Shawangunk Grasslands National Wildlife Refuge - U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Dogs are not allowed.
DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates to the entrance drive to the parking lot - 41.63666, -74.21874
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| The parking lot is farther up the entrance drive. |
TRAIL MAP:
Shawangunk Grasslands National Wildlife Refuge Trails - U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Note that there are two different maps depending on the season.
DISTANCES:
HIKE: Shawangunk Grasslands National Wildlife Refuge - 3.3 miles
THE HIKE:
I have always wanted to hike here but never could with Brodie along as dogs are not allowed. It was a nice add on for this day to take advantage of not having Brodie with me.
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| To loop around counter clockwise, starting at the overlook area on the left. |
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| Back at my car, an Eastern Bluebird. |
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| A female bobolink - I would be seeing lots more of them later on. |
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| Waaaaaaay off in the distance, as far as I could zoom in, an American Kestrel. |
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| Heading off on the trail which is a wide mowed grass path. It's flat and looks easy enough but going isn't all that easy. The grass is mowed but it is thick so it's like walking on a sponge. And there is full exposure throughout. It was only in the mid-70's but when the sun was not behind clouds it was brutally hot. |
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| The views of the Shawangunk Mountains are much better in person. |
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| Female Red-winged Blackbird |
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| Male Red-winged Blackbird and they were everywhere. |
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| Mohonk Mountain House in the distance. |
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| Monarch - not so many butterflies but the buzzing of bees was almost deafening at times. Not buggy at all though. The bees mind their own business and none of the annoying or biting kind around. |
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| I had no idea I had captured two fawns until I uploaded the pictures at home. |
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| I grabbed that shady spot under that one tree to cool off. |
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| Although for the most part the trail was dry, it was pretty wet and muddy at the far end in spots. It's the kind of mud that grabs your shoes and almost sucks them off. |
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| Song Sparrow |
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| Yup, pretty muddy. |
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| This Eastern Meadowlark was singing nonstop and sounded like it was right in front of me but I never could locate it. |
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| At an intersection the red trail (they aren't actually blazed) continues straight, I went right on blue. |
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| Gray Catbird |
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| Enter the Land of the Bobolinks. |
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| The last time I saw bobolinks was nearby on the River-to-Ridge Trail and my pictures did not turn out as well as this time so get ready for Bobolink overload. |
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| And the female Bobolink. |
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| Coming to the observation area at the other end of the parking lot ... |
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| ... and back to the parking lot. |
