Lake Minnewaska Carriage Viewpoint–Beacon Hill Viewpoint, 6 beaches is a 2.9-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 Lake Minnewaska before reaching Lake Minnewaska Carriage Viewpoint at the turnaround, 1.4 miles in. It climbs 412 ft, with sections as steep as 19% grade. It scores 29/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
0 mi1,490 – 1,765 ft · steepest grade: 19%3.0 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Beacon Hill Carriage Road (Orange) 41.73131, -74.23450
Nearest town Lake Minnewaska, NY
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Lake Minnewaska Carriage Viewpoint–Beacon Hill Viewpoint, 6 beaches
2.9 mi · ▲ 412 ft · 1 hr 10 min
Elevation 1,488–1,764 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.
- 0.1 miReach Lake Minnewaska Carriage Viewpoint, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Beacon Hill Trail, heading E.
- 1.3 miArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
54% dirt40% gravel6% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 6:30 AMSunset 7:22 PM
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.4 mi in (~44 min). Leave by 6:19 PM for the 7:22 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:16 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 · ▲ 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
- Millbrook Mountain Viewpoint–Lake Minnewaska Carriage Viewpoint, 8 viewpoints 8.5 mi · ▲ 778 ft
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