11. Shawangunk Ridge Trail to Sam's Point Preserve

Features: Wurtsboro Ridge and South Gully
Distance: 13.95 miles
USGSMapQuads: Wurtsboro, Ellenville, and Napanoch
Trail Conference Maps: Trail Map 104, Shawangunk Trails. Downloadable SRT map (northern section - Wurtsboro to Minnewaska): http://www.nynjtc.org/files/2008SRTmap3.pdf

General Description

The Long Path follows the Shawangunk Ridge Trail north for the next fourteen
miles. This section is primarily ridgetop with many spectacular views in all
directions. These are among the most dramatic in southern New York. The
forest is primarily scrub oak, blueberry and occasional pitch pine. The low
forest frequently places the hiker above the trees with unlimited visibility. There
are also sections of Shawangunk slab, though not as common as found further
north. The trail traverses the ridge to old Route 52, now a woods road, and
follows this for a couple of miles until it reaches NY Route 52 and South Gully.
The trail then ascends through South Gully to Sam's Point Preserve.

Access

Take the New York State Thruway to Exit 16, Harriman. Take NY Route 17/
future Interstate 86 west 29 miles to Exit 114, Highview. Turn right at the
end of the exit ramp onto Old Route 17 (Sullivan County 171) and go uphill
for 0.4 miles. Turn left on Shawanga Lodge Road and follow it for 1.1 miles.
Walk uphill along the Long Path starting from mile 16.55 in Section 10.

Parking

0.00 Shawanga Lodge Road, 0.5 miles from the intersection of the Long
Path and the Shawangunk Ridge Trail. 2-3 cars can be parked off the road
here. (18T 546074E 4603144N)
3.05 Ferguson Road (still called Roosa Gap Summitville Road on most
maps), 0.7 miles west of Shawanga Lodge Road). There is limited parking
near the trail crossing. (18T 547142E 4606751N)
3.70 DEC parking lot at the corner of Ferguson and Shawanga Lodge Road,
0.8 mi from the Long Path. (18T 547781E 4606204N)
8.35 Off NY Route 52, near the start of the yellow trail. From here it is
about 0.4 mi to the Long Path. (18T 549494E 4613214N)
10.85 Several cars can be parked at the woods road (old Route 52).
(18T 550448E 4615804N)
14.00 Sam's Point Preserve entrance gate (fee charged).
(18T 553137E 4613363N)

Camping

Camping on DEC land, which is from mile 0.0 to mile 2.90, and mile 3.05 to 
approximately mile 9.5.

