Mohonk Preserve
Vernal Pool–Bonticou Road, 5 sights
5 mi · ▲ 415 ft · 1 hr 52 min
Vernal Pool–Bonticou Road, 5 sights is a 5-mile out-and-back in Mohonk Preserve near Mohonk Lake, NY. The route reaches Vernal Pool at the turnaround, 2.4 miles in. It climbs 415 ft and is mostly gravel. It scores 74/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Vernal Pool–Bonticou Road, 5 sights
5 mi · ▲ 415 ft · 1 hr 52 min
Elevation 787–1,052 ft
Out & Back · Mohonk Preserve
Trailhead: Rock Rift Road · 41.77707, -74.14415
Weather Sep 7: sunrise 6:29 AM · sunset 7:22 PM
- Start on Rock Rift Trail, heading E.
- 400 ftBear right onto Rock Rift Road, heading SE.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Bonticou Road, heading SE.
- 450 ftContinue straight onto Old Glen Anna Road, heading SE.
- 50 ftSharp left onto Bonticou Road, heading SE.
- 1.4 miContinue straight onto Spring Farm Road, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Bonticou Road, heading N.
- 0.2 miSharp left onto Crag Trail, heading NE.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Cedar Drive, heading N.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Table Rocks Trail, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Cedar Trail, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Cedar Drive, heading E.
- 250 ftTurn left onto Cedar Drive Loop, heading E.
- 100 ftReach Vernal Pool, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 100 ftTurn right onto Cedar Drive, heading E.
- 250 ftTurn right onto Cedar Trail, heading SE.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Table Rocks Trail, heading SE.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Cedar Drive, heading E.
- 0.3 miTurn left onto Crag Trail, heading SW.
- 0.3 miSharp right onto Bonticou Road, heading S.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Spring Farm Road, heading SE.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Bonticou Road, heading SE.
- 1.4 miSharp right onto Old Glen Anna Road, heading SW.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Bonticou Road, heading SW.
- 450 ftContinue straight onto Rock Rift Road, heading S.
- 50 ftBear left onto Rock Rift Trail, heading S.
- 350 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 0.4 mi in (~13 min). Leave by 6:49 PM for the 7:22 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:48 PM — 2 min before dark. Trailhead visible from the viewpoint
More from Rock Rift Road Trailhead
- Stokes Trail 3.2 mi · ▲ 724 ft
- Bonticou Road 4.1 mi · ▲ 405 ft
- Duck Pond–Skytop Reservoir, 6 sights 4.2 mi · ▲ 912 ft
- Bonticou Road 4.3 mi · ▲ 439 ft
- Kleinekill Pool–Hemlock Lane, 7 sights 4.9 mi · ▲ 1,013 ft
- Chapel Trail via Bonticou Road 6.1 mi · ▲ 782 ft
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Hikes near Mohonk Lake, New York