Safe on a ledge . . .

. . . of a very scalable crevice in the Shawangunks, yet tentative all the way up.

-malcolm kogut.

Minnewaska State Park

Minnewaska State Park is a wonderful place to hike, bike or horseback ride.  There are several layered escarpments with a circuitous network of trails layered between them.  The Shawangunk (often pronounced Shongum) Mountains or The Gunks, meaning "smokey air," is a ridge of bedrock in the Catskills. 

For the best blueberry picking, hike (no bikes or horses allowed yet as the recent hurricane made the trail impassible for both) the Hamilton Point Trail beneath the power lines heading toward the Pallmaghatt Kill or between HPT and Castle Point Trail.  The best, biggest and sweetest berries are near the power lines.  Hmmmph . . .

Make sure you visit the stone beach at Awosting Lake.  The Hamilton Point Trail has the most exciting escarpment trail.  For the climber and explorer, there are some exciting scree fields beneath this escarpment.