Minnewaska State Park is a gorgeous area in Gardiner, New Year with hiking trails that go on for days! I visited on October 23, 2022, probably a little past peak fall which happened a week or so earlier. The colors were none the less spectacular.

To enter the park, there is a 10 dollar fee per car. Once in, you have access to all the trails. There are two parking lots, the lot next to the Awosting waterfalls called the Lower Parking Lot, and the Upper Parking Lot near the lake and visitor center. Both have toilets next to them, with the upper lot having better facilities inside the center. The staff is wonderful. They will advise you on which hikes to attempt and make sure you have the proper footwear if you have attempt a longer hike. If you are going during peak fall, note that the times to get in can take a long time. It’s probably best to arrive early or expect to wait. The guards told us the the paking area holds 700 spots.

This blog post is about the Minnewaska Lake and Awosting Waterfall, beginner hikes, that are accessible for all ages and hiking skill levels. I have also done the Gertrudes Nose Hike, which is more challenging hike and should only be attempted by those ready for a good challenge.

Parking next to the Awosting Waterfall gives you quick access to the falls. The hike from the parking lot to the falls is short, under 15 minutes. In total the trail length is 1.1 miles in and back from the parking lot. At one point in the trail, the trail forks and you take the left for the falls and right right fork for the lake. The left fork drops you off at the top of the falls and you can take the side path down to the base of the falls. This waterfall is absolutely stunning. The rock face is full of texture and the whole hike down the waterway is gorgeous.

To get to the Lake, you hike the same way back towards the parking lot and at the fork, you take the lake path. A small portion of this trail is on the road and then it meets up with the one of the Carriage Trails and you can take this to the lake. If you decide to walk around the lake, its 2 miles in total. There are many incredible vistas, and points to sit and relax and take photos or simply enjoy the view.

I love this place. I have found it one of the most beautiful hiking spots in New York that I have had the pleasure of visiting. It is family friendly and the thing I love most if you can make it as chill or as active as a day as you would like because of the 22,275-acre preserve and hiking trails that lie in this property.

Also, when driving up to the lake, there is a lookout on the main road. I highly recommend stopping here for photos. I’ve included a photo here from the views we encountered at the spot.

Lookout on the way to Lake Minnewaska.