Basic Information
The Millbrook Ridge Trail Loop is a moderate day hike in the Hudson Valley, Shawangunk-Catskill Mountains, Gardiner, NY. It is part of Mohonk Preserve.
Difficulty level: moderate
Distance: 7.9 miles round trip
Elevation gain: 1,194 feet
Location: Mohonk Preserve, Shawangunk-Catskill Mountains Gardiner, NY
Parking: Parking lot for a fee
Our rating: 5+ stars
History
The Millbrook Ridge Trail Loop is part of the Mohonk Preserve, which is a natural preserve that includes over 8,000 acres of cliffs, forests, fields, ponds, streams, carriage roads, and trails. Over 1,600 different species of plants and animals live there.
The Mohonk Preserve originated in 1869 when twin brothers Albert and Alfred Smiley purchased Lake Mohonk and established the Mohonk Mountain House, a resort that became a national historical landmark. The Preserve’s mission is to protect the Shawangunk or “Gunk” Mountains. For more information, here is the Mohonk Preserve website.
Our impressions
Our destination that day was Gertrude’s Nose. We read in the reviews that we should arrive to the hike early. We left the house what we thought was early enough, around 9 AM. We arrived at the Minnewaska State Park parking lot where the hike originates at about 11 AM. Boy of boy were we unpleasantly surprised. The car line to the parking lot entrance was over an hour long and the park rangers were no longer allowing cars to get on line as the parking was at capacity! We couldn’t believe we drove for 2 hours to have to turn back!
We decided not to get discouraged, yet, and drove around to see if we could find another hike in the vicinity. Luckily, we found the Millbrook Ridge Trail Loop, which is one of the top hikes in the area with some empty parking spots!
Milbrook Ridge Trail Loop is on the territory of the Mohonk Preserve, which is one of the top rated tourist destination for nature lovers. What an unforgettable hike! It was super challenging and the views were breathtaking from start to finish. Every couple of minutes, we kept stopping to admire our surroundings. Unfortunately, because we got a late start due to the parking situation, we learned a new concept of speed hiking, necessary for the late arrivals if they wish to make it to the top and back before sundown.
We found a new favorite hiking destination. We knew we were coming back to the area for more hikes. (Stay tuned for Gertrude’s Nose in coming post).
