State Park · New York
A Shawangunk Ridge preserve above the Hudson Valley: sky lakes, waterfalls, white cliffs, 35 miles of carriage roads, and a day-use park with camping handled just outside the gates.
Field briefing
Minnewaska State Park Preserve changes fast with season and elevation.
Before you go
The best trips arrive early, especially on summer and fall weekends, pair a carriage road with a cliff-edge footpath, and plan camping at the Shawangunk Gateway Campground just outside the preserve.
The landmarks worth the trip. Tap any photo to enlarge.
Weather, crowds, and what the season changes about the trip.
Cool and variable, with mountain laurel blooming in June and fast-changing ridge weather.
Pack Layers, rain shell, and grippy footwear for slick carriage roads.
Warm and very busy, with lake swimming and parking lots that fill and close by mid-morning on good days.
Pack Early arrival plan, sun protection, water, and swim gear.
Cool, clear hiking weather with dramatic foliage on the cliffs, drawing heavy October crowds.
Pack Warm layer, headlamp for short days, and an early or backup parking plan.
Cold and quiet, with snowshoeing and cross-country skiing on the carriage roads.
Pack Insulation, traction, and gear for groomed ski trails.
Lake Minnewaska and Millbrook Mountain loop
The classic carriage-road and cliff-edge loop around the sky lake to the Millbrook Mountain overlook.
Gertrude's Nose
A dramatic cliff-edge footpath with exposed white-conglomerate ledges and long Hudson Valley views.
Awosting Falls
A short carriage-road walk to a 60-foot waterfall, the easiest signature payoff in the preserve.
Keep one flexible slot in the day, because weather, parking, and energy usually decide more than the map does. For one day in Minnewaska State Park Preserve, make Lake Minnewaska and Millbrook Mountain loop the non-negotiable, add Gertrude's Nose only if the first stop runs clean, and keep Awosting Falls as the flexible finish.
Turn Minnewaska's conditions into water, pack, and sleep-system decisions.
Build around conditions
Let season, elevation, and weather set the plan.
Plan your trip
3 quick tools, already seeded for Minnewaska State Park Preserve. Tune the numbers around temperature swings, footing, layers, and how much margin the route needs.
Start with the gear decisions this park changes: footing, weather, camping, and water.
Kit Authority
Minnewaska State Park Preserve packing list
0 of 15 packed. Check items as you pack, then take this list to the store, trailhead, or campsite.
Pack planning
Use this as a constraint check while you are still shaping the trip. The active checklist becomes useful once your route, dates, and sleep plan are set.
Checklist mode
15 items, grouped for the trip you are actually taking.
The buying guides that match what Minnewaska asks of your kit, with our current top picks across budget and use case.
There is no camping inside the preserve itself. The Samuel F. Pryor III Shawangunk Gateway Campground, a tent-only site managed by the American Alpine Club and Mohonk Preserve, sits five minutes from the main entrances and is the closest camping. Gardiner, New Paltz, and Kerhonkson offer hotels, inns, and rentals for travelers who want a room.
Camping reservations
Minnewaska is a day-use preserve with no campground of its own. The tent-only Shawangunk Gateway Campground is the closest option, with 24 drive-in and 26 walk-in sites, open mid-May through mid-November.
Reviewed June 11, 2026
Booking window
The Shawangunk Gateway Campground books through the American Alpine Club lodging system. Reserve early for summer and fall-color weekends.
Where to book or verify
Official American Alpine Club page for the tent-only campground near the preserve entrances.
Official preserve page with hours, fees, trail maps, and parking alerts.
Check for federal campground, backcountry, tour, and permit inventory tied to this park.
Campgrounds to know
Plan the handoff from arrival to shuttle.
Parking, pedestrian entrances, and shuttle timing decide how calmly the first morning starts.
Getting there
Arrival note
Minnewaska is in Ulster County on Route 44/55, about five miles west of Gardiner and roughly an hour and a half from New York City.
Car strategy
A car is the practical way to reach the preserve, and arriving early is the single most important move because the Lake Minnewaska and Sam's Point lots close when they fill.
Pair this with lodging: sleep where the park transfer is simple, especially if your route needs an early start.
No. The preserve is day-use only. The closest camping is the tent-only Samuel F. Pryor III Shawangunk Gateway Campground, about five minutes from the main entrances, managed by the American Alpine Club and Mohonk Preserve and open mid-May through mid-November.
The preserve charges $10 per vehicle to park. An Empire Pass covers day-use entry. Rock climbing, boating, and horseback riding carry separate permit fees.
On good-weather summer and fall weekends, the Lake Minnewaska and Sam's Point lots can reach capacity by mid-morning and close intermittently. Arriving early is the most reliable way to get in.