Whale's Head–Awosting Falls, 13 sights is an 8.8-mile out-and-back in Minnewaska State Park Preserve near Lake Minnewaska, NY. The route passes Lake Minnewaska Beach, Scuba Diving Access Area, Beacon Hill Viewpoint and 6 more before reaching Lost City Viewpoint at the turnaround, 4.4 miles in. It climbs 1,219 ft. It scores 16/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
0 mi1,116 – 1,739 ft9.7 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Beacon Hill Carriage Road (Orange) 41.73131, -74.23450
Nearest town Lake Minnewaska, NY
Directions
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Whale's Head–Awosting Falls, 13 sights
8.8 mi · ▲ 1,219 ft · 3 hr 33 min
Elevation 1,116–1,740 ft
Out & Back · Minnewaska State Park Preserve
Trailhead: Beacon Hill Carriage Road (Orange) · 41.73131, -74.23450
Weather Sep 7: sunrise 6:30 AM · sunset 7:22 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Beacon Hill Trail, heading NE.
- 50 ftPass Lake Minnewaska Beach.
- 50 ftPass Scuba Diving Access Area.
- 1.3 miPass Beacon Hill Viewpoint.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto Lake Minnewaska Carriage Road, heading NW.
- 100 ftPass Lake Minnewaska.
- 250 ftPass Scuba Diving Access Area.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Dry Bridge, heading N.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Lake Minnewaska Carriage Road, heading N.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading NW.
- 200 ftPass Sunset Carriage Viewpoint.
- 250 ftBear left onto Sunset Carriage Road, heading W.
- 0.5 miPass Awosting Falls.
- 350 ftSharp right onto Awosting Falls Carriage Road, heading NW.
- 1.2 miTurn right, heading E.
- 500 ftBear left onto Awosting Falls Connector, heading E.
- 0.1 miBear right, heading SE.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading SE.
- 50 ftPass Breakfast Wall.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading SE.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Red Loop, heading SE.
- 450 ftTurn right onto Bull Wheel Trail, heading E.
- 0.5 miPass Whale's Head.
- 450 ftTurn right onto High Peter's Kill Trail, heading E.
- 300 ftPass Lost City Viewpoint.
- 300 ftTurn left, heading E.
- 100 ftReach Whale's Head, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto Bull Wheel Trail, heading N.
- 0.6 miTurn left onto Red Loop, heading SW.
- 450 ftTurn right, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 50 ftBear left, heading SW.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Awosting Falls Connector, heading SW.
- 0.1 miBear right onto Awosting Falls Carriage Road, heading SW.
- 500 ftBear right, heading SW.
- 1.2 miSharp left onto Sunset Carriage Road, heading S.
- 0.6 miBear right, heading S.
- 450 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
- 200 ftContinue straight onto Lake Minnewaska Carriage Road, heading E.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Dry Bridge, heading S.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Lake Minnewaska Carriage Road, heading S.
- 400 ftContinue straight onto Beacon Hill Trail, heading SW.
- 1.2 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
59% gravel21% dirt1% paved19% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 6:30 AMSunset 7:22 PM
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 4.1 mi in (~107 min). Leave by 5:15 PM for the 7:22 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:38 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Beacon Hill Carriage Road (Orange) Trailhead
- Lake Minnewaska Carriage Viewpoint–Beacon Hill Viewpoint, 6 beaches 2.9 mi · ▲ 412 ft
- Lake Minnewaska Carriage Viewpoint–Beacon Hill Viewpoint, 6 beaches 2.9 mi · ▲ 410 ft
- Pine Cliff Viewpoint–Beacon Hill Viewpoint, 6 beaches 2.9 mi · ▲ 442 ft
- Beacon Hill Viewpoint–Lake Minnewaska, 7 beaches 3.1 mi · ▲ 405 ft
- Awosting Falls–Beacon Hill Viewpoint, 8 beaches 4.3 mi · ▲ 698 ft
- Lake Minnewaska–Lake Minnewaska Carriage Viewpoint, 8 sights 8.2 mi · ▲ 998 ft
Get outside more
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