Great trail maintenance, accurate mapping, crystal clear water - I was impressed. We will return.read more

I made my Gunks debut yesterday and was pretty impressed despite the very meh weather situation…read more This is about 90 minutes from my HQ so probably right at the limit of a convenient day hike, and somehow I've never really been in this area before beyond travelling past it going up and down the NY Thruway. Definitely returning when the sun is actually out. I did the 8.7-mile Castle Point hike (my gut says it wasn't QUITE that long, but I don't want to argue with my book) from the Awosting parking lot down the Mossy Glen Trail (yellow blazes), making a left onto and up Blueberry Run (blue) to Castle Point itself, and then went basically straight down the cliff on the Scenic Trail (lavenderish and formerly light blue), down the Rainbow Falls Trail (orange) and finally making a right on the Lower Awosting Carriageway back to the parking lot. Wasn't crazy about the $10 fee to park - nature shouldn't cost anything - but it is what it is. It's really a shame the weather was crappy because I could tell that viewpoint at Castle Point is legit - it's sprawling and you can see for miles in almost every direction. That's a very cool spot and easily the highlight of the hike. There are some interesting viewpoints throughout the rest of the adventure, but I'd say they're primarily of rock formations and water features, which have their selling points but nothing beats a view at the top. I'm in decent hiking shape right now, and this was just not particularly challenging for me. The only part where I was even a little out of breath (and it was humid, so grain of salt in that regard) was on Blueberry Run, which was a pretty steady incline up, but really not hardcore at all from my perspective. The drop down from Castle Point on the Scenic Trail IS a little tricky and you really want to spend some time there figuring out where your foot is going to go next. Compared to other parks in the tristate area, this one definitely has more hazards, cliffs you could potentially fall down, etc. But same token, it has a ton of these completely flat carriageways as well. It rained while I was on the Rainbow Falls trail and I DID slip/fall on some of the rocks at one point, but that's on me since I willingly came over here knowing what the forecast was. Wasn't impressed by the Rainbow Falls themselves, and neither were the other hikers who were there at the time. Maybe it was just not an ideal situation for them, but it's been rainy the last few days so unclear when you should take advantage of the optics there. The trail blazes were EXCELLENT, easily some of the best I've ever encountered. Each official trail had an accompanying sign that not only gave you the name of the trail, but a map of the nearby area, the grade profile so you can see what types of inclines/declines you'll experience on that trail and tons of basic facts. Really well done stuff. The bathroom situation was pretty good as well, with ample restroom options in the parking lot albeit without plumbing. You get what you get, but I'll take a clean bathroom situation in a heartbeat, regardless. Okay wildlife sightings. The rain I'm sure kept some of the good quality shizzle away, but I got a cool shot of a black vulture and saw an edgy newt. Worth the trek and will return for further investigation shortly.

Beautiful landscape, beautiful flowers, beautiful vibe. The arboretum is such a glorious place to…read morevisit.

It's still a little early in the season to see an abundance of flowers and nature. This place once…read moreeverything is in full bloom is amazing. Nice place to come and be with nature. Not a lot of crowds, plenty of places to have a picnic if that's your thing. The flowering trees are already dropping their leaves and turning green. Tulips are starting to sprout up everywhere. I like coming here to take take photos and hang out. I'm teaching my kids how to photograph and working on their posing skills.

Brought my new square drop trailer here for an overnight to iron the wrinkles out of the new type…read moreof camping. Being mid-week, this place was quiet!!! The sites, being first-come, first-served, we open enough and many offered just the right amount of privacy. I can see where a busy weekend might alter people's views of this, but mid week July? Perfect. The restrooms / showers were clean. The sites were also very clean. I believe the staff comes by everyday and cleans the fire pits from the sites that are empty. A great local gem. And yes, o wil be back.

Favorite park in the county. Very peaceful. Very clean. Been coming here for over 25 years.read more

Normally I only come out here to go jogging, 4th of July or memorial Day parade type stuff…read more However, it was a pretty nice day over the weekend and we went out there to sit by the pond which was actually full and not bug. Infested. Algonquin Park itself has a bunch of nice trails and it's so peaceful out there when the wind is blowing and you have a slice of pizza and some drinks from the place across the street. It's very family friendly and well kept. Don't remember any Canadian geese being out there actually, which was quite a surprise. Happy that the parks department for the town Newburgh takes care of this place.

This is a huge sprawling neoghbourhood park that has all the things we typically expect and want in…read moresuch a park - a variety of trails, a year-round stream, a bridge, remnants of historical structures, shaded pocnic spots, restrooms, a (very large) children's playground, and ample free parking. The water levels for the stream apparently can vary quiet a bit, as we've seen them swell up to a river early spring versus the typical babbling brook. I hope efforts continue to maintain and preserve this natural space for all to enjoy.

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!

A well-maintained and scenic area for hiking, walking and biking and just being in nature…read more There are multiple hikes and biking opportunities in the preserve and is a cheaper option to access trails than staying at the mountain house. We had a pass from the local library which covered one car but typically its $35 per car. If you park at the mountain house it's that much per hiker. Since they get this money they can ensure the trails are well marked, there are friendly faces to greet you and they had a bike repair station too. Parking at the preserve and hiking in will add a few miles but you can still see the lemon squeeze, eagle cliff and Skytop. Portopotties are at the trailhead. We got to the trailhead around 8:30 am and there were still spots available. Since it had rained a lot the day before, the trail was a bit muddy and slippery (surprisingly made it through without falling!). Parts of the hike were easy (on carriage roads) and other parts like the labrynth and lemon squeeze were challenging with lots of rock scrambling and tight crevices. You can climb to Skytop tower and snap iconic photos below. By the mountain house, they had a pretty garden, spa, tennis, archery, rowing activities and lots of little viewpoints. Everyone recommends getting there early as when the weather is nice, it will get crowded. After hiking, you can go into New Paltz and try some of the local restaurants in town.

I was thrilled to make this stop, even though I didn't get to explore the whole park. There are two…read moreentrances, located on Route 32, also, Gardnertown Road, and Powder Mill Road. The majority of the park includes multiple trails, including an Observation Tower, highlighting the wonderful view across the Hudson River, including south and north. The trees are in a way that limits a great view looking west. I enjoyed the view, and it was well worth it. The driveway I took is one lane, so do take caution while driving and pass carefully when necessary. Cronomer is on my checklist.

Came here to watch the sunset on the river and it was amazing. The park is clean and spacious…read more Great place to relax and listen to the waves, occasionally you'll get sounds from the train as it's near the station, but it's not egregious.

Great little park with large covered picnic tables. Beautiful clean area to eat your lunch or just…read morehang out with a large group.

Returned just to enjoy this amazing, local, park. Seems used by mostly dog walkers, or individuals…read moreexercising in some manner. The board walk is wonderful, as makes it wheel chair accessible, if you like to view the huge marches. We enjoy hiking. The trail, and any challenge that follow the creeks.

Cute little park to visit. Very small, not much walking. the views are beautiful. Great to read a…read morebook if you want or just look at the views.

It's a lovely park. I really enjoy taking my grandson fishing there. We always catch something…read more They have a nice playground and walking trails. I recommend.

Yearly membership REQUIRED for admission, veterans and disabled veterans get a discount or free…read morepass depending on disability rating. I Love, Love coming to the lake! Easy hikes, beautiful picture ready areas, peaceful, gorgeous grounds, multiple trails, plenty of seating areas, kids play ground, boat rentals, fishing, multiple covered areas of various sizes for parties and now they are building a very large facility and so much more. It is a must visit to enjoy the outdoors in Newburgh.