September 17, 2023 – Gardiner, NY
Problem: Average
Size: Roughly 2.5 miles
Max elevation: 1,279 ft.– whole elevation achieve roughly 430 ft.
Route kind: Circuit
Charge: $10.00 per car – Empire Pass Accepted
Trailhead parking: Peter’s Kill Area – 5080 Route 44-55, Gardiner, NY 12525
The present working hours are 9:00am to 7:00pm.
Restrooms on website – massive paved lot.
It is a carry-in/carry-out New York State Park. Trash receptacles aren’t offered; you have to take your trash out with you.
Park Overview:
Situated in Ulster County, NY, Minnewaska State Park Protect is located on the dramatic Shawangunk Mountain ridge, which rises greater than 2,000 ft above sea stage and is surrounded by rugged, rocky terrain. The park options quite a few waterfalls, three crystalline sky lakes, dense hardwood forests, incising sheer cliffs and ledges opening to lovely views, clear streams reduce into valleys, world-class mountaineering and 35 miles of carriageways and 35 miles of footpaths on which to bike, stroll, hike and easily get pleasure from. And, all this inside an hour and a half drive from New York Metropolis.
Guests have twelve potential entry factors onto Protect property. The doorway to the Peter’s Kill Space and Protect workplace is accessed from Freeway 44/55 and gives 120 parking areas.
The Peter’s Kill car parking zone is utilized by guests accessing the Peter’s Kill climbing space, by hikers heading for the Peter’s Kill Creek and Excessive Peter’s Kill Path and by guests wishing to speak with employees.
The Shawangunks (or “Gunks,” as they’re extra popularly referred to as) have lengthy been acclaimed as a rock climber’s paradise. The Peter’s Kill Space is a singular and exquisite a part of the 23,000 acre Minnewaska State Park Protect. Mountain climbing is permitted right here on the Decrease Peter’s Kill and Dickie Barre escarpments. This space is house to combined hardwood forests, pitch pine barrens, wetlands, vernal swimming pools, rock slabs, the Peter’s Kill stream, a number of waterfalls and the cliffs of the Excessive Peter’s Kill escarpment. Along with mountaineering and bouldering, mountaineering, picnicking and snowshoeing are all permitted actions on this space.
Trails Overview:
- Bull Wheel Path (0.6 mile) – This brief white blazed path begins off close to the Peter’s Kill parking space and ends on the junction of the Excessive Peters Kill Path. At a crest of an increase the path passes a concrete footing, the place a tower was anchored that when supported a pulley for a ski carry, a part of the Ski Minne downhill ski space, which operated from 1964 to 1978. The pulley is usually known as a “bullwheel.”
- Excessive Peters Kill Path (0.55 mile) – This blue-blazed path (additionally the route of the SRT) traverses across the Dicke Barre Wilderness Space. The path positive aspects the ridge line and continues by way of a good looking part of cliffs. It then descends steeply in locations to succeed in the Peter’s Kill. This path options the views from Excessive Peters Kill Cliffs.
- Yellow Connector Path (0.25 mile) – This brief footpath connects the Excessive Peters Kill Path with the Pink Loop Path close to the parking space.
- Pink Loop Path (0.35 mile) – This path climbs steeply from the Yellow Connector Path to the parking space.
Some sections of the paths have light blazes or none in any respect, however we didn’t encounter any points staying on monitor. As at all times, I like to recommend utilizing the Avenza Maps app and utilizing the official park path map to remain heading in the right direction and keep away from getting misplaced. There are quite a few rock climber trails and unmarked footpaths that department off from the primary trails.
This hike could be prolonged by utilizing any of the connecting trails. Please seek the advice of an up-to-date path map for those who select to do an extended hike.
Hike Overview:
Though this hike is comparatively brief, it presents some very engaging surroundings in “The Gunks.” The common hiker ought to have the ability to full this hike in 1-1/2 hours, however you may need to enable further time to pause and take within the lovely surroundings.
Nonetheless not again to my regular self, I’ve been tackling shorter and fewer strenuous hikes. This hike has been on my radar for fairly a while and now appeared the precise time to do it. The paths we adopted on this hike had little or no foot visitors. We solely noticed a number of individuals on the viewpoint and several other extra close to the tip of the hike as we had been ending up.
