Minnewaska State Park's Must See Falls: Awosting Falls Hike

Awosting Falls are a spectacular water fall within the Minnewaska State Park, itself a very popular day-use park. The short and sweet Awosting Falls Hike is simply a must-do hike if you visit this park.

The state park features a couple of “sky lakes,” as well as as about 50 miles of trails. With the lakes, a number of waterfalls and scenic views, there’s good reason this is a very popular park.

Awosting Falls Trail is just over a mile long and mostly flat, except for the drop down to the bottom of the 65-foot falls and back up. Both before and after the falls, the path follows a lovely creek.

The trail is very well maintained and offers lovely scenery almost constantly throughout the short hike.

The falls were spectacular the day we visited: two days of torrential rains filled the falls to practically overflowing.

But the day we headed there was bright and sunny and with the clearest sky you could possibly imagine!

Plus, for this southern mid-Atlantic girl, we had the bonus of getting to see a fluffy, cute as a button porcupine (from a VERY safe distance) not once, but twice!

I took photos of this sleepy little fellow like a crazy woman. Folks more used to these cute little animals must have been laughing at me!

Minnewaska State Park Preserve, located on the Shawngunk Mountain Ridge in Ulster County NY, is a gorgeous park with many hiking trails that offers beautiful scenery.

There is plenty of parking, trails are well marked and maps available at the visitors center. Within the preserve, there’s about 50 miles of trails, a combination of well groomed fine gravel carriageways and rough paths.

The Shawangunk Mountains rise more than 2,000 feet above sea level and is surrounded by rugged, rocky terrain. Pronounce it like a local: “Shwan-gun” with the variant “Shawn-gum.”