Beacon Hill Viewpoint–Lake Minnewaska, 12 sights is a 12.7-mile out-and-back in Minnewaska State Park Preserve near Lake Minnewaska, NY. The route passes Lake Minnewaska Beach, Scuba Diving Access Area, Beacon Hill Viewpoint and 5 more. It climbs 1,643 ft, with sections as steep as 20% grade. It scores 27/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
0 mi961 – 1,801 ft · steepest grade: 20%13.5 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Beacon Hill Carriage Road (Orange) 41.73131, -74.23450
Nearest town Lake Minnewaska, NY
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Beacon Hill Viewpoint–Lake Minnewaska, 12 sights
12.7 mi · ▲ 1,643 ft · 5 hr 3 min
Elevation 961–1,801 ft
Out & Back · Minnewaska State Park Preserve
Trailhead: Beacon Hill Carriage Road (Orange) · 41.73131, -74.23450
Weather Sep 7: sunrise 6:30 AM · sunset 7:22 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Beacon Hill Trail, heading NE.
- 50 ftPass Lake Minnewaska Beach.
- 50 ftPass Scuba Diving Access Area.
- 1.3 miPass Beacon Hill Viewpoint.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto Lake Minnewaska Carriage Road, heading NW.
- 100 ftPass Lake Minnewaska.
- 250 ftPass Scuba Diving Access Area.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Dry Bridge, heading N.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Lake Minnewaska Carriage Road, heading N.
- 0.1 miPass Lake Minnewaska Beach.
- 50 ftPass Lake Minnewaska Carriage Viewpoint.
- 350 ftTurn left onto Sunset Carriage Road, heading W.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Lake Minnewaska Carriage Road, heading SW.
- 150 ftTurn right onto Upper Awosting Carriage Road, heading SW.
- 0.5 miPass Upper Awosting Carriage Viewpoint.
- 1.1 miTurn right onto Blueberry Run Trail, heading SW.
- 0.3 miTurn left onto Blueberry Run Trail (Blue), heading NW.
- 0.2 miBear right onto Jenny Lane Trail, heading N.
- 1.9 miSharp left onto Old New Paltz-Wawarsing Turnpike (Pink), heading NE.
- 0.8 miReach Beacon Hill Viewpoint, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.8 miSharp right onto Jenny Lane Trail, heading S.
- 1.9 miBear left onto Blueberry Run Trail (Blue), heading SW.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto Blueberry Run Trail, heading SW.
- 0.3 miTurn left onto Upper Awosting Carriage Road, heading SE.
- 1.6 miTurn left onto Lake Minnewaska Carriage Road, heading E.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto Sunset Carriage Road, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Lake Minnewaska Carriage Road, heading E.
- 500 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Dry Bridge, heading SE.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Lake Minnewaska Carriage Road, heading E.
- 400 ftContinue straight onto Beacon Hill Trail, heading E.
- 1.2 miArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
49% dirt38% gravel13% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 6:30 AMSunset 7:22 PM
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 6.2 mi in (~167 min). Leave by 4:15 PM for the 7:22 PM sunset. Back at your car by 10:38 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Beacon Hill Carriage Road (Orange) Trailhead
- Lake Minnewaska Carriage Viewpoint–Beacon Hill Viewpoint, 6 beaches 2.9 mi · ▲ 412 ft
- Lake Minnewaska Carriage Viewpoint–Beacon Hill Viewpoint, 6 beaches 2.9 mi · ▲ 410 ft
- Pine Cliff Viewpoint–Beacon Hill Viewpoint, 6 beaches 2.9 mi · ▲ 442 ft
- Beacon Hill Viewpoint–Lake Minnewaska, 7 beaches 3.1 mi · ▲ 405 ft
- Awosting Falls–Beacon Hill Viewpoint, 8 beaches 4.3 mi · ▲ 698 ft
- Lake Minnewaska–Lake Minnewaska Carriage Viewpoint, 8 sights 8.2 mi · ▲ 998 ft
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