The Gunks 

I found myself  in the Shawangunks area of New Paltz once again, on a summertime visit to upstate New York. It is August, so the weather is warm and sunny this time of year. I was excited to explore amongst the thousands of acres of woods and trails here.

There are a series of famous crags, several mountain lakes, a mountain top tower and a beautiful old lakefront hotel, all within the 8,000 acre Mohonk Nature Preserve. One of the climbs, is through what is referred to as the Lemon Squeezer.

A Thousand Steps

I had been to The Gunks as they are referred to before, but my last visit to the Mohonk Preserve was long ago, in the late fall, during the off-season about 20 years ago. I had taken a short hike, checking out the rock climbing area along Undercliff trail, with another climbing enthusiast. Lacking gear and time I sadly did not partake in any of the climbs. There is a trail here with what seems like a thousand stone steps, heading steadily upward, but I can’t remember exactly where it was. Whichever trail you choose, there are plenty of rocks to climb up and over.

The Hard Way

Today my goal was to take on the infamous Lemon Squeezer. I was hiking up the hard way, beginning my hike from down below on Pine Road, which has more gain than any of the other options to reach the trails infamous crag. If I wanted an even longer trek, I could have hiked all the way to the trailhead, on the River to Ridge Trail right from the nearby town of New Paltz. This is a college town, home to about 14,000  residents, which swells to much more in the summertime with tourism.

The Trail

My hike began on a gravel road, before becoming dirt, strewn with rocks. I followed several streams through the woods for the first two miles, accumulating about 900 feet of gain.

The trail meandered through woodlands, of black oak, and ash.

After passing the duck pond, there were multiple creeks, and springs criss-crossing the trail numerous times. It was muddy, so I had to rock hop for much of the way. 

A Big Climb

The trail steepens, and eventually becomes a scramble over jagged boulders on the way to the Lemon Squeezer.

There are red blazes and arrows pointing the way, which are not always as easy to spot.

I was very much alone for almost an hour, winding my way through the boulders, below the steep cliff face.

It was honestly a bit creepy on this section of the trail. There were all these voids, and dark caves here and there. You begin to get those sasquatch vibes, wondering what actually lives in these rocks. There have been sightings in this area after all.

The last 500 feet of gain is a scramble up, over, and under boulders.

This climb was interesting so far, and nothing was too technical, yet it was about to get even more interesting. I wished I was wearing approach shoes, climbing on all these slippery rocks.

On the way to the main squeeze there were some caves to squeeze on through along the way.

The one thing that made sense was that you needed to stick close to the rock wall at this point.

Finally I spot another human, having a lunch break on a rock.

I knew I was getting close, when I saw this enormous boulder field.

At this point the Lemon Squeezer was just to my right.

I followed the arrows toward the famous crevasse in the rock.

I was about to climb up a series of several ladders, eventually squeezing my way up to a narrow passage in the rock.

The ladders were made of wood. They seemed very well made and sturdy, but the pitch was steep. My reward for all this would be some awesome views atop Mohonk Ridge. Was it worth it?

The Lemon Squeezer

The trail is named due to this giant crevasse one must shimmy on through to finish this hike to the top. You first must pass through a damp narrow corridor, with water dripping down, making the terrain wet, and a bit slippery. You will then proceed to begin your climb up over about a hundred feet or so on a series of ladders. As you continue climbing higher on the ladders you will eventually come to one particular ladder sloping well to the left. If your prone to claustrophobia, this is the worst of it. I found myself holding on for dear life, and was about to be squeezed. Staring up at the ladders and jagged steep crevasse, I was wondering how this is considered a “hike” at all at this point.

The Fun Part

You are forced to fall to the left side, leaning hips against rock, and holding on for dear life, pull yourself up, in the most awkward way. The pitch steepens gradually at first, but now, you will find yourself falling backward from this sideways ladder, which is not even vertical anymore. As you shimmy yourself up, clinging to each rung, hanging on for dear life, on this asymmetrical ladder, leaning to the left, you might feel as if you have finally escaped, when you make it up. I am not a large person, and of average size. I barely made it through. Downclimbing from here would be a little frightening if one could not make the squeeze. But thats not all.

The last part involves grabbing onto several small hand and footholds. I found myself continually twisting, turning. There were no easy holds here, and I had to make a few dynamic moves, flinging myself up, and over the top. If feeling like you have tempted fate is your thing, you may enjoy this last part.

A No Fall Zone

Hikes such as this can be treacherous, especially when you are scrambling over deep crevasses in the rock. There are plenty of ways to take a nasty fall along this trail. The Lemon Squeezer is a no fall zone, since one mis-step, and you could fall down 50 feet. I was terrified during the last squeezer part. But I managed to squeeze on through somehow, despite my doubts.

Enjoying the View

As with most challenges, there is always going to be some sort of reward. For me it was two fold. One part of it was trying something new, not knowing the outcome, and facing fears of the unknown. The second part of this was the reward, in getting to stand on top of a mountain once again, which is always a great feeling for me.

Climbing Bedrock

This ridge is filled with classic crags of quartz conglomerate rock, or bedrock, popular with rock climbers. There are hundreds of named routes in the area. The ridge and quartz conglomerate ridge here are ancient, with origins dating back hundreds of millions of years. 

This landscape was formed by tectonic forces uplifting and tilting the rock layers, into dynamic layers, which form the mountain top, with its spring fed lake. 

