Whale's Head–Awosting Falls, 11 sights is a 7.3-mile out-and-back in Minnewaska State Park Preserve near Lake Minnewaska, NY. The route passes Lake Minnewaska Beach, Scuba Diving Access Area, Lake Minnewaska and 5 more. It climbs 1,274 ft, with sections as steep as 34% grade. It scores 12/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
0 mi705 – 1,709 ft · steepest grade: 34%8.0 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 41.72853, -74.23731
Nearest town Lake Minnewaska, NY
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Whale's Head–Awosting Falls, 11 sights
7.3 mi · ▲ 1,274 ft · 3 hr 4 min
Elevation 706–1,709 ft
Out & Back · Minnewaska State Park Preserve
Trailhead: 41.72853, -74.23731
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 SE.
- 50 ftPass Lake Minnewaska Beach.
- 50 ftPass Scuba Diving Access Area.
- 50 ftPass Lake Minnewaska.
- 100 ftSharp right onto Lake Minnewaska Carriage Road, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Sunset Carriage Road, heading SW.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Lake Minnewaska Carriage Road, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Sunset Carriage Road, heading W.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading N.
- 50 ftPass Sunset Carriage Viewpoint.
- 0.6 miPass Awosting Falls.
- 150 ftSharp right onto Awosting Falls Carriage Road, heading N.
- 1.2 miTurn right, heading E.
- 0.1 miBear left onto Awosting Falls Connector, heading E.
- 0.1 miBear right, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Red Loop, heading NE.
- 150 ftPass Breakfast Wall.
- 300 ftTurn right onto Bull Wheel Trail, heading N.
- 0.5 miPass Whale's Head.
- 150 ftTurn right onto High Peter's Kill Trail, heading E.
- 0.1 miPass High Peter's Kill Viewpoint.
- 0.8 miReach Whale's Head, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.9 miTurn left onto Bull Wheel Trail, heading SW.
- 0.6 miTurn left onto Red Loop, heading SW.
- 450 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 50 ftBear left, heading W.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Awosting Falls Connector, heading W.
- 0.1 miBear right onto Awosting Falls Carriage Road, heading SW.
- 500 ftBear right, heading W.
- 1.2 miSharp left onto Sunset Carriage Road, heading SW.
- 0.6 miBear right, heading E.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto Lake Minnewaska Carriage Road, heading SW.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Sunset Carriage Road, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Lake Minnewaska Carriage Road, heading S.
- 50 ftSharp left, heading S.
- 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
56% gravel23% dirt1% boardwalk1% paved19% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 6:30 AMSunset 7:22 PM
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.7 mi in (~67 min). Leave by 5:56 PM for the 7:22 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:00 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- Lake Minnewaska Carriage Viewpoint–Lake Minnewaska Loop, 6 beaches 1.6 mi · ▲ 241 ft
- Awosting Falls–Lake Minnewaska, 8 sights 2.1 mi · ▲ 408 ft
- Beacon Hill Viewpoint–Lake Minnewaska, 7 beaches 3.2 mi · ▲ 445 ft
- Millbrook Mountain–Lake Minnewaska Carriage Viewpoint, 7 beaches 3.3 mi · ▲ 861 ft
- Lake Minnewaska–Sunset Carriage Viewpoint, 7 beaches 4.4 mi · ▲ 482 ft
- Millbrook Mountain Viewpoint–Lake Minnewaska, 6 beaches 6.2 mi · ▲ 400 ft
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