Minnewaska State Park Preserve – Carriage Roads with Scenic Views to Extend Your Season

By Dave Kraus

Whether you are a dirt riding newbie or an experienced “graveler,” there’s a perfect place in upstate to ride on well-maintained, unpaved roads while enjoying some of the most spectacular scenery you will find anywhere. 

Located in Ulster County, Minnewaska State Park Preserve perches on almost 22,000 acres of pristine parkland on top of the Shawangunks Ridge between the Hudson River and the Catskills. The “’Gunks” rise gradually to Sam’s Point on the south end, while farther north the main park visitor center overlooks Lake Minnewaska, just off NY Route 44/55 that snakes its way over the ridge from New Paltz to Kerhonkson. The park was opened in 1993 after the state bought the property in 1987 to protect it from urban development. Since then, the park has been enlarged with significant assistance from the Nature Conservancy and Open Space Institute. OSI also helped fund the new Minnewaska Visitor Center that opened in 2020. For more info: parks.ny.gov/parks/minnewaska.

The Shawangunks Ridge is both geologically and biologically distinct from the Catskills to the west, hosting an ecosystem that includes plants and animals rarely found elsewhere in New York State. Chestnut oak forests and pitch pines are common, and the pines shrink to dwarf size toward the south end to create a miniature forest that’s also covered with blueberry bushes that turn a fiery red in the fall.

 Best of all, the park’s 35 miles of carriage roads give cyclists access to some incredible scenery including lakes, waterfalls, fall foliage, and spectacular views of both the Hudson Valley to the east and Catskill peaks to the west. As fall temperatures and foliage work their way south, riding in the Shawangunks is a great way to extend your cycling season for several more weeks after colors peak in the Adirondacks.

Minnewaska has an entry fee of $10 per vehicle at the main park entrance on Route 44/55. You can also get in with your Empire Pass, and on weekdays any senior over 62 can enter simply by scanning the QR code on the back of your New York driver’s license. There is a connecting carriage road to adjacent Mohonk Preserve and you can ride from one to the other. If so, you will need to pay a separate $20 per person day use fee and the trails are actively patrolled in that private preserve run by a non-profit organization. The trails at the Mohonk Mountain House are open only to guests of that for-profit resort.

This Minnewaska 13.5-mile beginner counter-clockwise gravel loop allows a first-time rider at the park to visit some of the most stunning viewpoints, while skipping the toughest climbs on the carriage road network. You will start from the Minnewaska Visitor Center that has restrooms, exhibits about the park, and park staff available to answer questions. Riding past the Lake Awosting beach, go out on the Upper Awosting carriage road, climbing gently at mile 2.5 past Litchfield Ledges that turn rain or snow into waterfalls of water or ice. Also here is the trail to Rainbow Falls where a short walk lets you see the rainbow after rain and a short walk. Just get there before mid-afternoon when the sun goes behind the cliff.

A short descent brings you close to Lake Awosting, where another short detour can bring you to either the dam that enlarges the lake or the stone beach that also has restrooms (Note that swimming is only allowed until Labor Day). This intersection is also where you would continue to connect to the Smiley Carriage Road and High Point Road. The newly opened 2.8-mile High Point Road will now enable you to ride all the way to the Visitor Center at Sam’s Point Preserve. But be ready if you do, as the new road has some steep climbs of 11-13%.

If you’re following this route, it’s also here where you turn left to start the climb up to Castle Point, past overhanging cliffs to the spectacular views atop the point. If you bring your lunch this is a great place to stop for a picnic.

Continuing your ride on the gradual downhill from Castle Point you will come to one view after another across Palmaghatt Ravine past the cliffs of Gertrude’s Nose and toward the Hudson. There are some sharp curves near cliffs and no guard rails, so ride carefully!

Just past 7.5 miles, you can either continue straight back to Lake Minnewaska or turn right for the out and back ride to Millbrook Mountain with its own spectacular cliff top views. On the way stop for a photo at Patterson’s Pellet, a glacial erratic boulder left behind by the retreating glaciers that helped shape this area. Heading back to the visitor center, you will have the steepest (but very short) climb up to the picnic area that gives you a final fantastic view over the lake toward the peaks of the Catskills.

Here are some tips that will help you have a great ride at Minnewaska: Bicyclists must wear helmets, ride only on maintained carriage roads, yield and give warning to pedestrians and horses, and ride in a safe manner. Only class 1 e-bikes are allowed on park carriage roads; a type 1 ebike only assists the rider while pedaling and up to 20mph. The roads feature great signage, but you can also pick up a park map at the main gate or visitor center. Be aware that park carriage roads may skirt steep drop-offs with minimal warning signage so exercise caution while keeping a close eye on children and inexperienced riders. 

More tips: Carry out what you bring in! Restrooms are only available at Lake Minnewaska and at the stone beach area at Lake Awosting. Arrive early if you are going on a weekend or holiday as parking lots fill-up quickly; park in the upper lots for easiest access to most of the carriage roads. Bring a lock and cable for your bikes if you plan to do any short off-bike walks to some of the viewpoints on this ride route. Take it easy! The carriage roads are designed for leisurely enjoyment, not high-speed cycling. Awosting Falls is a popular viewpoint, but the climb from it back to the visitor center is extremely steep for cyclists. 

Other areas you may want to avoid include: The southern end of the Lower Awosting Road climbing to Lake Awosting; steep sections of the Smiley and (newly opened) High Point roads; and the full loop around Lake Awosting that’s very rough in places.

If you’re looking for post-ride refreshments, head west down the hill to Rough Cut Brewing in Kerhonkson or stop by the Mountain Brauhaus at the base of the ridge in Gardiner.

Dave Kraus (dbkgrafik@gmail.com) is a Capital Region cyclist, photographer and writer who visits the Shawangunks and its superlative scenery as often as possible. Visit his website: krausgrafik.com.