Mohonk Preserve In The News
GIS and Mapping Activities at Mohonk Preserve in the Shawangunk Mountains
eSpatially New York | November 27, 2023
Due to its rich biological diversity, New York State’s Shawangunk Mountains (a.k.a the “Gunks”) is one of the most important sites for conservation in the northeastern United States. Because of the many rare natural communities and species found here, the New York Natural Heritage Program ranked the Shawangunks highest in biological diversity…
Since the early 2000s Preserve staff have been using GIS to inventory and map rare species and habitats in ArcGIS, as well as a wide range of recreational trail maps and related products. Leading the current and most recent use of GIS at Mohonk Preserve is Ed Pestone who serves as Land Protection and GIS Manager. Pestone’s geospatial toolbox includes: ArcGIS client (Map/Pro), ArcGIS Online, Field Maps, Survey 123, and Quick Capture. Helping support higher accuracy field data collection, support staff also use Bad Elf GNSS Surveyor with real time kinematic (RTK) positioning. For the final rendering of maps and cartographic products, staff use several of the apps found in the Adobe Creative Cloud platform…
10 Beautiful Nature Spots In New York’s Hudson Valley That Are A Short Trip From NYC
by George Joseph
The Travel | November 6, 2023
The Hudson Valley region of New York offers many things to do and abundant natural beauty for travelers seeking to escape the concrete jungle of New York City for a short getaway. Adventure seekers and nature lovers alike will find plenty of outdoor recreation and stunning scenery just a couple of hours north of the Big Apple…
Hike amid rocky terrain and lush forests in New Paltz… The Mohonk Preserve offers over 8,000 acres of pristine forests, fields, and cliffs around the Shawangunk Mountains ridge, which can be explored on a road trip. Travelers can follow carriage roads and wooded trails past streams, waterfalls, and a scenic lake. Visitors can also stay overnight at the historic Mohonk Mountain House. With over 140 miles of trails to hike, the Mohonk Preserve gives nature enthusiasts plenty to explore within its sprawling and unspoiled terrain. The sweeping views from the Shawangunk ridgeline make this a favorite spot for day trips or longer visits…
Terns: Trip to Shawangunks offers beautiful mix of colors
by Herb Terns
Times Union | November 3, 2023
We looked south to the Shawangunks for our hike. At just more than 2,000 feet, the Gunks are diminutive compared to the much taller Catskills nearby, but height isn’t everything. The ridge is peppered with scenic lakes and striking white cliffs.
Those striking cliffs, composed of Shawangunk conglomerate, make the Gunks a rock-climbing mecca, but there’s plenty there for those of us who like to keep their feet on the ground. The ridge is laced with old carriage roads, perfect for biking, and miles of hiking trails that often lead to either lakes or those striking white cliffs…
77-year-old rock climber proves it’s never too late to pursue a new passion
CBS Mornings | November 1, 2023
For our series “Never Too Late,” we head a few hours north of New York City to the Shawangunk Mountains to meet a man who picked up rock climbing at age 69. CBS News’ Elaine Quijano meets up with the athlete, who is now 77, to hear how he first fell in love with the sport and why he believes it’s possible to find and pursue a new hobby at any age…
Hike the Millbrook Ridge Trail in the Mohonk Preserve
by Daniel Chazin
The Jewish Link | October 12, 2023
This 6.5-mile moderate loop hike in the Mohonk Preserve (near New Paltz, New York) features some of the most spectacular scenery in the area. It follows the ridge of the Near Trapps and the Bayards to reach the 1,600-foot summit of Millbrook Mountain. Along the way, it passes many panoramic viewpoints from the ridge, with views extending north to the Catskills and south to the Wallkill Valley. The hike involves a total elevation gain of about 800 feet, with a few steep climbs, although most of the grades are gentle. It should take about four-and-a-half hours, and dogs are permitted on leash…
6 Hudson Valley Hikes With Rock Scrambling
by Kayla Sexton
Hudson Valley Magazine | September 20, 2023
Into advanced hiking but not quite ready for rock climbing? These scrambling trails in the Hudson Valley are just challenging enough and deliver a strong adrenaline kick. Ranging from one to seven miles, these relatively short hikes are steep enough to get you out of breath, and the views at the top are usually pretty impressive. Scrambling is a cross between hiking and climbing that requires some balance, some grip, and the use of all four limbs – which is why it’s not only fun, but also doubles as a full-body workout. So, grab your water bottle and shoes with good traction and be prepared to get a few scrapes on your fingertips when you head out to take on these trails…
