Plateau Viewpoint–Duck Pond, 10 sights is an 8.8-mile out-and-back in Mohonk Preserve near Wallkill Camp, NY. The route passes Duck Pond and Skytop Reservoir before reaching Plateau Viewpoint at the turnaround, 4.4 miles in. It climbs 1,313 ft, with sections as steep as 34% grade. It scores 52/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
0 mi394 – 1,250 ft · steepest grade: 34%9.2 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 41.73675, -74.15362
Nearest town Wallkill Camp, NY
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Plateau Viewpoint–Duck Pond, 10 sights
8.8 mi · ▲ 1,313 ft · 3 hr 35 min
Elevation 393–1,250 ft
Out & Back · Mohonk Preserve
Trailhead: 41.73675, -74.15362
Weather Sep 7: sunrise 6:29 AM · sunset 7:22 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading NE.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading NW.
- 1.1 miSharp left onto Lower Duck Pond Road, heading SW.
- 0.1 miSharp right onto Duck Pond Trail, heading N.
- 0.2 miPass Duck Pond.
- 50 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.
- 100 ftContinue straight onto Duck Pond Road, heading N.
- 500 ftTurn left onto Duck Pond Trail, heading N.
- 0.7 miPass Skytop Reservoir.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Forest Drive, heading W.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Old Stage Road, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Forest Drive, heading SW.
- 350 ftContinue straight onto Home Farm Drive, heading SE.
- 0.1 miBear left onto Old Minnewaska Trail, heading SW.
- 0.8 miTurn right onto Rhododendron Bridge, heading NW.
- 100 ftTurn right onto Overcliff Carriage Road, heading S.
- 300 ftContinue straight onto Laurel Ledge, heading S.
- 0.5 miSharp right onto Plateau Path, heading N.
- 0.2 miReach Plateau Viewpoint, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.2 miSharp left onto Laurel Ledge, heading N.
- 0.5 miContinue straight onto Overcliff Carriage Road, heading SW.
- 300 ftTurn left onto Rhododendron Bridge, heading S.
- 100 ftTurn left onto Old Minnewaska Trail, heading SW.
- 0.8 miBear right onto Home Farm Drive, heading NE.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Forest Drive, heading NE.
- 300 ftTurn left onto Old Stage Road, heading NE.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Forest Drive, heading E.
- 0.1 miTurn right onto Duck Pond Trail, heading E.
- 0.7 miTurn right onto Duck Pond Road, heading SE.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Lower Duck Pond Road, heading S.
- 50 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 miSharp right, heading SE.
- 1.1 miBear right, heading SW.
- 0.2 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
52% gravel16% dirt32% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 6:29 AMSunset 7:22 PM
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 3.3 mi in (~106 min). Leave by 5:16 PM for the 7:22 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:00 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- Lower Duck Pond Road via Lenape Lane 3.3 mi · ▲ 112 ft
- Lenape Lane 5 mi · ▲ 278 ft
- Lenape Lane 5 mi · ▲ 278 ft
- Duck Pond–Mohonk Mountain House Property Beach, 6 sights 5.7 mi · ▲ 1,045 ft
- Arbuckle Woods & White Oak via Lenape Lane 6 mi · ▲ 304 ft
- Oak Tree–Maple Tree, 9 sights 6.1 mi · ▲ 521 ft
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