AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Minnewaska State Park Preserve

Lake Minnewaska–Castle Point Carriage Viewpoint, 12 sights

14.3 mi · ▲ 2,263 ft · 5 hr 54 min

Lake Minnewaska–Castle Point Carriage Viewpoint, 12 sights is a 14.3-mile out-and-back in Minnewaska State Park Preserve near Rutsonville, NY. The route passes Castle Point, Castle Point Carriage Viewpoint, Lake Minnewaska and 2 more. It climbs 2,263 ft, with sections as steep as 18% grade, and is mostly gravel. It scores 76/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.

Elevation

0 mi518 – 2,182 ft · steepest grade: 18%14.9 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 41.67616, -74.26285
Nearest town Rutsonville, NY
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Lake Minnewaska–Castle Point Carriage Viewpoint, 12 sights

14.3 mi · ▲ 2,263 ft · 5 hr 54 min

Elevation 520–2,183 ft

Out & Back · Minnewaska State Park Preserve

Trailhead: 41.67616, -74.26285

Weather Sep 7: sunrise 6:30 AM · sunset 7:22 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading NE.
  2. 0.4 miBear right onto Awosting Reserve Access (Brown), heading N.
  3. 1.3 miSharp right onto Awosting Reserve Loop (Purple), heading N.
  4. 1.1 miContinue straight onto Wolfjaw Connector, heading N.
  5. 0.3 miTurn right onto Scenic Trail / SRT (Violet/Blue Discs), heading N.
  6. 0.5 miTurn right onto Hamilton Point Carriage Road (Yellow), heading NE.
  7. 500 ftTurn left onto Scenic Trail Scramble (Violet), heading SE.
  8. 150 ftPass Castle Point.
  9. 50 ftPass Castle Point Carriage Viewpoint.
  10. 150 ftTurn left onto Castle Point Carriage Road (Blue), heading SE.
  11. 50 ftTurn right onto Blueberry Run Trail, heading SE.
  12. 250 ftTurn right onto Castle Point Carriage Road, heading NW.
  13. 2.4 miBear right onto Castle Point Connector (no blaze), heading NE.
  14. 0.1 miBear left onto Hamilton Point Carriage Road, heading N.
  15. 50 ftBear right onto Castle Point Connector (no blaze), heading NE.
  16. 50 ftContinue straight onto Hamilton Point Carriage Road, heading NE.
  17. 250 ftContinue straight onto Millbrook Mountain Carriage Road, heading NE.
  18. 0.2 miPass Lake Minnewaska.
  19. 150 ftTurn left onto Lake Minnewaska Carriage Road, heading E.
  20. 0.3 miPass Lake Minnewaska Beach.
  21. 50 ftPass Scuba Diving Access Area.
  22. 200 ftContinue straight onto Castle Point Carriage Road, heading W.
  23. 50 ftContinue straight onto Lake Minnewaska Carriage Road, heading W.
  24. 0.1 miSharp right, heading NW.
  25. 0.1 miBear right, heading N.
  26. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  27. 50 ftReach Lake Minnewaska, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  28. 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
  29. 0.1 miBear left, heading E.
  30. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Castle Point Carriage Road, heading NW.
  31. 50 ftContinue straight onto Lake Minnewaska Carriage Road, heading NW.
  32. 0.3 miTurn right onto Millbrook Mountain Carriage Road, heading S.
  33. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Hamilton Point Carriage Road, heading E.
  34. 250 ftContinue straight onto Castle Point Connector (no blaze), heading SE.
  35. 50 ftBear left onto Hamilton Point Carriage Road, heading SE.
  36. 50 ftBear right onto Castle Point Connector (no blaze), heading SE.
  37. 0.1 miBear left onto Castle Point Carriage Road, heading SW.
  38. 2.4 miTurn left onto Blueberry Run Trail, heading W.
  39. 300 ftTurn left onto Castle Point Carriage Road (Blue), heading SW.
  40. 50 ftTurn right onto Scenic Trail Scramble (Violet), heading SW.
  41. 250 ftTurn right onto Hamilton Point Carriage Road (Yellow), heading W.
  42. 500 ftTurn left onto Scenic Trail / SRT (Violet/Blue Discs), heading W.
  43. 0.5 miTurn left onto Wolfjaw Connector, heading N.
  44. 0.3 miContinue straight onto Awosting Reserve Loop (Purple), heading NW.
  45. 1.1 miSharp left onto Awosting Reserve Access (Brown), heading W.
  46. 1.3 miBear left, heading SE.
  47. 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/lake-minnewaska-castle-point-carriage-viewpoint-out-back-13-sights

Trail surface

81% gravel15% dirt4% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:30 AMSunset 7:22 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 3.8 mi in (~139 min). Leave by 4:43 PM for the 7:22 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:08 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Rutsonville, New York