In a short distance, right on the pink Wawarsing Turnpike Footpath.
At a kiosk, the Jenny Lane Trail comes in from the right. We continued straight on pink.
Being watched by a groundhog.
Crossing Sanders Kill
Pink ends at Route 44/55 at the post to the left. We would be returning on the blue High Peters Kill Footpath that starts/ends here.
After crossing Route 44/55 heading towards the parking lot ...
... then to the left of the restrooms.
Seems when I get to this point they have opened the park gates and cars start coming in. Crossing over the park road ...
... then left on the red Awosting Falls Carriage Road.
This follows along Peters Kill for a while.
Awosting Falls
At this fork there is a sign up ahead that makes no sense at all.
Eh? Maybe people take the right fork thinking it is a loop but it is not? But turn around? Um no, the trail I needed, indeed part of Minnewaska State Park, was a bit ahead taking the left fork.
And here it is, the white Awosting Falls Connector Footpath.
This trail comes out directly across the road from the Peters Kill parking lot.
We turned left just before the parking lot ...
... to loop clockwise around the Red Loop Footpath.
This path leads all the way down to Peters Kill then turns right along Peters Kill.
Turning right leaving Peters Kill and heading steeply uphill.
These blue/yellow trails are used by registered climbers. I certainly wasn't climbing but I wanted to loop around the trail that goes along the climbing walls.
Problem is, there are no other blazes, the trail is very hard to follow, and after this point there is no trail at all.
We turned back, found a trail that went steeply uphill and put us right where we needed to be ...
... on the Bull Wheel Footpath heading towards the High Peters Kill Footpath.
Right on the blue High Peters Kill Footpath.
Left on the yellow Lost City Escarpment Trail to loop around clockwise because the descent going this way is gentler than the ascent coming back to this point at the end of the loop.
Stunning views along the way.
Mohonk Mountain House
Now entering Mohonk Preserve.
A bit of a tight squeeze through these boulders but it wasn't too bad.
After descending ...
... continuing on the yellow King's Lane.
Right on the blue High Peters Kill Trail.
Crossing back into Minnewaska State Park.
The climb up is steep but there are stone steps and never any scrambles.
At the top meeting back up with the Lost City Escarpment where we had started the loop. Now retracing on the High Peters Kill Footpath.
Passing by where we had come in from the Bull Wheel Footpath earlier and continuing on the High Peters Kill Footpath all the way to it's end.
Catskills in the distance.
The trail descends to Peters Kill ...
... crosses over on bridges ...
... the climbs back up.
Views along the way.
Nearing the end when Route 44/55 becomes visible to the left.
At Route 44/55 right a few steps ...
... then right to retrace one mile on pink back to the car.
Something flew across the trail in front of us and ran up the tree.
There he is! Brodie wanted him badly so I took the picture and hurried on along.
Bushwhack into Palmaghatt Ravine sometime... it's other-worldly in there.
ReplyDeleteSomeone else had mentioned that a while back. Something to consider - thanks!
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