Millbrook Mountain Loop, Mohonk Preserve,

Millbrook Mountain Loop
Mohonk Preserve,
Shawangunks Mountains, 
Ulster Co.,
New York

Hiking Trails:
West Trapps Connector Trail: Yellow blaze
Millbrook Ridge Trail: Blue blaze
Millbrook Mountain Trail: Red blaze
Coxing Trail: Blue blaze
Trapps Carriage Road: Unblazed

Total Time: 3:15 hour
Estimated Distance: 6.2 Miles

Pros: Highly scenic area, excellent views and climbs
Cons: Parking fee

Hiking Partners:
Shimmy Rosenberg

This is a highly memorable hike. Rain had been predicted in the afternoon, but the morning featured a dense fog in the entire Hudson Valley. We had brought rain gear to combat the possibility of rain. When we started climbing the mountain on Route 44/55, at a certain point we reached above the fog level and into a beautiful sunny day! Since we were high up and at the cliff edge, we could see the cloud level from the ground-level fog directly below up! In the distance, the peaks remained in view above the cloud level.

We parked at the West Trapps Trailhead in Mohonk Preserve, off of Route 44/55. We took the very short West Trapps Connector Trail to the carriage road over the road, and then took the Millbrook Ridge Trail that starts here. This trail climbs immediately over a short period on rocky white rock to a beautiful view on the ridgeline. The trail then continues along the edge of the cliff line for a while, until it eventually starts climbing up to the final ascent to Millbrook Mountain.

Millbrook Mountain is one of the most dramatic mountains in the Shawangunks. One side of the mountain is a vertical wall several hundred feet down to a boulder-strewn talus pile of huge rocks. The views here are incredible. We took a short break at the summit of Millbrook, taking many pictures, and then headed back down via a loop on the Millbrook Mountain Trail to the Coxing Trail. We took the Coxing Trail back to the Trapps Carriage Road, which we took back to the Trapps Bridge to the trailhead.

Why I am not Renewing my Mohonk Membership

As all my readers know, I am an avid hiker, and especially enjoy hiking the mountains of lower New York State. One of my favorite areas to hike is the Shawangunk Mountains, particularly the Mohonk and Minnewaska areas. This area affords breathtaking scenery with exceptional hikes, challenging scrambles, and ice cave exploring.

Since I visit the area frequently, I decided to support the Mohonk Preserve and become a member in December 2015. I purchased my membership from the Spring Farm entrance, on my way to a hike around the Bonticou Crag area. I was told by the attendant at the toll booth that parking at the Mohonk Mountain House would be available for Preserve members on quiet days.

I arrived on June 26 at the toll booth early in the day, with the hope of being able to drive up to the Mountain House area for a hike on one of the great scrambles. I understood that even though I arrived early, since it was a summer weekend, the attendants might not allow me to park at the Mountain House as it might fill up later. I would have respected that had I been told that. But instead, I was told by the attendant that the policies have changed and they no longer allow Preserve members to drive up to the Mountain House parking area - even on quiet weekdays. She also informed me, rather rudely I might say, that the shuttle to the picnic area is also no longer operating, permanently. These new policies now require all day hikers - even Preserve members - to park their cars far down out of the way, and severely limits the usage of the area.

I was very upset about this, and wrote an email of complaint to Mohonk's public relations department. I received a reply from Eric Gullikson, Vice President & General Manager at the Mohonk Mountain House, as well as a Mohonk Preserve board member. Eric had asked for my phone number so that we could chat on the phone. We ended up having a very good conversation, where Eric apologized for the behavior of the Mountain House toll booth attendant, and then told me he understands my concerns and will work on addressing the matter.

Fast forward several months, to November 6. I had planned a late-foliage autumn hike to the Mohohk area, starting at the Mountain House tollgate area, and going through Rock Rift Crevice onward to the Giants Workshop and Cathedral Path. It was a brisk fall day, and was surprisingly quiet in the parking lot despite there being lots of sunshine.

I pulled up to the tollgate and gave the attendant my credit card and member pass to charge me the additional $12 fee to park at the Mountain House tollgate area. He came back to me and told me that I would have pay the full $27 fee - because it's fall. This was quite a surprise to me that Preserve members still have to pay full price in the fall. I told him I was not aware of this; and clearly there should have been better communication to Preserve members about this. Although this hefty price is clearly worth it to hike the area, I felt wronged and could not accept this in good faith. I told the attendant I travelled a distance to get here and the parking lot is rather empty, and asked if he could make an exception. Once again, this attendant, too, was also apathetic and rigid.

