jamesdeluxe
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 17, 2020
From the dozens of times I've gone to Lake Minnewaska/Mohonk over the past 20+ years (here are reports from a gorgeous early autumn day in 2008 and berry season in 2009), I've never seen such a mess on the access road as yesterday. With foliage in the Gunks at near peak this weekend and people desperate to do something outside during COVID, I was expecting to see crowds; however, not like this, where all of the lots were full and everyone was leaving their cars along the road and ignoring "absolutely no parking here!" signs. I even considered paying the $20/person fee to park in the Mohonk Preserve but signs said that lots there were likewise full.
By the time we reached the Lake Minnewaska lots at 2 pm, they were reporting waits of up to an hour to pay the $10/car fee so I followed the group consensus and parked a quarter mile up the road. As we started riding, a police car was warning everyone at top volume that they were going to ticket and tow cars left on the road. Most people ignored him, as did we. Not an auspicious start, it felt like we were in pre-pandemic Times Square instead of Shawangunk Paradise.
My riding partner for the day was a former colleague/friend from Manhattan who, unbeknownst to me (or I missed this detail during the planning), had never ridden off-road before. The Lower Awosting trail was a perfect place for her to warm up and get accustomed to non-paved surfaces while checking out the colorful foliage. Was great to watch her catch on quickly with no falls or end-overs on the partially rocky trail around the lake.
For the next 75 minutes, we encountered less than a dozen people -- shocking considering how overrun the Lake Minnewaska sector was.
Approaching the steep uphill to Lake Awosting:
Starting on the lake loop:
While rounding the turn at the far end of the lake, clouds came over and it got noticeably colder. Still, the colors were gorgeous:
Riding past the public swimming area:
Back into the hemlock forest:
Overlooking the northern end of Lake Awosting with the edge of the Catskills in the distance:
My original plan was to return via the Castle Point carriageway, which has so many money shots of the Silurian quartz conglomerate (<-- I looked that up) rock formations and the eastern half of the Gunks; however, concerns about the well-being of my car won out and we glided back along the gentle Upper Awosting trail. No stunning views but plenty of nice foliage and several impressive rock outcroppings:
The Lake Minnewaska sector was unbelievably crowded so we hurried back to the car to find it unticketed and untowed, yay. I've ridden these trails so much over the years, I could do it blindfolded; thus, going to Lake Minnewaska is more like visiting an old friend than going on a new adventure. Still, it was great to introduce someone to off-road biking and act as tour guide to this fantastic area. The beauty here doesn't get old.
By the time we reached the Lake Minnewaska lots at 2 pm, they were reporting waits of up to an hour to pay the $10/car fee so I followed the group consensus and parked a quarter mile up the road. As we started riding, a police car was warning everyone at top volume that they were going to ticket and tow cars left on the road. Most people ignored him, as did we. Not an auspicious start, it felt like we were in pre-pandemic Times Square instead of Shawangunk Paradise.
My riding partner for the day was a former colleague/friend from Manhattan who, unbeknownst to me (or I missed this detail during the planning), had never ridden off-road before. The Lower Awosting trail was a perfect place for her to warm up and get accustomed to non-paved surfaces while checking out the colorful foliage. Was great to watch her catch on quickly with no falls or end-overs on the partially rocky trail around the lake.
For the next 75 minutes, we encountered less than a dozen people -- shocking considering how overrun the Lake Minnewaska sector was.
Approaching the steep uphill to Lake Awosting:
Starting on the lake loop:
While rounding the turn at the far end of the lake, clouds came over and it got noticeably colder. Still, the colors were gorgeous:
Riding past the public swimming area:
Back into the hemlock forest:
Overlooking the northern end of Lake Awosting with the edge of the Catskills in the distance:
My original plan was to return via the Castle Point carriageway, which has so many money shots of the Silurian quartz conglomerate (<-- I looked that up) rock formations and the eastern half of the Gunks; however, concerns about the well-being of my car won out and we glided back along the gentle Upper Awosting trail. No stunning views but plenty of nice foliage and several impressive rock outcroppings:
The Lake Minnewaska sector was unbelievably crowded so we hurried back to the car to find it unticketed and untowed, yay. I've ridden these trails so much over the years, I could do it blindfolded; thus, going to Lake Minnewaska is more like visiting an old friend than going on a new adventure. Still, it was great to introduce someone to off-road biking and act as tour guide to this fantastic area. The beauty here doesn't get old.
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