Ultimate fall colors bucket list: 10 US destinations you need to see
USA Today 10Best | September 15, 2023
It’s that time of year when Mother Nature is gearing up for her annual spectacle of fall color. And what better way to enjoy it than leaf peeping? These 10 destinations — voted by our readers as the top spots in the U.S. — are ideal for viewing the entire spectrum of fall foliage…
The Hudson Valley has long been renowned for its incredible fall foliage, and for those planning an autumn road trip, Mohonk Preserve is one of many can’t-miss destinations across the region. It’s a top spot for rock climbing, but for a more leisurely take on the park, visitors can scale the nearby Sky Top Tower for spectacular vistas of Ulster County at its finest…
Autumn Escapes: 10 Best Fall Weekend Getaways From New York City
by Reena Jain
The Travel.com | August 8, 2023
Fall enchants everyone in New York looking for a change from the summer’s sweltering temperatures and crowded streets with visitors all around. Not only does the city get adorned with a gorgeous display of orange, red, and yellow foliage, but it also offers a range of exciting activities to do in the fall to enjoy its splendor to the fullest. But, yes, for those craving wide open spaces away from New York City, the countryside boasts lots of places decked out in colorful fall foliage…
Another wonderful destination to visit on a weekend getaway from New York City is New Paltz. The town is one of the most beautiful in the Hudson Valley of New York State, and its surrounding Shawangunk Mountains transform into awe-inspiring displays of fall color. Visitors enjoy outdoor activities like rock climbing, motorcycling, and hiking, as these offer an adrenaline rush amid beautiful landscapes…
Shawangunks’ peregrine falcon population increases by three
by Frances Marion Platt
HV1 | August 8, 2023
Along the Shawangunk Ridge, last week was a rapturous one for raptors. On Thursday, August 3, the Mohonk Preserve announced that its seasonal closure of part of the rock climbing and bouldering area of the Trapps had been lifted, because a peregrine falcon chick had fully fledged – for the first time since 2018! The announcement came as happy news for rock jocks and birders alike…
The very next day, Friday, August 4, two more young falcons joined the local peregrine population – or at least had the opportunity to stay. As he prepared to release the two birds that he had taken to the Raptor Trust to be rehabilitated after they fell out of their nests onto the Bronx sidewalks, wildlife biologist Chris Nadareski noted that the falcons could well decide to hightail it right back the City again if they wanted. (The name “peregrine” means “wanderer,” after all.) But he explained that it’s considered inadvisable to release them close to where they were first found as chicks, because falcons will not hesitate to attack or even kill young interlopers…
Mohonk Preserve selected for Leave No Trace program
Times Union Hudson Valley | July 13, 2023
Leave No Trace, a conservation nonprofit organization, has selected Mohonk Preserve for a new initiative highlighting communities “rising to meet environmental challenges” with on-site education and stewardship programs.
The Spotlight program aims to equip each spotlight area with Leave No Trace tools to address environmental issues each site faces.
From Friday, July 28 to Sunday, July 30, a Leave No Trace team will be at Mohonk Preserve to work with the community and local partners on restoration and stewardship projects…
Swimming holes in the Hudson Valley
by Julie Baumgardner
Times Union | July 5, 2023
Tucked inside Mohonk Preserve, off the Coxing Trail and only a short hike away is an absolutely breathtaking wading pool known as Split Rock — which hopefully sets the drama of the stage…
Off the Coxing Kill stream, a 15-foot waterfall collects into a natural pool of mountain water between a 10-foot chasm of granite formations that’s perfect for a whole range of water-seekers, from those who want to dip or simply chill on top of the rocks watching waders below…
An 8,000-acre nature preserve in upstate New York is a rock-climbers paradise
WCVB 5 ABC News | May 22, 2023
The Mohonk Mountain House is an all-inclusive, four-season Victorian castle resort in New Paltz, New York, in the Catskill region — hiking, biking, swimming, riding, golf, and tons of natural beauty.