Very upset, I turned my car around and headed down the mountain on Mountain Rest Road, towards the Klein Kill parking area at the Duck Pond area. Thankfully, I know the area well, and at least was able to plan an alternative hike to the area I wanted to visit. Parking here was plentiful, and I was able to hike up to some of the scramble areas I had originally intended to traverse. I took the situation in good spirits and really enjoyed myself, having an exceptional hike overall.

However, I will not forgot that the Mountain House is being increasingly hostile toward legitimate day hikers, including Preserve members. I do understand and respect that there are day-use visitors who abuse their privileges and enter the Mountain House and spoil the atmosphere for hotel guests. However, the vast majority of visitors - especially Preserve members - respect the rules and understand why they are necessary. The recent difficulties placed on hikers and Preserve members to restrict their visitation of the area and keep them out is upsetting.

I am sharing my experiences with the hope that my concerns are heard and shared by others, and perhaps a positive change will be made by the staff of the Mountain House and Preserve to be friendlier to the hiking community, especially Preserve members.

For the time-being, I will not be renewing my membership for 2017.

Mohonk Scrambles: Giants Workshop and Cathedral Path

Mohonk Preserve and Mountain House Area
Shawangunk Mountains near New Paltz
Ulster Co.,
New York

Hiking Trails:
Lenape Lane: Carriage Road
Oakwood Drive: Carriage Road
Forest Drive: Carriage Road
Forest Drive Connector Shortcut: Unblazed
Short Woodland Road: Carriage Road
Short Woodland Road Path: Unblazed
Humpty Dumpty Road: Carriage Road
Giants Workshop Trail: Blue blaze
Laurel Ledge Path: Hiking Trail
Plateau Path: Red blaze
Catherdral Path: Blue blaze
Copes Lookout Road:  Carriage Road
Copes Lookout Path: Unblazed
Lake Shore Road: Carriage Road
Spring Path
Crevice Connector Trail and Staircliff Path
Duck Pond Trail: Red blaze
Duck Pond Road: Carriage Road

Total Time: 3:45 Hours
Estimated Distance: 7.3 Miles
Level of Difficulty: Very Difficult
Level of Recommendation: Highly Recommended

Points of Interest: Great views and excellent scrambles
Cons: Full price even for members during fall

It had been a while since I had been in Mohonk during the fall foliage season. This was a beautiful fall day and a great day for a hike up in the Gunks. I was able to get an extra-early start because of the clock change. I went to sleep regular time and woke up an hour early at the crack of dawn, so got up the mountains quite early.

I had a very disappointing experience once again with the Mohonk Mountain House staff. I had gone to park at the Mountain House gatehouse area and would hike from there to the scrambles area below Eagle Cliff. I had my entire route planned out. Being a Mohohk Preserve member, I had discounted parking at that area. Anyways, to my disappointment, I was told because it was the fall foliage season they couldn't honor my preserve membership to park at the gatehouse area unless I paid the full $27! I had no idea about this, and was very disappointed. That is a lot of money, and on principle I couldn't bring myself to that. I will dedicate a separate post to this and urge the public against getting Mohonk Preserve membership.

I turned around from the gatehouse, and went back down Mountain Rest Road, and went to the Kleine Kill area instead and restrategized my plan to ascend the mountain from the Duck Pond area. I took Lenape Lane, as it snakes up the mountain, to Oakwood Drive, and then Forest Drive, as it goes along the eastern side of the cliff. I then took the Short Woodland Road, to the Short Woodland Path, to Humpty Dumpty Road.

From Humpty Dumpty Road, I took the Giants Workshop Trail to its end. This trail is a very good and tight scramble through narrow rock passageways, requiring tight squeezes. At the end, I took the carriageway towards the Plateau Path and cut across to it, and then took the Cathedral Path back up the mountain. The Cathedral Path is another one of those super-tight and crazy scrambles in the area. At the top of the trail is an incredible view facing south and west.

At this point, I took the Copes Lookout Road, to the Copes Lookout Path, to the Mohonk Mountain House. I took some nice pictures overlooking the lake, then walked around the northern part of the lake to the Lake Shore Path. I then cut across to the Spring Path, and climbed up the rock talus to the Crevice Connector Trail and Staircliff Path. I then climbed down the rock talus on a connector trail back to Forest Drive. I then took the Duck Pond Trail all the way down the mountain, taking a short bread down at the Duck Pond. I then took the old Duck Pond Road and curved back on the carriage road to the Kleine Kill trailhead area.