Trail Description 9.5

0.00 The Long Path, blazed with blue DEC disks, turns right and follows
the Shawangunk Ridge Trail north just to the left of the slab, into and through
the scrub oak. For the next quarter-mile or so, the trail alternates between
scrub oak forest with views and denser woods. It then begins to descend,
gradually at first, followed by a steeper descent to a col.
0.70 The trail reaches a gravel road that leads down to Wurtsboro Airport.
After crossing the road, the trail crosses a stream, reaches an abandoned logging
road and then begins climbing back to the ridgetop on a series of
switchbacks. As the trail reaches the scrub oak, views again open up to
Wurtsboro Airport and to the south.
1.35 The trail crosses another gravel road that leads down to an abandoned
lead mine. It then reaches a rock outcropping with a spectacular view north
and south across the valley to the west. This point is just south of Wurtsboro
Airport. The large structure below is Kohl's warehouse.
1.90 The trail reaches another dramatic viewpoint. From here it is possible to
see northwest to the Catskills and northeast to Roosa Gap and Sam's Point.
Beyond here the trail begins a gradual descent toward Roosa Gap with many
views along the way.
2.30 The trail reaches a large overhanging boulder. Again there are views into
Roosa Gap and northwest to the Catskills. Below is the water-filled Summitville
section of the old Delaware and Hudson Canal, now a county park. The towpath
of the old canal has been restored here. Beyond the boulder, the trail turns right
and descends to a seasonal stream. At the seasonal stream, the trail turns left
and descends more steeply along the left bank. At the bottom of the grade, the
trail crosses the stream, passes through a wet area, and then reaches a larger
stream at the bottom of Roosa Gap.
2.90 After the stream crossing, the trail crosses a woods road which to the right is
blazed with yellow DEC markers and leads in about 0.8 miles to a parking area at
the corner of Shawanga Lodge Road and Ferguson Road. This yellow trail passes
a nice little waterfall in a ravine with slate walls.
The Long Path begins to ascend and crosses into private land. The blazes change
into the standard Long Path aqua blaze. Beyond the land boundary the trail climbs
to Ferguson Road through a series of switchbacks.
3.05 The trail reaches Ferguson Road. Just to the left of the trail, there is
room to park several cars. The trail crosses the road about 0.7 miles west of the
height of land and parking lot at the corner of Shawanga Lodge Road and
Ferguson Road. Beyond Ferguson Road, the blazes change back to the blue DEC
disks. The trail ascends steeply back up to the ridgetop. As you climb, views
open up to the south. The ridge north of Ferguson Road is higher and is thus
more populated with scrub oak.
3.55 The trail levels out and reaches a spectacular view to the south. This
vantage point is higher than any point since the New Jersey border, yielding a
view all the way down the ridge to the High Point Monument in New Jersey.
There are also views north to the Catskills. From here the trail continues north,
remaining about 100 vertical feet below the ridgetop. On the ridgetop is an
old fire-lookout tower that has been converted to a State Police radio tower. It
is off limits. Once the trail is past the former fire tower, it climbs back up to the
ridgetop.
4.00 The trail reaches the top of the ridge and continues north. The forest is
thicker here so the views are more restricted. At this elevation, mountain laurel
mixes in with blueberry and scrub oak.
4.85 The trail climbs over a knoll and reaches a 360-degree view, the best yet
on this section. To the south is a view of Roosa Gap, High Point and the Basha
Kill. To the northwest, the Catskills are visible, and directly north are Sam's
Point and Gertrude's Nose. Northeast are the Taconics, and southeast are
Breakneck Ridge and Storm King Mountain, twin sentinels at the entrance to
the Hudson Canyon. The trail continues north, comes to a boulder and descends
east into a col between two ridges of the mountain.
5.20 After a short climb, the trail reaches the top of the lower eastern ridge and
turns back north to descend to another col. There is another view from the
eastern ridge northwards. The trail continues to descend from the scrub oak and
enters the forest.
5.60 The trail descends through an interesting escarpment, and then turns right
to parallel it uphill to a height of land. At the height of land, the trail turns left
and continues to a woods road.
5.95 The trail crosses the woods road and goes through hardwood forest
crisscrossed by stone walls, slowly heading uphill in a generally northern direction.
During the next 0.3 miles the trail crosses six stone walls.

Bear Hill Preserve [MICHAEL WARREN]

6.55 The trail makes a sharp left turn and climbs up the ridge. Here the trail
goes through scrub oak with an occasional pine tree. Some of its markings are
painted on the rocks. Once on the ridge, the first good views appear with the
Shawangunk Ridge and Basha Kill south and the Catskill Mountains northwest.
During the next 1.15 miles the trail winds itself over the ridge, sometimes
affording views to the west and northwest, other times northeast to
southeast. On the east side of the ridge are steep ledges of 20-40 ft in height
and beautiful loose-standing rock formations.
7.25 An old woods road becomes visible on the bottom of the ledges.
7.65 There are some fine last views of the Catskills, Ellenville, and Bear Hill.
7.75 The trail starts heading down through a nice stand of laurel. The trail is
quite steep at places.
8.35 Reach an old road, the former connector between Route 52 in Cragsmoor
and NY Route 209 in Spring Glen. The Long path turns left and follows the
woods road. Although the first half of the woods road is on DEC land, the
blazes are LP aqua.
(A trail blazed with yellow DEC disks goes right and in 0.4 mi reaches NY
Route 52. Turning left on Route 52 leads in 0.3 mi to an overlook.)
10.85 The woods road reaches NY Route 52. Cross Route 52, and turn left along the shoulder of the highway.
10.90 Turn right into South Gully, at the end of the guide rail, across from two houses. The trail follows an
old woods road at the edge of a ravine, and steadily climbs. It comes close to
a nice stream with numerous small falls, and crosses side three streams
before it reaches Gully Road.
12.70 Turn left on Gully Road, and cross a stream.
12.75 Turn right. The trail ascends, makes a switchback near a stream, and
steadily keeps climbing.
13.60 Pass a berrypicker cabin.
13.70 Reach the Sam's Point Preserve loop road.
13.95 Reach a split in the loop road. The Sam's Point Preserve (partly owned by the
Open Space Conservancy, partly by the Palisades Interstate Park Commission, but managed by The Nature Conservancy) parking lot is to the right. A parking fee must be paid. The Long Path continues to the left.