Kerhonkson, NY
Difficulty: Medium
Nestled in the lower Catskills sits Minnewaska State Park and offers glowing views of the Catskills mountains and is a popular sport for travelers throughout the year. Sitting on the northern side of the park is Awosting Falls, the largest waterfall in the park and a popular hiking destination for families.
The land was purchased by Albert and Alfred Smiley in 1869 as part of their Mohonk House Development, located just north of the park in Mohonk Preserve. A few years later in 1875, the brothers take a ride to Minnewaska Park and Coxen Pond. Upon their arrival they are in awe of the beauty and decided to purchase the remaining land (known today as Minnewaska State Park). In 1879 the brothers opened the Cliff House Hotel and renamed Coxen pond to Lake Minnewaska; which means “good water” in the Dakota Native American language. The natural beauty of the area drew many visitors and as a result, a second hotel, The Wildmere was constructed in Minnewaska preserve.
At their peak, the hotels in Minnewaska could accommodate over 350 guests and housed some very famous celebrities looking to escape the New York hustle and bustle. However, inflation and the economy caught up with the facilities. In 1955 Kenneth B. Phillips Sr bought the property from the Smiles family. In 1972 the Cliff House Hotel was closed and destroyed by fire in 1979. The Wildmere closed in 1979 and also destroyed by fire in 1986. The Mohonk House still stands in Mohonk Preserve today, but is not original to the 1860s.
After some legal battles regarding development, The State of New York purchased the land in 1987 and opened the Minnewaska State Park and Preserve in 1993. Over the years the trails and land has been expanded.
Minnewaska State Park sits just five miles west of State Route 299 in Ulster County, NY. The 22,000 acre park features a number of attractions including, hiking, swimming, cross country skiing, mountain biking and features several scenic overlooks of the Catskill Mountains. Lake Minnewaska is one of 4 lakes within the preserve and the largest at 1/2 mile long and 1/8 mile wide. Another popular attraction is Awosting Falls, located on the northern side of the park. The waterfall plunges 65ft straight down without any obstructions. The path to the waterfall is a wide gravel trail and is perfect for all ages. Round trip from the parking lot to the falls is a little more than a mile and will take about an hour.
If you take a trip to the Catskills, make sure you add Minnewaska State Park and Preserve to your list of places. There are plenty of attractions within the park and surrounding town of New Paltz and this area is a perfect mountain getaway for the whole family.
Parking: 5281 Route 44-55, Kerhonkson, NY 12446
AllTrails: https://www.alltrails.com/explore/parks/us/new-york/minnewaska-state-park-preserve
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