Waterworks (Mohonk Preserve) Viewpoint–Fourth Lake, 6 sights is a 16-mile out-and-back in Giant's Ledges Pocket Park near Wilbur, NY. The route passes Fourth Lake, Fifth Lake and Joppenbergh Mountain Beach before reaching Waterworks (Mohonk Preserve) Viewpoint at the turnaround, 8 miles in. It climbs 986 ft, with sections as steep as 17% grade, and is mostly gravel. It scores 24/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Waterworks (Mohonk Preserve) Viewpoint–Fourth Lake, 6 sights
16 mi · ▲ 986 ft · 5 hr 50 min
Elevation 44–400 ft
Out & Back · Giant's Ledges Pocket Park
Trailhead: Wallkill Valley Rail Trail · 41.91106, -74.02043
Weather Sep 8: sunrise 6:30 AM · sunset 7:20 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Wallkill Valley Rail Trail, heading SW.
- 3.9 miPass Fourth Lake.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading S.
- 0.6 miPass Fifth Lake.
- 1.3 miPass Joppenbergh Mountain Beach.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading S.
- 0.3 miBear right, heading S.
- 0.2 miBear right onto Lime Kiln Trail (Green), heading S.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading S.
- 1 miSharp left, heading SW.
- 0.3 miReach Waterworks (Mohonk Preserve) Viewpoint, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.3 miSharp right, heading N.
- 1 miTurn left, heading NE.
- 0.1 miBear left, heading N.
- 0.2 miBear left onto Wallkill Valley Rail Trail, heading NE.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading N.
- 150 ftBear right, heading N.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto Rosendale Trestle, heading N.
- 1.4 miTurn right, heading N.
- 100 ftContinue straight onto Wallkill Valley Rail Trail, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 0.7 miBear right, heading N.
- 3.9 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
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 5.8 mi in (~144 min). Leave by 4:35 PM for the 7:20 PM sunset. Back at your car by 10:00 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Wallkill Valley Rail Trail Trailhead
- Fourth Lake–Summit Viewpoint, 4 sights 9.4 mi · ▲ 362 ft
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