Not to be confused with the Mohonk Preserve! NY State’s largest private nature preserve. Over 8000 acres of mountains, forests, fields, streams, and lakes surround the hotel property. Perhaps most famously, the Mohonk Preserve is the home of the Gunks, one of the premier rock-climbing spots in the country…
Mohonk Preserve signs alert visitors to give copperheads a wide berth
by Erin Quinn
HV1 | May 19, 2023
As copperheads emerge from their dens in springtime – typically in May or when the air temperature reaches 60 degrees or above – they often have their coming-out party together, sunbathing on the rocks, enjoying that spring air and mild temperatures like the human world; hence their visual presence at places like Split Rock. “Copperheads typically den with other copperheads, so when emergence occurs, it is not unusual to see multiple snakes sunbathing together,” explained [Preserve research ecologist Megan] Napoli, referring to the informational sign at the Preserve hot spot off Clove Road….
What to see, do and eat on a day trip to New Paltz
by Lauren Mulvey
Times Union | May 11, 2023
If you’re searching for a longer trek, set off at the River to Ridge Trail, which branches off Main Street just past the river. This trail is maintained by the Mohonk Preserve, an organization that protects and manages 8,000 acres of land in the region, including several trailheads of varying difficulty. This 6-mile loop spans farmland, borders the river and offers close-up views of the Shawangunk Ridge where the Mohonk Mountain House’s sky top tower sits like a lighthouse over the town. This trail is accessible from multiple parking lots and offers bike rentals during the warmer months at its Springtown Road trailhead.
Another popular hiking route in this preserve offers some of the best views of the Hudson Valley atop Bonticou Crag mountain, accessible at the Spring Farm Trailhead…
The 5 most breathtaking views in the Shawangunks
by Christopher J. Yates
Times Union | May 10, 2023
The Shawangunk Ridge is an undeniably magical place. Is it because of the blazing white rock that forms the ridge? (That’s Shawangunk conglomerate — essentially quartz pebbles bound together with quartz.) Could it be the waterfalls, the five sky lakes, the hundreds of miles of wooded trails and carriage roads? Or all of the above?..
However the magic is conjured, living near the Gunks was the top reason I wanted to buy a home in the Hudson Valley. Since the first time I visited the ridge in 2007, I’ve hiked around 10,000 miles of Gunks trails. Now I’m sharing my five favorite views on the ridge — not an easy task to narrow down…
Gaze at The Stars at the Mohonk Preserve In New Paltz
by Paty Quyn
Hudson Valley Country.com | May 7, 2023
It seems like 2023 has been the year for lots of astrological events. We are regularly hearing about meteor showers and special full moons…
On May 15th from 9 PM to 11 PM, the John R. Kirk Planetarium Director Raj Pandya will lead an evening talking to us about the stars and constellations. The Preserve offers a great place to witness the night sky because it is one of our best dark-sky places in the Hudson Valley…
Mohonk Preserve offers free six-week passes to Ulster County residents
Daily Freeman | April 20, 2023
Mohonk Preserve is offering county residents a free six-week pass as part of the Healthy Ulster Pass program.
The Healthy Ulster Pass Program distribution takes place Friday, April 21, through Sunday, April 23.
Visitors with proof of Ulster County residency may obtain their passes at the Preserve’s Visitor Center on state Route 44/55 in Gardiner, the Testimonial Gateway Trailhead on state Route 299 in New Paltz, or the Spring Farm Trailhead off Mohonk Road in High Falls from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. from Friday, April 21 to Sunday, April 23…
Scaling New Heights
Rock Climbing 101
by Abigail Gierke
Chronogram | April 1, 2023
Those who’ve been awestruck watching Alex Honnold meander up the side of El Capitan or marveled at Jason Momoa on the reality show “The Climb” and wonder what rock climbing might be like should know that the perfect introduction is at the backdoor. Once a sport of the counterculture in the `60s and `70s, rock climbing is now mainstream, and those curious should look no further than the Shawangunk Ridge. The group of cliff bands of quartz conglomerate just west of New Paltz, better known as the Gunks, are the heart of rock climbing in the Northeast, rich with history and one of the best places for beginners…
Insider’s guide to cross-country skiing in Ulster County
by Alexandra Zissu
Times Union | February 10, 2023
For beginners, including families with young kids, Ruoff suggests Mohonk Preserve’s Overcliff-Undercliff loop as Overcliff is groomed for skiers. “That whole stretch out to Rhododendron Bridge is great,” he said of the approximately 2.5-mile, mostly flat path. At any point along Overcliff, skiers can easily turn around or finish the full 5-plus-mile loop for a challenge…”
A beginner’s guide to bouldering in the Hudson Valley
by Erin Quinn
Times Union | August 2, 2022
The easiest route to the sport of climbing is via bouldering: a full-body workout that only requires some shoes that grip, a pad to fall on, and some chalk to soak up the hand sweat.
