It proudly bears the title of busiest rock climbing destination in the United States. It is home to one of the last great mountain-house hotels in North America. The region is known for possessing a rather singular look and feel, a weird and wonderful mix of scrub pines, chilly ice caves, atmospheric bogs, miles of huckleberry and wild blueberry bushes and dramatic silver-white cliffs that offer endless views. At its feet lie some of the country’s oldest apple orchards, punctuated by some of the state’s most unique and appealing small towns.
We are speaking, here, of course — just in case you were still out in the cold — about New York’s outstanding Shawangunk Mountains. Mostly called the ‘Gunks. And sometimes (by old-timers) the Shongums. Whatever you call them, this little ridge that could, topping out at a mere 2,289 feet, has always been more than just a run-up to the Catskills, located just one narrow valley away. These days, the area, which has charmed visitors for centuries for many and varied reasons, is shaping up to be one of the Northeast’s essential destinations, period.
You’ve got one — maybe two — more weekends before the leaves disappear completely; now’s a really good time to go. Here’s what you do when you get there.
THE OTHER MAGIC KINGDOM The classic Mohonk Mountain House, one of the country’s finest historic hotels, is approaching 150 years in operation on a very firm footing. In a perfect world, everyone would stay here when they visit the ‘Gunks — an ongoing effort to bring the resort into the 21st century without sacrificing that Victorian vibe is making it awfully hard to resist. Of course, staying over is not always possible. Still, nobody should miss at least a few hours on the beautiful and brilliantly-planned property — a rather vast, 2,220-acre spread, capped off by an iconic observation tower. (Think a more wild and dramatic Central Park, but high atop a mountain and with a fraction of the tourists.) The least expensive route to go: Pay a day-use fee ($12) over at the adjacent Mohonk Preserve; passholders can then hike on Mountain House grounds as they please (details at mohonkpreserve.org
). To access the resort property directly, there’s a steeper fee — $20 on weekdays; $25 weekends. Depending on how busy they are, you may have to park near the gatehouse and hike; there’s also a shuttle that goes the 2.3 miles up to the hotel. In all cases, day-use visitors are asked to stay out of the hotel. To get the complete experience, it’s worth booking a meal in the hotel’s main dining room, where the food is quite good of late — a recent buffet lunch featured the likes of roasted duck, bangers and mash, beautiful local veggies and berry buckle for dessert (among other things). Rates start at $34.25 per adult and $20.50 for children 4-12; they tick up from there (mohonk.com
).
CIDER RULES Apples and New York go way back. Peter Stuyvesant himself planted the state’s first apple tree in what’s now the East Village, back in the mid 1600s. More than 350 years after the fact, New York is no longer merely content to be the second largest producer in the country. Orchards around the Hudson Valley have been bringing back amazing old antique varietals, backed in part by the efforts of local ag advocacy group Glynwood, which created the Hudson Valley Cider Route. While you just missed Cider Week (damn!), there’s still plenty of sweet and hard to go around. Using their helpful online map — find it at appleproject.glynwood.org
— you can find your way to ‘Gunks-adjacent spots such as the outstanding Stone Ridge Orchard, a 200-year-old operation at the northern end of the ridge that has been Eco Certified since 2009.
RAIL WORLD The narrow and fertile Rondout Valley divides the Catskills and the Shawangunks to the north and west. On the opposite side, you have the more expansive Wallkill Valley, which holds its own against the mountains when it comes to outdoor pursuits. Running almost parallel to the ridge is the work-in-progress Wallkill Valley Rail Trail, which currently connects the bustling college town of New Paltz with the smaller but equally appealing burgs of Gardiner and Rosendale. It’s a well-loved and heavily used trail, perfect for both hiking and biking. If you opt for wheels, there are free loaner bikes at a few highly visible New Paltz locations; you could also rent from the trail-adjacent Bicycle Depot in New Paltz ($35 for the day; bicycledepot.com
) and hit the trail. The younger crowd should head in the direction of Rosendale, the old and once nearly-dead cement town that’s making a name for itself as a hip little enclave. Grownups might prefer the more upmarket scene in Gardiner, with its growing number of smart little shops (HiHo Home Market) and pitstops (Café Mio).
TAKE IT FROM THE TOP On a clear day, you can see forever. That is, if you make the trek up to Sam’s Point, not quite the highest point on the Shawangunk Ridge, but high enough to give you some of the best views around. Up here is where you find the most magical, moonscape-y part of the ‘Gunks — the pines stay scrubby and the sky is everywhere, making you feel like you’re a lot higher than about 2,000 feet. There’s a $10 parking fee, which cuts down on traffic — not that there’s as much of it here as you’ll find at the busier trailheads further north. Once on the 4,600-acre preserve, maintained by the Nature Conservancy, you’ve got a day’s worth of natural attractions to deal with, besides the point, which isn’t more than half a mile up from the visitor’s center. Further in, check out Lake Maratanza, the highest of the ridge’s handful of gorgeous high-elevation lakes, the ridge’s highest waterfall (Verkeerderkill) and the accurately-named High Point. Oh, and don’t forget the Ice Caves, deep crevasses inside the ridge’s famous cliffs that feature their very own microclimate, spawning still more unusual flora. Once a tacky tourist attraction but rescued and returned to their almost-natural state, the caves are another mustn’t-miss (learn more about the preserve at nature.org
).
