Minnewaska State Park Preserve protects 12,000 acres of the Shawangunk Ridge in the towns of Rochester and Wawarsing. Many species of warblers and other woodland birds nest on the ridge. One route for seeing and hearing them is an 8-mile loop trail from Minnewaska Lake via the Hamilton Point and Castle Point Carriageways. Less strenuous is the short walk on the park road between the main entrance and the Awosting parking lot. In 1998, the first Peregrines to return to the Shawangunks after the DDT crisis nested on the cliffs of Millbrook Mountain. The trail from Gertrude’s Nose to Millbrook offers excellent perches to watch for Peregrines and for migrating raptors.
Directions: From New Paltz (exit 18, I-87) drive west on SR 299 to the intersection of US 44/SR 55. Turn right and continue 4 miles to the main entrance, on the left. There is a per vehicle entry fee. Drive up the hill and park near Minnewaska Lake.
For more information,
see www.nysparks.com or call 845-255-0752.
Latitude, Longitude: 41°44’06″N, 74°14’19″W
UF FS | Sp Su F