In fact, bouldering is now the most common form of indoor climbing, with gyms sprouting up in cities as well as more rural areas that have popular outdoor climbing areas, like the Shawangunk Ridge, which is rich in rock-climbing routes and history as well as simple to complex bouldering puzzles…
Gardiner, N.Y.: Open Space and Mountain Views in Ulster County
by Karen Angel
NYTimes | July 6, 2022
The 50-mile Shawangunk Ridge is just one of the reasons New Yorkers are flocking to this Ulster County town, which is also prized for its wide-open spaces…
About 6,200 acres — 22 percent of Gardiner — is protected land, according to the town’s database of preserved land. The two major holders of protected land are the 8,000-acre Mohonk Preserve, with 1,990 acres in Gardiner, and the 24,000-acre Minnewaska State Park Preserve, which has 2,790 acres in Gardiner.
2022 Nature & the Outdoors Winners
Chronogram | July 1, 2022
Mohonk Preserve was voted the Chronogrammies Readers’ Choice Awards winner for Best Park/Preserve and runner-up for Best Hiking! Thank you to the 20,000 people who participated in this year’s Chronogrammies Readers’ Choice Awards.
Point of view: First impressions
by Abigail Gierke
HV1 | July 1, 2022
Events conspired to bring us here to the Hudson Valley, and in the beginning I didn’t realize how much I felt the absence of the Rockies. It didn’t take long, though. It was like a bad case of snow blindness was wearing off. This began to dawn on me during one of our regular visits to the Gunks in the Mohonk Preserve. It happened on the GT ledge looking out, eye to eye with the clouds and the vultures. An exuberant solemnity welled up within me. I was with my partner, and the route was challenging but not too difficult for us not to enjoy ourselves.
We sat there in awe of the landscape before us: a perfect combination of forest, water, rock, and the wildlife living above that lush green canopy below us. Sublime…
Long-term ice phenology records spanning up to 578 years for 78 lakes around the Northern Hemisphere
by Sapna Sharma and Additional Authors and Affiliations
Scientific Data | June 16, 2022
In recent decades, lakes have experienced unprecedented ice loss with widespread ramifications for winter ecological processes. The rapid loss of ice, resurgence of winter biology, and proliferation of remote sensing technologies, presents a unique opportunity to integrate disciplines to further understand the broad spatial and temporal patterns in ice loss and its consequences. Here, we summarize ice phenology records for 78 lakes in 12 countries across North America, Europe, and Asia to permit the inclusion and harmonization of in situ ice phenology observations in future interdisciplinary studies…
Mountain laurel is nearing peak bloom at Mohonk Preserve
by Erin Quinn
Times Union | June 13, 2022
The mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) is blooming all along the Shawangunk Ridge and is due to be at peak flowering on or near June 15. This large, shade-tolerant shrub, which is native to North America, explodes in white and pale-pink hexagon-shaped blossoms that…
Mohonk Preserve offers free six-week passes to Ulster County residents
by DAILY FREEMAN
DAILY FREEMAN | May 20, 2022
Mohonk Preserve is offering county residents a free six-week pass as part of the Healthy Ulster Pass program.
The program is being offered from Wednesday, June 1, through Sunday, June 5. Visitors with proof of Ulster County residency may obtain their passes at the Preserve’s Testimonial Gateway Trailhead on Route 299 in New Paltz, or the Spring Farm Trailhead off Mohonk Road in High Falls from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Passes will be valid from June 1 through July 16.
