Mohonk Lake–Duck Pond, 7 lakes is an 8.9-mile out-and-back in Mohonk Preserve (Foothills) near New Paltz, NY. The route passes Duck Pond, Skytop Reservoir, Skytop Reservoir and 2 more before reaching Vernal Pool at the turnaround, 4.4 miles in. It climbs 1,692 ft, with sections as steep as 33% grade, and is mostly gravel. It scores 35/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
0 mi180 – 1,476 ft · steepest grade: 33%9.8 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 41.74714, -74.10444
Nearest town New Paltz, NY
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Mohonk Lake–Duck Pond, 7 lakes
8.9 mi · ▲ 1,692 ft · 3 hr 49 min
Elevation 181–1,475 ft
Out & Back · Mohonk Preserve (Foothills)
Trailhead: 41.74714, -74.10444
Weather Sep 8: sunrise 6:30 AM · sunset 7:20 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading N.
- 100 ftSharp left onto River-to-Ridge Trail, heading W.
- 1.7 miTurn right onto Lenape Lane, heading SW.
- 1.1 miSharp left onto Lower Duck Pond Road, heading N.
- 0.3 miSharp right onto Duck Pond Trail, heading SW.
- 0.1 miPass Duck Pond.
- 300 ftTurn right onto Lower Duck Pond Road, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Duck Pond Trail, heading NW.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Lower Duck Pond Road, heading NW.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Duck Pond Road, heading NW.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto Duck Pond Trail, heading NW.
- 0.7 miPass Skytop Reservoir.
- 350 ftBear right onto Forest Drive, heading W.
- 50 ftBear left onto Birchen Trail, heading W.
- 0.1 miPass Skytop Reservoir.
- 50 ftPass Mohonk Mountain House Property Beach.
- 400 ftTurn right onto The Labyrinth, heading NE.
- 350 ftPass Vernal Pool.
- 350 ftContinue straight onto Sky Top Path, heading W.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto The Labyrinth, heading SW.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Sky Top Path, heading SW.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto The Labyrinth, heading W.
- 250 ftBear right, heading W.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Sky Top Path, heading W.
- 50 ftReach Mohonk Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 50 ftBear left onto The Labyrinth, heading NW.
- 250 ftContinue straight onto Sky Top Path, heading N.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto The Labyrinth, heading N.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Sky Top Path, heading N.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto The Labyrinth, heading N.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto Staircliff Path, heading NE.
- 0.2 miBear right onto Forest Drive, heading SW.
- 50 ftBear left onto Duck Pond Trail, heading S.
- 0.7 miTurn right onto Duck Pond Road, heading SE.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Lower Duck Pond Road, heading S.
- 100 ftContinue straight onto Duck Pond Trail, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Lower Duck Pond Road, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Duck Pond Trail, heading S.
- 0.2 miSharp left onto Lower Duck Pond Road, heading S.
- 0.1 miBear left, heading SE.
- 0.1 miSharp right onto Lenape Lane, heading S.
- 1.1 miTurn left onto River-to-Ridge Trail, heading S.
- 1.7 miSharp right, heading SE.
- 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
73% gravel16% dirt11% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 6:30 AMSunset 7:20 PM
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 4.1 mi in (~125 min). Leave by 4:55 PM for the 7:20 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:18 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- Kleinekill Pool–Oakwood Drive, 6 sights 11.8 mi · ▲ 1,352 ft
- Guyot Hill–Kleinekill Pool, 6 sights 12.1 mi · ▲ 1,770 ft
- River-to-Ridge Trail 3.4 mi · ▲ 196 ft
- Duck Pond Viewpoint–Dead Oak, 4 sights 7.2 mi · ▲ 739 ft
- River-to-Ridge Trail 3.4 mi · ▲ 223 ft
- Arbuckle Woods & White Oak via River-to-Ridge Trail 4.6 mi · ▲ 223 ft
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