn around or go all the way. Our group decided to go all the way because we did not like the hike from the caves to the fall. The hike in between them were singled file like Colleen D, described and had much unstable rocks. It was single file due to all the shrub/ trees etc. It felt like a maze but it wasn't because there'se only one way to go. Okay, back to the story.. After our lunch.. we kept on going towards the high point but we were tired.. we were thirsty and it felt like boot camp. Due to our lack of time would couldn't even take a decent break time to look at the views from the highest point. The overall hike took 6 and half hour with probably a total of 30 min break =X. So tips for others: Probably arrive around 10 in order to take decent breaks and picture taking, wear good sneaker/ hiking boots. Bring lots of water because we all ran out toward the last 1/3 of the trip and stopped talking to each other due to thirst. There are a lot of blueberry shrubs all around. I wished I knew ahead of time so i can prepare myself to picked them also. Hoped this help.. Happy Hiking read more

i have been there around 6 times. brought friends and family to enjoy nature. the ice caves are my favorite and at the end of the trail, you can sit and enjoy the scenery. ive taken my dog there plenty of times. ive seen kids enjoying the hike. make sure to wear sneakers and use bug spray. there are also lakes, also a waterfall the parking situation needs major improvement. theres just not enough parking space. if you dont go there early enough, you may be turned away by the people who took over this once independent area. it never used to be so monitored. now theres people that control everything. they even charge you to park there. theres bathrooms at the parking area as well as a gift shop. you have to sign in your name and sign out when you leave so they dont go looking for you. other than those changes, its still a plesant experience. read more

Went on Labor Day and pulled up just in time! Someone was leaving and were were able to get a spot. We went to the visitor office first since this was our first time visiting and hiking. As a person who has NEVER hiked and barely walks, this was perfect! The inclines were manageable, the weather was perfect and the views breathtaking. We even braved the caves which as you climb down you don't think of the trek back up til you have to do it lol. My thighs are burning today and I'm already planning a second trip just to see the falls read more