Healthy Ulster is made possible through support from the Ulster Savings Charitable Foundation. Passes are limited and available while supplies last…
Peak time for birders
by Erin Quinn
HV1 | May 1, 2022
Birdsongs and mating dances are in flight right now as migratory birds flock to the region and resident birds tease out a breeding companion. “The last week of April through the first three weeks of May are really the peak times for birders,” said Steve Stan, a retired specialist from the Department of Environmental Conservation, an avid birder, and…
Minnewaska, Sam’s Point brace for Southern pine beetle attacks
by Erin Quinn
HV1 | April 29, 2022
The rare and beloved pitch-pine ecosystem is facing a threat brought on by global warming: the Southern pine beetle (SPB). Increasingly warmer temperatures have resulted in the SPB moving north over the last eight years…
71 acres of Shawangunk Ridge to be protected
by Tracy Ziemer
Times Union | March 30, 2022
Over 71 acres of the Shawangunk Ridge have been permanently protected by the Mohonk Preserve and The Shawangunk Conservancy. A group of Ulster County landowners seeking to protect over 71 acres of land from development in the northern Shawangunk Mountains has sold the parcel to two local nature conservancies to permanently preserve it.
After almost two years of planning, The Shawangunk Conservancy (TSC) and Mohonk Preserve announced on Tuesday that they purchased the 71-acre tract from The Shawangunk Conglomerate, a homeowners association of environmentally minded people who sought to protect the land…
Hike the Trails of Mohonk Preserve
by Anne Pyburn Craig
Visit Vortex | March 20, 2022
Protecting over 8,000 acres of mountain cliffs, forests, fields, streams, ponds, and other beautiful places, Mohonk Preserve is New York’s largest nonprofit nature preserve and a true local treasure, preserving what the Nature Conservancy has called one of Earth’s “last great places” for its bounteous biodiversity…
Birdwatching Spots
Visit Vortex | March 19, 2022
There are several areas of the Preserve that can be especially rewarding for bird-watching. The open fields at Spring Farm have a large population of nesting indigo buntings…
More Articles
Ten races to help runners in the region get back to normal
by Steve Schallenkamp
Daily Freeman | March 12, 2022
The 12th Annual Rock and Snow Bridge 2 Bridge 5-miler, presented by the Mohonk Preserve, is Saturday, April 9. All five miles are on the preserve’s unpaved, groomed carriage trails. Everything is centered around the spectacular Slingerlands Pavilion at Spring Farm…
An Equestrian’s Guide to Horseback Riding in the Hudson Valley
Hudson Valley Magazine
March 12, 2022
Whether you want to learn to ride like a pro or simply mosey along a trail, this stable of local resources will get you going straight out of the gate…
6 Hudson Valley Trails for Hikers of All Experience Levels
Hudson Valley Magazine | March 12, 2022
We may be biased, but the Hudson Valley is one of the best destinations in New York for enjoying the outdoors. With dozens of parks and mountains, there is an endless variety of miles to cover…
Winter is prime time to spot hawks, owls & eagles in the mid-Hudson
by Erin Quinn
Hudson Valley One | February 14, 2022
Wherever you are in the Hudson Valley this winter, there is likely to be an array of hawks, falcons, eagles and owls perched on a tree, swooping in on their prey or blending in with the bark of the tree cavity in which they’re roosting…
16 of the Best Day Trips from New York City
I LOVE NY | February 4, 2022
For amazing views of the Hudson Valley’s Shawangunk Ridge, head to Mohonk Preserve, just a couple of hours from the city. Hike on 70 miles of carriage roads and trails, bike on historic carriage roads, climb the world-famous Gunks cliffs, horseback ride, and run through forests, fields, and mountains. For rock climbers, there are more than 1,000 climbing routes, and plant and animal lovers will adore the discoveries awaiting them in the preserve’s 8,000 acres…
Activity Halted on Popular Hudson Valley Ridge
by Paty Quyn
Hudson Valley Post | February 2, 2022
For those of you who are brave enough to be out climbing the Shawangunk Ridge this time of year, there is an important closure that you should know about that was posted today by the Mohonk Preserve. Not being a climber or boulder myself, I am not very familiar with the places that are being mentioned in the closures that were posted today by the Mohonk Preserve. I am however a big fan of the ridge and it is exciting to see that its stewardship is being well looked after by the Mohonk Preserve…