GET STONED Ulster County (where you’ll find the ‘Gunks) gave the United States one of its most distinctive and worthy residential architecture styles. Unfortunately, the United States looked at the stone house and pretty much said the equivalent of “thanks, but no thanks.” A ton of these handsome homes are still found around the county, in towns like Hurley and Stone Ridge, some a couple of centuries old at this point. The style first appeared here in the 1600s, when French-speaking Huguenot refugees negotiated the purchase of 40,000 acres of land from the Esopus Indians and proceeded to build some pretty great houses. It all started on Huguenot Street in New Paltz, referred to as the oldest remaining residential street in the United States. The nabe itself is always easy on the eyes and worth a visit, but coming up this weekend, you’ve got the added bonus of the annual Haunted Huguenot Street do, a walking tour that features the telling of creepy tales pulled from the history books (Friday, Saturday and Sunday, tickets from $10; huguenotstreet.org
).
DRINK UP Plenty of vineyards, gentle back roads and inspired landscapes can easily lull you into thinking you’re somewhere in Northern California. Don’t ruin the fun by actually tasting the wine. There’s a bright spot or two, sure, but when it comes to booze, where this corner of the world really shines is liquor. Located in a historic mill village not far from the Gardiner end of the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail (or a short and appealing drive along the west bank of the Wallkill River from New Paltz), Tuthilltown Spirits, New York’s first distillery to open after Prohibition, has captured the hearts of brown liquor lovers all over the country, with its smooth as silk ryes and interesting whiskeys. In a region that’s going head over heels for local this and local that, Tuthilltown is one of its standout artisans — the tasting room and shop (Thursday-Monday) is a must-visit. Tours are offered Saturday and Sunday by reservation (tuthilltown.com
).
EAT UP Home to a famously offbeat college of the State University of New York, New Paltz was always more progressive than most. As time goes on, it seems to be taking things even further, making a serious play to become one of the East’s most college-y college towns. The not-so-little-anymore village provides enough distractions to keep you busy for an entire weekend, never mind the mountains. It also will feed you quite well. Start your day at the convivial Mudd Puddle, a crunchy roaster-café that also cooks up a decent breakfast, which you can take out on the mountain-facing porch (10 Main St, inside the Water Street Market.). For a serious lunch, hit The Village TeaRoom, hiding just off Main Street in a former tailor’s shop. Farm-to-table fanatic (and all around genius baker) Agnes Devereux and her crew whip up what is consistently some of the most satisfying food in town. Lunch times, you want lamb pie, gravlax salad (with house-cured salmon) and to save room for the amazing baked goods — the shaker lemon pie with whipped cream will please even the pickiest pie lover (10 Plattekill Ave.). At the cocktail hour, you have a few choices, none as correct as Rock and Rye, located at the reincarnated old Locust Tree Inn, which rests directly on the New Paltz Golf Course. Tip: It’s an easy walk from town, along the rail trail (215 Huguenot St.). While sticking around for dinner is tempting (and you could do worse), if you only have one night in town, you should head back in and hit A Tavola, a rustic and cozy Italian hotspot with city cred. Vegetable dishes stand out — roasted cauliflower with foraged hen of the woods mushrooms, a quality poached egg and nutty piave cheese ($10) is the sort of dish that could lead one into at least a one-night stand with vegetarianism (46 Main St.).
FARM FRESH You’re close enough to home, so fill up the car with some of the area’s outstanding produce before you leave. While Irene-induced flooding ruined the year of many a Hudson Valley farmer, there’s still enough to go around. The smartest address around here — the certified-organic Taliaferro Farms on New Paltz’s idyllic River Road — really took it on the chin; they won’t re-open their popular on-premises farmstand until next week (Nov. 3), and even then they’ll only have a limited selection of their own veggies. There will, however, be a carefully-curated selection of other good local products (taliaferrofarms.com
). This weekend, there’s always Wallkill View‘s expansive farmstand, just across the Wallkill River from New Paltz. Here, besides vegetables and fruit, you can get New York cheeses, maple syrup, eggs, jams and more (walkillview.com). On the other side of town, Apple Hill Farm has some of those exciting varietals that you likely won’t find in your hometown market (applehillfarm.com
). On the other side of the ridge in the Rondout Valley, there are a ton more farms and farm stands; get the skinny at rondoutvalleygrowers.org
.
STAY SMART The region has plenty of places to stay. A couple of them are actually good. Hotel-wise, it’s really Mohonk or nothing. Renovated rooms in both Victorian and Mission style, free wireless internet, alcohol now served in the better-than-ever dining room and a full-service spa all add up to a big win. In November, book the Great Pumpkin Getaway at the Mountain House from $206 per person, per night, Sunday-Thursday. The rate includes three meals plus snacks and most resort activities, plus a bunch of package-specific goodies — a very fair value (mohonk.com
). A giant step down and we come to the Minnewaska Lodge, located just below the busiest climbing cliffs on the ridge, a short drive from the center of both New Paltz and Gardiner. The Lodge fancies itself a lot more fabulous than it is, commanding rates higher than it should, simply because there isn’t much competition. Go in expecting just a place to stay with a slightly better atmosphere than a chain hotel, and you’re good. The location just across the street from the classic and popular Mountain Brauhaus restaurant (German, in case that wasn’t clear) is a bonus (minnewaskalodge.com
). B&B’s are everywhere, but the best-located are those located on the peaceful, New Jersey driver-free back roads between Mohonk Mountain House and the adorable village of High Falls. It’s down here you find the three-room Blue Stone Cottage, run by a friendly high school teacher. The house is nicely done, ditto the grounds. The price — $125 a night, including breakfast — is very right (bluestonecottagebandb.com
).
For more on travel to the area, visit ulstercountyalive.com.