Trailheads

PEREGRINE BREEDING SEASON: April 20, 2024 – Adjusted temporary cliff and boulder closures are in place at the Trapps Cliff. Click here for more information.

Activities at the West Trapps Trailhead: Hiking, Biking, Climbing, Bouldering

Address: 3142 Route 44, Gardiner, NY

Hours:  Preserve lands are open daily sunrise to sunset.

This parking lot fills VERY early on peak weekends. On summer and fall weekends, arrive early to ensure a parking space at West Trapps. Or park at the Visitor Center lot and hike up the East Trapps Connector to the Trapps cliffs and to the beginning of the trail and carriage road network.

To reach the West Trapps Trailhead, take the New Paltz exit 18 off of the NYS Thruway. Go 7 miles west (through New Paltz) on Route 299 to the end: make right on Route 44-55. The Preserve Visitor Center will be 1/2 mile on your right. Go 1.3 miles past the Visitor Center, and turn right into parking area.

A short, easy walk takes visitors to the beginning of trails you can take that will lead you along the  cliffs along Undercliff Carriage Road or up to summit views from Preserve lands or onto the neighboring lands of Minnewaska State Park Preserve or the Mohonk Mountain House.

Activities at the Coxing Trailhead: Hiking, Climbing and Wading 

Address: 800 Clove Road, Gardiner, NY

Hours:  Preserve lands are open daily sunrise to sunset.

Clothing is required. In accordance with New York State Law, public nudity is prohibited at Mohonk Preserve.

Coxing is the Preserve’s smallest parking lot and fills VERY early on peak weekends. On summer and fall weekends, arrive early to ensure a parking space.

Located at the site of the former Enderly Family sawmill, Split Rock has long been a favorite place for wading in the Coxing Kill (stream). This trailhead provides access to several popular trails through hemlock groves and the stream.

Activities at the Spring Farm Trailhead: Hiking, Rock Scrambling, Biking and Horseback Riding

Address: 50 Upper 27 Knolls Road, High Falls, NY

Hours:  Preserve lands are open daily sunrise to sunset.

Spring Farm fills early on peak weekends. On summer and fall weekends, arrive early and consider carpooling to ensure a parking space.

To access the Spring Farm Trailhead, NY, take the New Paltz exit 18 off of the NYS Thruway. Go west on Route 299 (through New Paltz), go over steel bridge and turn right onto Springtown Road. Make a left onto Mountain Rest Road. Pass the entrance to the Mohonk Mountain House and go under the one-lane bridge. (Horse trailers, note: clearance is only 11 feet. See alternate route below.) Continue on 1 mile, and turn right on Upper 27 Knolls Road. Within ¼ mile, you’ll reach the kiosk for the Spring Farm Trailhead. This is the trailhead for Bonticou Crag as well as the Table Rocks Trail.

Enjoy the “Million Dollar View” of the Catskills – just a short walk from the Spring Farm parking area. Reminders of its earlier agricultural roots, the open fields and broad views at Spring Farm give way to quiet, forested paths.

Activities at the Testimonial Gateway Trailhead: Walking, Hiking, Running, and Cycling

Address: 35 Route 299, New Paltz, NY

Hours:  Preserve lands are open daily sunrise to sunset.

To get to the Testimonial Gateway Trailhead, take the New Paltz exit 18 off of the NYS Thruway. Go west on Route 299 (through New Paltz) for three miles. The Testimonial Gateway Trailhead entrance will be on your right.

Thanks to the generous support of donors, partners, and state and local governments, Mohonk Preserve has established its first new trailhead in 26 years at the iconic Testimonial Gateway in the 836-acre Mohonk Preserve Foothills, expanding public access for people of all ages and abilities to the Foothills’ carriage roads and trails.

The Testimonial Gateway Trailhead features the historic Testimonial Gateway tower, circa 1907, which served as the entrance to Mohonk Mountain House until 1945; Humpo Marsh, an important wildlife area; the historic Brook, Kleinekill, and Pine Farms; and segments of the Preserve’s carriage road system and the Old Wawarsing Turnpike.

Visitors may stroll along the level, tree-lined Pin Oak Allee, or continue to hike up Lenape Lane through the fields of Brook Farm. They may also explore the Mohonk Preserve Foothills Loop of the River-to-Ridge Trail. This 6-mile trail, which was created in partnership by the Open Space Institute and Mohonk Preserve, provides a direct pedestrian and cyclist link to the Town and Village of New Paltz.

Activities at the Duck Pond Trailhead: Walking, Hiking, Running, and Cycling

Address: 29 Pine Road, New Paltz, NY

Hours:  Preserve lands are open daily sunrise to sunset.

To get to the Duck Pond Trailhead, take the New Paltz exit 18 off of the NYS Thruway. Go west on Route 299 (through New Paltz) for three miles then turn right on Butterville Road followed by a left on Pine Road. The Duck Pond Trailhead parking area will be at the end of Pine Road. The Duck Pond Trailhead is located at the bottom of Duck Pond Road.

Duck Pond was created in 1908 as part of the formal entrance to the Mohonk Mountain House. It later served as a breeding ground for bass and rainbow trout. By the 1940s, Duck Pond became a popular stopping point for nature study, hikers and photographers looking for a scenic view. This trailhead provides access to popular carriage roads and trails in the Duck Pond area with connections to Mohonk Mountain House lands.

Check out the Skytop Loop at the Duck Pond Trailhead, a significant 6-mile hike with a substantial amount of elevation gain leading to Mohonk Mountain House lands and Sky Top with the opportunity to connect to the Labyrinth.