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.

Trapps Hamlet Hike in Shawangunks

Mohonk Preserve and Minnewaska State Park
Ulster Co.,
New York

Hiking Trails:
Trapp's Hamlet Path: Blue blaze
Shongum Path: Red blaze
Enderly's Path: Yellow blaze

Total Time: 1:30 Minutes
Estimated Distance: 2.9 Miles
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Level of Recommendation: Recommended for a historical hike

Points of Interest: Historical markers and cabins, mall waterfall at Coxing Kill

Cons: Lack of views and otherwise interesting terrain

Although the summer had so far been very bad, this weekend was moist and very rainy. On Saturday it had rained about 1.5 inches, and more tropical moisture was forecast for Tuesday with downpours expected. I had tracked the radar and the morning still had the heavy rain off in a distance. I decided I would do a hike which did not veer off too far from the road, and I had really wanted to do a hike in the Gunks. This area seemed liked the best choice, and I dressed in my appropriate rain gear.

The Trapps Hamlet was a historical community near the gap in the Gunks cliffs where Routes 44/55 cross through. This hamlet was abandoned and no structures are remaining from the original, except for just one remaining cabin which I visited on this hike.

I parked at the Trapps Parking area in Mohonk Preserve. On a Sunday in the summer, this parking area fills up very fast. This week, it was totally empty. I parked at the Trapps Hamlet Path trailhead, and took it down to The Van Leuven Cabin, the last remaining structure in the Trapps Hamlet. The cabin and trail towards it are not at all remarkable. I then took the Trapp's Hamlet Path back, to the Shongum Path, which I then took to the Enderly's Path. Most of the above area travereses the Mohohk Preserve, but one small portion is within the boundaries of Minnewaska State Park.

I then took the Enderly's Path north, which has new boardwalks going across much of the place. This was especially helpful considering the rainy weather. I took it to the Enderly Homestead, where there is a nice Picnic area and small waterfall along the Coxing Brook. It had started raining at this point, so I decided to go back. I went back on the Enderly's Path, and the rain started picking up more steadily. I took it all the way up the hill until the Trapps connector path, at which point the rain was coming down very heavily. I then walked across the parking lot to my car, very wet even with my rain garb.

The pictures below were all taken from my cell phone camera.

Map of the Route.
Shawangunk Mountains Map

Trapps Hamlet Path Trailhead

The Start of the Trapps Hamlet Path

Dreary Rain Scene in the Forest

Trapps Hamlet Path and Enderly's Path Connection

Plaque at Van Leuven Cabin

Van Leuven Cabin

Side View of Van Leuven Cabin

Old Millstone Along the Enderly's Path

New Boardwalk at the Shongum Path

Small Waterfall on the Coxing Kill at Enderly Homestead

Eagle Cliff Area Scrambles at Mohonk

Mohonk Mountain House Area
Shawangunk Mountains
Ulster Co.,
New York

Hiking Trails:
Huguenot Trail: Hiking Trail
Whitney Road: Carriage Road
North Lookout Road: Carriage Road
Glen Anna Path: Hiking Trail
Fox Path: Hiking Trail
Eagle Cliff Road: Carriage Road
Undercliff Path: Hiking Trail
Lake Shore Path: Hiking Trail
Short Woodland Drive: Carriage Road
Eagle Cliff Scramble: Climbing Scramble
Humpty Dumpty Road: Carriage Road
Humpty Dumpty Path: Climbing Scramble
Arching Rocks Path: Climbing Scramble
Catherdral Path: Climbing Scramble
Plateau Path: Hiking Trail
Laurel Ledge Path: Hiking Trail
Fern Ledge Path: Climbing Scramble
Sunset Path: Hiking Trail
North Lookout Road: Carriage Road

Total Time: 3:30 Hours
Estimated Distance: 5.75 Miles
Level of Difficulty: Difficult
Level of Recommendation: Highly Recommended

Points of Interest: Great views and excellent scrambles
Cons: Expensive entrance fee, no parking near mountain house and even shuttle to day area cancelled

Hiking Partners:
Shimmy Rosenberg

It had been a while since I visited the Gunks, and I took the opportunity to leave early on this fine early summer day with Shimmy to do some scrambling in Mohonk. Mohonk has some of the best scrambles in the area, and I hadn't been to the Eagle Cliff area in a long time. There are many different scrambling routes to take there.