Snowshoeing for beginners in mid-Hudson Valley
by Erin Quinn
Times Union | January 25, 2022
Light falling on snow has a contagious effect. You want to keep running after it, as if to saddle that sunshine to last you for the next few months. Snowshoeing can make it easier to soak in those fleeting rays. But fearing that snowshoes would be complicated to put on and present an entirely new sport to learn, I have been hesitant to try it. Until Rich Gottlieb, former owner of Rock and Snow outdoors shop in New Paltz, offered to take me out and provide a few pointers…
5 Hudson Valley Trails That Are Perfect for Winter Hikes
by Timothy Malcolm
Hudson Valley Magazine | January 5, 2022
Bundle up and hit the trails for cold-weather Hudson Valley hiking in the Catskills, Shawangunks, and across local state parks. Tired of waiting for warmer weather to go hiking? Plenty of local spots offer amazing sights even in the cold winter months. Here are some great recommended trails for novices looking for serious Hudson Valley views…
Inclusive outdoor programs ensure nobody gets left behind
by Chris Soto
Land Trust Alliance | January 1, 2022
Mohonk Preserve in New York has an active environmental education program for local K-6 students who look forward to their annual trip to the Preserve for field studies. The program was built on the knowledge that bringing students back to the Preserve every year will help them form lifelong connections to the land. But one day, Kathy Ambrosini, director of education, received a call from a special education teacher who let Kathy know children with disabilities were being left behind at school on these field days. Shocked, Kathy wondered how it was possible that they had been administering this program for years and didn’t realize they were missing hundreds of special education students. She immediately set out to correct the inequity…
A look back at Mohonk’s Undercliff/Overcliff Carriage Road Loop
by Erin Quinn
Hudson Valley One | December 31, 2021
One of the Mohonk Preserve’s most iconic routes is Undercliff/Overcliff, that oval-shaped 4.7-mile loop that takes visitors underneath soaring cliffs with rock climbers dangling above to the quietude of more forested Rhododendron Bridge and back along a meandering carriageway that opens up with breathtaking views of Clove Valley and rolling contours of the Catskill Mountains in the distance. Paul Huth, who worked for decades alongside of Dan Smiley and later as the director of the Daniel Smiley Research Center at the Preserve, can attest to the timelessness of this loop, which was built between 1902 and 1928…
A guide to locally sourced and renewable gifts
by Erin Quinn
Hudson Valley One | December 10, 2021
In the Hudson Valley we are surrounded by natural beauty. Yet, too often, we can become complacent, almost dulled as to what exists right outside of our own backyards. We stick to the same routines, the walk around the block, the elliptical at the gym, sometimes even the shuffle from the grocery store to the parking lot might be the only bit of fresh air we breathe in a day. This is where a gift-giving rupture can have life-changing effects. What if, we were to give our friends, family, loved ones, a membership to a local nature reserve or an arts center? It could literally be giving them a ticket to another type of life, one that is enriched by beauty, only a short walk or drive from their home…
Photos: New Paltz and Gardiner foggy landscapes
by Tania Barricklo
Daily Freeman | December 7, 2021
Clouds lie over the Shawangunk Mountains in Gardiner, N.Y., on Monday afternoon, Dec. 6, as seen from Butterville Road in New Paltz, N.Y…
Trail mix: Hiking the crown jewel of Mohonk Preserve
by Erin Quinn
Times Union | December 2, 2021
Lots of hikes in the Hudson Valley offer scenic views. But this particular loop, which is part of the 8,000-acre Mohonk Preserve, is special for the natural eye candy throughout and its accessibility. Being located near two beloved, longstanding dining spots for a post-hike reward doesn’t hurt. Iconic and well-traveled, the 4.7-mile Undercliff Carriage Road to Overcliff Carriage Road loop, located in the Shawangunk Mountain Range in Gardiner, is a year-round destination for every flavor of outdoor enthusiast: runners, hikers, bikers, snowshoers, cross-country skiers, boulderers and rock climbers…
Banner photo by Karen Maloy Brady