Beacon Hill Footpath & Carriageway Loop
Minnewaska State Park Preserve

The famous Shawangunk mountain ridge soars more than 2,000 feet above sea level, and this park is one of the best ways to experience it. The terrain is wild and rocky, blanketed by dense hardwood forest encircling two lakes. Clear streams cut into valleys, incising sheer cliffs and ledges and emerging in waterfalls. The Beacon Hill Footpath and Carriageway is the perfect means to sample this amazing landscape. The park occasionally offers interpretive hikes led by a naturalist. And you can also snowshoe on the trail in winter. If you want to extend the adventure and up the challenge, you can take a side trip down Gertrude’s Nose Path. This trail climbs through a dense evergreen forest, along rock ledges (sometimes exposed—be careful with small children), and takes you to views over the Palmaghatt Ravine. You’ll eventually come out at Gertrude’s Nose, the southern tip of the ridge, which features broad views to the east and south.

For more information, contact: (845) 256-0579.