Minnewaska State Park Preserve - New York State Parks
DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 41.71341, -74.38261
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| Berme Road Park parking in Ellenville |
TRAIL MAP:
Shawangunk Trails Map #104 - New York New Jersey Trail Conference
HIKE DISTANCE: 8.4 miles
THE HIKE:
There were three different weather forecasts for the day of this hike giving me no compelling reason not to go:
- Accuweather: Sun and clouds, great day for leaf viewing
- NOAA: 20% chance of rain before 10 AM
- Weather.com: Cloudy
Reality: Fog, drizzle and rain the entire time making for slippery rock surfaces which, in spite of being very careful, resulted in a fall and an urgent care visit for 13 stitches where I hit my head when I went down. Fortunately I felt OK otherwise so once I was able to get the bleeding under control I made it the last 3 miles with no problems.
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| The connector trail to Smiley Carriage Road starts at the kiosk behind the picnic pavilion. |
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| Smiley Carriage Road - nice and smooth early on. |
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| The trail become rockier and it was with extreme caution that I proceeded along the wet, slippery and slanted rock surfaces, trying to avoid them as much as possible. |
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| The trail enters a fire damaged area. I did not think the Napanoch Point fire of August/September 2022 had come over this far but I guess it did. |
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| This is noted as "overturned 1938 truck" in the Gaia app. |
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| Extensive fire damage. |
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| There is an overlook along the way but nothing to be seen with low clouds and fog. |
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| Everything becomes green again leaving the fire area. |
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| Another old wreck. |
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| This is where the fall happened but on the way back. Going out I had stepped on the small rocks in the center then over to the larger flat white rock on the left. I had not stepped on that first larger gray rock on the left going out. But on the way back I did and that one rock happened to be covered with invisible, wet slime and I went down and whacked the side of my forehead before I knew what was happening. But that was later. For now, onward. |
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| Coming up on the manicured part of Smiley Carriage Road. |
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| Napanock Point Overlook - nothing to see here today. |
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| Turning left on the Long Path/Mine Hole Footpath. |
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| I did not recall the trail being this wide - no doubt widened to fight that fire. |
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| Turning right on the white trail to Panther Rock. |
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| Climbing up Panther Rock ... |
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| ... for a view of the Catskill Mountains. Or not. They are there in those clouds. |
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| Heading back to retrace on the Mine Hole Footpath. |
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| Lots of bulldozed trees from the fire along the sides. |
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| Right on Smiley Carriage Road. |
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| Still nothing to see at Napanoch Point. |
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| Right at the gate to retrace on the rugged part of Smiley Carriage Road. |
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| The side trail to Berme Road Park. |
