AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes
South abutment, Rosendale Trestle.jpg
Coasterlover1994 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Mohonk Preserve

Vernal Pool–Fifth Lake, 6 sights

13.1 mi · ▲ 1,507 ft · 5 hr 7 min

Vernal Pool–Fifth Lake, 6 sights is a 13.1-mile out-and-back in Mohonk Preserve near Maple Hill, NY. The route passes Fifth Lake and Joppenbergh Mountain Beach before reaching Vernal Pool at the turnaround, 6.5 miles in. It climbs 1,507 ft, with sections as steep as 28% grade. It scores 49/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.

Elevation

0 mi43 – 945 ft · steepest grade: 28%14.1 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 41.87243, -74.07143
Nearest town Maple Hill, NY
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Vernal Pool–Fifth Lake, 6 sights

13.1 mi · ▲ 1,507 ft · 5 hr 7 min

Elevation 44–946 ft

Out & Back · Mohonk Preserve

Trailhead: 41.87243, -74.07143

Weather Sep 7: sunrise 6:29 AM · sunset 7:22 PM

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading W.
  2. 0.5 miBear left, heading S.
  3. 400 ftContinue straight onto Wallkill Valley Rail Trail, heading SW.
  4. 0.4 miPass Fifth Lake.
  5. 1.3 miPass Joppenbergh Mountain Beach.
  6. 0.2 miBear left, heading S.
  7. 0.3 miBear right, heading S.
  8. 0.2 miBear right onto Lime Kiln Trail (Green), heading S.
  9. 0.1 miTurn left, heading S.
  10. 1 miTurn right, heading SW.
  11. 50 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  12. 0.8 miTurn right, heading SW.
  13. 0.6 miTurn left onto Northeast Trail, heading SW.
  14. 0.8 miTurn right onto Cedar Trail, heading S.
  15. 0.2 miBear right onto Cedar Drive, heading S.
  16. 350 ftContinue straight onto Cedar Drive Loop, heading SW.
  17. 100 ftReach Vernal Pool, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  18. 50 ftContinue straight onto Cedar Drive, heading SW.
  19. 350 ftBear left onto Cedar Trail, heading NW.
  20. 0.2 miTurn left onto Northeast Trail, heading N.
  21. 0.8 miTurn right, heading N.
  22. 0.6 miTurn left, heading NE.
  23. 0.8 miTurn right, heading NE.
  24. 50 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  25. 0.9 miContinue straight onto Lime Kiln Trail (Green), heading NE.
  26. 0.1 miTurn left, heading N.
  27. 0.1 miBear left, heading N.
  28. 0.2 miBear left onto Wallkill Valley Rail Trail, heading N.
  29. 0.3 miBear left, heading N.
  30. 150 ftBear right, heading N.
  31. 150 ftContinue straight onto Rosendale Trestle, heading N.
  32. 1.4 miTurn right, heading N.
  33. 100 ftContinue straight onto Wallkill Valley Rail Trail, heading N.
  34. 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
  35. 0.5 miBear right, heading E.
  36. 0.3 miArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/fourth-lake-vernal-pool-out-back-7-lakes

Trail surface

42% dirt31% gravel2% other25% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:29 AMSunset 7:22 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 5.8 mi in (~162 min). Leave by 4:20 PM for the 7:22 PM sunset. Back at your car by 10:08 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Hikes near Maple Hill, New York