Minnewaska State Park Preserve
Walk a high ridge of pale conglomerate, forest, waterfalls, and a startling blue lake.
Artwork inspired by Sanford Robinson Gifford
Minnewaska is a preserve on the Shawangunk Ridge, not a single overlook. Lake Minnewaska sits among pale cliffs and pitch-pine forest; carriage roads reach broad viewpoints while footpaths lead toward waterfalls. Start at the Lake Minnewaska entrance and decide whether your day is a lakeside circuit or a longer hike. The white rock and dark water make this landscape unlike the nearby Catskill valleys.
Arrive early on fair-weather weekends: lots can fill and entry can close temporarily. The park opens at 9 a.m., but its closing hour shifts with daylight; standard vehicle entry is $10. Swim only at designated beaches when open, never in streams or falls. Bring water, pack out trash, and check trail alerts before choosing a route.
- Landscape
- Shawangunk Ridge
- Signature
- Lake Minnewaska and white cliffs
- Vehicle entry
- $10 standard fee
Quick guide
- Choose an entrance
- Lake Minnewaska and Peterskill are different access areas; route to the one you intend to explore.
- Watch the closing hour
- The preserve opens at 9 a.m., but its evening gate time changes substantially through the year.
Know before you go
- Start at the lake
- Read the pale conglomerate ledges against the dark water before taking a longer trail.
- Choose your surface
- Carriage roads and footpaths offer different grades, views, and hiking demands.
- Check trail alerts
- Restoration, weather, and full parking lots can alter a carefully planned route.
- Protect the water
- Use only designated swimming beaches when open; falls and streams are not swimming areas.
Good to know
There are no trash cans. Pack out everything, and do not plan a swim at a waterfall.
Notice these
- Lake Minnewaska
- Pale Shawangunk cliffs
- Carriage roads