This is a 6.8 mile (10.9 kilometers) moderately challenging hike (1,007 feet elevation gain) at…read moreMinnewaska 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.

Very interesting and fun hike. Me and my friends hiked for 5 hours total. We've visited the ice…read morecaves and the waterfalls . Didn't make it to the lake because it started to thunderstorm. The hike to the waterfall is long so pack a lot of water. Also if it didn't rain before , the waterfall will be very light. In general it's a perfect place to connect with nature and cool down inside the ice caves. P.s. you still can see big chunks of ice deep down in the caves.

Short (1.5 mile from Shaft 2A Road) hike to waterfall. Last…read moretime I was here was during the height of the pandemic. The trail was virtually empty. Sometimes trail is closed for restoration; check before you go.

This trail is an easy to follow and relatively short trail. It is about 1.5 miles out and back…read morefrom the parking lot. We went on a Saturday, but it was not crowded at all. It was about 10-15 walk from the parking lot to see the lower fall. The fall was good, but would be better if it had more water. Ices on the wall from overnight, but they were melting during the day as the weather was in the 40s. The steps toward the upper fall were icy due to the melting ice, so I did not get to the upper fall with my kids. Will definitely come back on a warmer day to go up to the upper fall.

New Paltz / Gardiner, NY - I have hiked and biked through the Mohonk Preserve many a times over the…read moreyears, in all seasons, and it is one of my favorite wild places! Some of the trails I love the most are the Bonticrou Crag & Table Rocks (breathtaking views; the rock scramble is fun and challenging but there is an easier way up via the Bonticou ascent path), Labyrinth & Lemon Squeeze, and Sky Top Trail by the Mohonk Mountain House. On weekends and in the warmer seasons/good weather especially, the parking lots fill up early (like by 8:30-9am). There are 5 main trailheads, and the day use fee is at current writing $15 for hikers or $20 for cyclists/climbers/horseback riders (children 15 & under are free). At the heart of the preserve lies the Mohonk Mountain House, which is actually a private property. The area around the mountain house is amazing but unfortunately it is rather arduous to visit for many due to the parking lot distance, as it's a bit of a hike in from the preserve's trailheads (pleasant & easy, but about 4.5 miles in so that's ~9 miles roundtrip), unless you're a paying guest at this all-inclusive resort property and are allowed to park in the on-site lot. I've done it both the hard & easy ways, so to avoid sweat if not tears, I'll let my Yelp community in on some hacks of less strenuous ways to see the mountain house and its surroundings (short of paying $1Kpp as an overnight guest)... 1. $ - You can buy a $35 hiking day pass, to park at the "closer" parking lot at the Gatehouse, which is still 2.1 miles out from the mountain house (4.2 miles roundtrip, but better than 9 miles). 2. $$$ - Be a day guest and book a dining or spa experience at the property, and you can park on site. 3. $ - Visit during their special annual events like the gingerbread house competition in December or the tulip festival in April-May, passes for which are a much more affordable $15-$35 (2025 rates). This allows you to park at the mountain house and not have to hike in. So there! Mohonk Preserve is one of the most beautiful places in the Hudson Valley, with so much incredible scenery (including fall foliage!) and things to do - hiking, biking, rock climbing, cross-country skiing, horseback riding, row boating, and even a via ferrata though that's only for hotel guests - and is a dream for outdoor lovers!

ETA: I have since learned that the $35 is to park at the mountain house which is apparently more…read moreexpensive than parking at the preserve. :)

There are a few trails here that circle around the marshland. We took the yellow trail, which was…read morean easy shaded walk. My family loved that this was a different experience from our typical hikes in the woods, as we were able to take in the beauty of the Marshlands.

This is a brand new trail that opened on June 5th. I don't know if it's still a secret or if it was…read moretoo hot but there weren't many people for a Sunday morning. There is currently an Enchanted Forest art installation along the main trail which is very cool. The red, green, and yellow trails are well marked with frequent flares and give amazing views of the otherworldly beauty of the marshland. Most of the 1.5 miles of trails are easy, gentle, and well shaded by forest. Parking is along the road or driveway. I imagine it could be a challenge if crowded. The yellow trail head is to your right from the parking area. The red trail is the main one which turns into the green loop. Overall, I'm impressed and it was worth the drive. This is exactly what a new trail should be like.

Walk,bike, take a wheelchair and enjoy this free public resource. Like the public library, it's…read morethere for the taking. And wonderful.

Although this rail trail was billed as being paved, calling it paved is a misnomer & it's a good…read morething our bikes could handle it because it is actually an all-gravel trail. We parked at the Woodstock-Dike Trailhead & the views of the reservoir & surrounding hills near there are beautiful, as is the fresh smelling air & green, green trees. Most areas you pass are pretty, such as wooded hillsides that slope down towards the reservoir, sounds of birds, lots & lots of forested spaces, a small residential area with KEEP OUT signs & small streams of water running alongside the trail. Tons of chipmunks crossing the trail. We saw lots of walkers, a few, fellow bikers & stopped briefly at a few of the large signs that tell of the history of how the reservoir was created as well as the rail trail. We misunderstood & thought this was a loop trail going all the way around the reservoir, but we were wrong. It only skirts the northern side of it, so we rode 8 of the 11 miles, turned around & ultimately rode 16 miles total. Good, bumpy, gravelly ride. Good signage, good parking, benches one the side of the trail as well as distance markers.

It's the biggest, best nose. Best nose. Ever. And they say, it's a stone and rock nose. It's…read morestone and rock. Rocks. I'll tell ya. Rocks. Windmills cause cancer. And I would definitely choose the shark over being electrocuted. Beautiful. Just beautiful. I love America!

A slab of rock has a review listing on Yelp! Yelp is on the verge of being useless if they keep…read moreallowing this nonsense. Gertrude's Nose is a slab of rock found at Minnewaska state forest. You cannot drive there. You must hike there and this listing has no contact info so if I wanted to find information about this slab of rock I can't because it's just that, a slab of rock. Completely useless listing!

Nice trail mostly steep down to the Hudson. Only saw 2 other hikers. Be sure to grab pizza lunch…read morefrom Tosco's around d the corner. Delish!

I had no idea this Preserve was here, and my husband and friend stumbled on one of the "not…read moreofficial" trail heads. The trails aren't very well marked, and not very easy to see, but it's a nice little preserve. It's not an "easy" walk, kind of steep at times, but decent for not knowing it even existed! Not much parking, dogs are allowed in some areas, no bikes allowed.

For awesome sounds of nature and views all around, this is a great trail to stop at. Hopeland…read moreTrails is part of Norrie State Park. Getting here is not difficult at all while it's not hard missing the exit. There's plenty of parking to fit cars. The word trails indicate there are 5 in this trail park that does a big loop with multiple of them within it. It's awesome to see the layout of it as its filled with mainly gravel and also some grassy areas in some places. Luckily it's not too fully over grown to make it challenging, but do check for ticks after the hick. One minor turn off on the walk I saw is, there is no sign showing the yellow trail for Songbird Lane, so I thought maybe we went off the path for a section until reaching the other connection. There's no sign showing the red trail at the split (see my map photo for a full explanation). An update on the map would be very helpful. The website has it updated. Plan a stop here at Hopeland.