We drove up to the toll gate atop Mountain Rest Road. Our intention was to get a good parking spot closer to the Mountain House so we would be closer to the scrambling area. I had acquired membership back at the end of December, and I was told by the clerk when I purchased it that I would be granted the privilege of parking near the Mountain House on quieter days or when the parking lot is not full. Being that we arrived early, we were looking forward to parking closer to our objective. However, the staff at the toll gate did not allow us in, and were in fact rude to us about this when we asked about this. Not only that, but they said that the shuttle from the parking lot to the picnic area near the Mountain House - which has always been running for years - is no longer in operation. Day Hikers, even members, must now always walk the additional distance. I was stunned and quite disappointed by this.

I intend on contacting Mohonk Public Relations about this, and should my efforts be ignored or not be genuinely addressed, I will devote a special article to this. This article will be widely disseminated to my followers and to the regional hiking community, and will hopefully attract proper attention to this.

Despite our disappointment, we decided not to let this ruin our day, and still visit and enjoy the area we intended to visit. So we parked out in the parking area, and took the most direct path to the Mountain House: The Huguenot Trail to Whitney Road, to North Lookout Road, Glen Anna Path, and then the Fox Path.

We then walked along through the botanical gardens, towards Mohonk Lake, and then along the Eagle Cliff Road to the Undercliff Path. We took some scenic photos of Lake Mohonk, and continued to the Lake Shore Path, and then Short Woodland Drive, until we arrived at the the Eagle Cliff Scramble. We climbed up the Eagle Cliff Scramble, which affords an excellent view of the south and the west from atop.

We then turned around and went back down the Eagle Cliff Scramble, took the Humpty Dumpty Road, and looped around to the Humpty Dumpty Path. From this point on its quite a dramatic scrambling zone along the route we took, from the Humtpy Dumpty Path, Arching Rocks Path, and then the Cathedral Path. We then took the Plateau Path to the Laurel Ledge Path, and then to the short but very steep Fern Ledge Path. From there we took the Sunset Path and then went around the riding ring, to North Lookout Road and then Whitney Road and the Huguenot Trail to the parking area.

Map of the Route
Shawangunk Trails, Mohonk Area

Large Map Kiosk at the Parking Area

Mountain Laurels in Full Bloom

Shimmy Descending a Staircase Along a Cliff Wall
at the End of the Fox Path

Mohonk Mountain House in the Distance,
with Botanical Gardens in the Forefront

Me Walking Through a Vine Trestle in the Botanical Gardens

Shimmy in the Vine Trestle

Large Trout in Mohonk Lake
These Fish are Usually Visible from the Dock

Mohonk Lake from the Dock at the Mountain House

Tower on Sky Top, Viewed from the Undercliff Trail

Mohonk Lake, Viewed from the Western End

Me at Mohonk Lake

Water Lily in Full Bloom

At the Eagle Cliff Scramble

Shimmy Navigating Through the Eagle Cliff Scramble

Shimmy Posing at the Eagle Cliff Scramble

View Atop Eagle Cliff, Facing Southwest
The Trapps and Millbrook Mountain are in the Distance

Me Atop the Eagle Cliff View

Clouds Developing Over the Catskill Mountains
View from Eagle Cliff Facing West/Northwest

Zoomed Out from the Above View

View of the Southwest Trending Shawangunk Ridge, from Eagle Cliff
Note the Small Forest Fire in the Distance Near the Ellenville Area

Me at the Eagle Cliff View 

Shimmy Navigating Along the Humpty Dumpty Path Scramble

Along the Arching Rocks Path

Shimmy on the Arching Rocks Path

Me on the Arching Rocks Path

Shimmy Under Rocks that are Arching on the Arching Rocks Path