Wildlife

I heard many birds in the woods all along the way. Every type of wildlife can be found in these woods such as bears, foxes, mountain lions, and coyotes. I noticed a small blue salamander, a larger centipede, and there were many mosquitos and flies, especially in the more wet areas. So bring bug spray or a bug net, or be prepared to swat em, as I was forced to do all the way back to the trailhead. Early morning and late afternoon are the times they come out the most.

Crowd Factor

On the weekends you may experience a back-up of climbers in the Lemon Squeezer, and occasionally pass people along the trail, but the crowd factor is rather light here. The area feels isolated, until after reaching the top of the ridge. Once at the top, you may see the lake, trails, and hotel are abuzz with tourists. Venture around Mohonk Lake, and expect to have company. But hike into the woods away from it, and expect to find more solitude.

Points of Interest

The mountaintop tower is a climb in itself, should you venture further on up to the top of the ridge along the trail. It was constructed in honor of a man named Arthur Smiley, who played a role in the development of the Mohonk Mountain House, on the lakeside below.

The old hotel, and its scenic lake are the biggest draw in the area. I recommend checking out the Labyrinth, another sort of scramble along the lakeside.

Then there is Eagle Cliff, with its Artist Rock viewpoint, popular with Hudson Valley plein air painters. The trails around the lake are surrounded with small gazebo-like structures, with benches to sit, and simply enjoy the views.

Stairway to Heaven

I was not expecting to find a sketchy looking suspension bridge strung mid air between two rocks, on the way to Artist Rock. This interesting feature was not mentioned anywhere in any guidebooks. I have no idea who placed it here, or for what purpose. There are always surprises on every hike, and that is one of the reasons I love exploring, especially in places like this.

Parking

I was dropped off at Pine Ave. and there was very minimal parking there. It costs just $15 to park at West Trapps or Pine Rd. If you go before 6am, you can expect to pay nothing. But park at the Mohonk Mountain House parking area, and expect to pay $35 a person, that is unless you happen to have a reservation at the resort, in which case you may park in the guest parking. If you walk from Pine Rd. there is a box to place you $15 in an envelope. So don’t forget to bring cash.

Rating

This hike is rated as strenuous, and is advanced, due to the gain, rocky terrain, and scrambling towards the end. Balance and agility are mandatory on a hike such as this with so much jagged boulder hopping.  It is a class 2-3 scramble heading on up for the last mile, with parts of the Lemon Squeezer being class 3-4.

Read more about climbing classifications here.

Seasons

The best season to visit the Gunks would be May through October, when it is drier, green, and lush. Expect slippery and muddy conditions for much of spring. Summertime is a great time to visit, but it can still be buggy during this time. Recent rains turn these trails into rivers, requiring rock hopping, and getting muddy. The trails will close after a significant rain. If you love fall colors then late September to early October is your best bet. 

Gear

I hiked this trail with a Nathan Trailrunning hydration bag. I carried with me first aid, illumination, sunglasses, a hat, electrolytes, snacks, and 2 liters of water. I wore Brooks Cascadia GTX trail runners which are gore tex. If I did this again, I recommend approach shoes for the scramble. I do not currently own a pair, so I made due with what I had with me. My trailrunners were very gripping on rocks, but the extra traction also made it possible to catch an edge, and trip easily, so I had to be careful. I may get into the ins and outs of hiking shoes and trail runners on hikes with mixed terrain in a later post. Comment below if you’re interested in hearing more about that.

What’s Nearby

The Shawangunks area is a vast wilderness, full of lakes, streams, woods, and beautiful nature. There are scenic vistas and a scenic byway in the area. Nearby Minnewaska State Park is a beautiful place to explore, with its many lakes, maintained trails, and picturesque Awosting Falls. The town of New Paltz is known for its college and great food. It was established long ago by the Huguenots, who were from France. You can experience living history events there, and explore old stone buildings, along with an authentic example of a wigwam that the tribes built as homes.

Learn more about Historic Huguenot Street here.

Hazards

The risk of slipping, and falling is high on this hike in particular. Most of the other trails in the area are maintained, and more flat than this one. There are frequent thunderstorms in upstate NY, and they mostly occur in the afternoon. The last thing you want is to be high up on a rocky mountain top during one of these storms. As usual wildlife, and bugs are concerns, when hiking in wooded areas like this as well.

Overall

I enjoyed some aspects of this trail more than others. I am not someone with extensive experience scrambling over boulders, so I felt like I wanted to see how much I enjoyed the challenge of it, being that it is a famous climb in the area. I took rock climbing for PE back when I was in community college, so climbing is something I have always been drawn to. I enjoyed practicing the three points of contact needed getting through the squeezer. Most of all though, I enjoyed the beautiful nature, and ridgetop views atop the Mohonk Ridge.

Fun Facts

• The Mohonk Preserve has a 50 mile challenge course every year, called Rock the Ridge, where you can help raise money towards preserving the natural beauty of the area. 
• The area has several places with the word kill in it, which means “stream,” such as the Peters Kill Trail.

More Nearby Trails

• The Labyrinth 
• The Lost City Loop 
• Bonticou Crag
• Table Rocks 
• Rock Rift Crevasses

I hope you enjoyed reading this, and it is helpful in knowing what to expect, should you decide to visit here.

About me

I’m Serafina! I’m a writer and California girl who loves to go exploring. Hope you will get outside today, breathe some fresh air, and be happy!

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@serafinabenjamin

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