This hike follows trails that for essentially the most half, are simple to comply with. This specific route travels over quite a lot of rock slabs that might be tough and probably harmful if moist or icy. Please plan accordingly.
We arrived on the Peter’s Kill Space lot roughly 40 minutes earlier than it opened and we had been the third car in line. By the point they opened the gate at 9am, there have been about 25 vehicles behind us. The restrooms are positioned in a constructing with bathrooms (not flush bathrooms) and sinks. On the day that we hiked, a few the women that I used to be with, informed me that it smelled actually unhealthy in there. On the upside, there was bathroom paper.
Total, this was a really nice hike. The perspective on this hike is very nice and the shortage of crowds, as is normally the case at Minnewaska on weekends, makes it a worthwhile hike.
This hike was carried out counterclockwise.
As proven on the elevation profile beneath, there’s a steep ascent on the tail finish of this hike.
The Hike:
From a kiosk on the western finish of the decrease parking space, head north (proper) on a gravel street, following the Pink Loop Path. On the high of an increase, an indication and a triple-white blaze on a tree to the precise, marks the beginning of the white-blazed Bullwheel Path. Flip proper onto this path, which climbs step by step on an previous carriage street. After a brief descent, the path bears proper at a fork and continues to climb on a rougher route.
After narrowing to a footpath, the path reaches the crest of the rise, the place it passes a concrete slab, with metal bolts protruding. A tower that was anchored to the slab through the bolts as soon as supported a pulley for a ski carry, a part of the Ski Minne downhill ski space, which operated from 1964 to 1978. The pulley is usually known as a “bullwheel” – therefore the identify for the path.
The path now descends step by step, passing by way of mountain laurel thickets and blueberry bushes. A number of facet trails for rock climbers go away to the left. After passing the cliffs of Dickie Barre on the left, the Bullwheel Path ends at a junction with the blue-blazed Excessive Peters Kill Path.
Flip left onto this path, which climbs briefly to chop by way of a notch in Dickie Barre (discover the tilted blocks of conglomerate rock on the left), then begins a protracted, gradual descent by way of mountain laurel thickets and blueberry bushes to the Peters Kill.
About midway down, the path emerges on uncovered rock ledges, with pitch pines rising from the bedrock, and bears proper. Earlier than persevering with forward, it is best to bear left and cross the ledges to succeed in a dramatic viewpoint from the sting of the cliffs, with the Catskills seen within the distance to the precise.
When you’re able to proceed, return to the path, which descends extra steeply for a brief distance. The grade quickly moderates, and the path runs near the sting of the escarpment, with sheer drops on the left.
On the base of the descent, simply earlier than reaching the Peters Kill, the Yellow Connector Path begins on the left. Stroll straight a brief distance to the Peters Kill which flows over rock slabs. This makes for a great place to take a break.
When you’re able to proceed, retrace your steps a couple of ft to the junction with the Yellow Connector Path and switch proper at an indication that reads: “PETERSKILL PARKING LOT.” The path parallels the picturesque stream amid hemlocks, rhododendron and mountain laurel. After passing an attention-grabbing cascade, the place the stream flows over slanted rock slabs, the Yellow Path bears left, away from the stream, and it quickly ends at an indication for the Pink Path. You’ll discover close by one other concrete slab with protruding bolts and metal cables alongside the bottom – extra remnants of the downhill Ski Minne operation.
Flip left onto the Pink Path, however in solely 20 ft flip proper and comply with the crimson blazes parallel to the stream. The Pink Path bears left, leaving the stream, and climbs steeply again in direction of Route 44/55. On the high of the climb, the path turns left and follows a gravel path by way of successional fields, quickly returning to the parking space the place the hike started.
Assessment:
A very nice, brief hike by way of a lesser traveled space of Minnewaska. There are higher views within the park, however contemplating that we had the paths principally to ourselves, this was simply excellent. The Peter’s Kill Space is an efficient place to start a hike if you wish to keep away from the hordes of people who flock to the primary sections of the park.
Execs:
‘The Gunks,’ lesser traveled space of the park, good views, simple to comply with trails.
Cons:
Light path markings may use some recent paint in sure places.
Take a hike!
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