Minnewaska State Park Preserve
Litchfield Ledge–Bull Wheel Trail, 4 sights
10 mi · ▲ 1,463 ft · 4 hr 4 min
Litchfield Ledge–Bull Wheel Trail, 4 sights is a 10-mile out-and-back in Minnewaska State Park Preserve near Lake Minnewaska, NY. The route reaches Litchfield Ledge at the turnaround, 5 miles in. It climbs 1,463 ft, with sections as steep as 22% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 33/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Litchfield Ledge–Bull Wheel Trail, 4 sights
10 mi · ▲ 1,463 ft · 4 hr 4 min
Elevation 843–1,856 ft
Out & Back · Minnewaska State Park Preserve
Trailhead: 41.73997, -74.21672
Weather Sep 7: sunrise 6:30 AM · sunset 7:22 PM
Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading N.
- 100 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 150 ftTurn left onto Bull Wheel Trail, heading SW.
- 450 ftSharp right onto Red Loop, heading NW.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Yellow Connector, heading N.
- 0.2 miBear left onto High Peter's Kill Trail, heading N.
- 1.9 miBear left, heading S.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto High Peter's Kill Trail Connector, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 150 ftBear left onto Lower Awosting Carriage Road (Black), heading S.
- 250 ftBear left onto Mossy Glen Trail, heading S.
- 1.5 miSharp left onto Blueberry Run Trail, heading W.
- 0.2 miSharp right onto Upper Awosting Carriage Road, heading SE.
- 0.8 miReach Litchfield Ledge, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.8 miSharp left onto Blueberry Run Trail, heading E.
- 0.2 miSharp right onto Mossy Glen Trail, heading NW.
- 1.5 miBear right onto Lower Awosting Carriage Road (Black), heading E.
- 200 ftBear right, heading NE.
- 150 ftTurn left onto High Peter's Kill Trail Connector, heading N.
- 1.9 miBear right onto Yellow Connector, heading N.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Red Loop, heading S.
- 0.2 miSharp left onto Bull Wheel Trail, heading S.
- 500 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 150 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 50 ftArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.4 mi in (~45 min). Leave by 6:17 PM for the 7:22 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:19 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp. Car visible from the viewpoint
Good to know
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- Whale's Head–High Peter's Kill Viewpoint, 3 summits 1.3 mi · ▲ 227 ft
- Whale's Head–High Peter's Kill Viewpoint, 5 sights 1.6 mi · ▲ 203 ft
- Trapps Trail via Awosting Falls Carriage Road 2.3 mi · ▲ 166 ft
- Breakfast Wall–Hidden Pond, 3 cliffs 3.4 mi · ▲ 762 ft
- Hidden Pond & Bull Wheel Trail via High Peter's Kill Trail 3.5 mi · ▲ 844 ft
- Awosting Falls–Lake Minnewaska, 5 beaches 4.2 mi · ▲ 545 ft
Get outside more
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Hikes near Lake Minnewaska, New York