Looking for something fun to do with Dad and possibly the family dog? How about an easy 5 mile hike at the Mohonk Preserve? The Undercliff/Overcliff trail is a relatively flat hike around the cliffs. Great for kids, dogs, or chatting friends. We recommend parking at the West Trapps parking lot.
The hardest part of your hike will probably be walking to the trail head. It is a bit of an incline but it has recently been redone. There use to be steps to the start of the hike but now it is a gravel paved carriage road making it way easier to take a bike or jog stroller.
The hike begins here at this free standing rock. You can’t miss it! You can choose to go right or left as the hike is a 5 mile circle. We went right (undercliff) and followed the undercliff signs for 2.30 miles until we hit the intersection for undercliff and overcliff. At this point we continued for 2.70 miles on the overcliff trail. It is called a trail but this hike is all carriage roads where you will see hikers, bikers, joggers, and even horseback riders. This intersection is also a good spot for the dogs to get a drink of moving water.
It is at this point the hike gradually climbs, really nothing to scare you off, if you made it to the trail head then this is easy peesy. The rest of the hike is very pleasant. This side of the mountain often has a mild breeze is very open and has spectacular views.
At some point you will notice a noise that you haven’t heard for the last hour and a half. Yup, that would be the noise of cars and you know your hike is coming to an end and you will soon be back at the exact same point you started.
A few things to notice while you are out there. While on the undercliff portion of the trail, look up at the rocks. Yes, those are rock climbers. You might hear them screaming down to their partners a bunch of rock climbing lingo such as; ”Rock, Off Belay, Falling, Up Rope, Slack”.
You will also notice a purple ribbon draped from one rock to the next. These areas are closed off to hikers and climbers do to the Peregrine Falcon nesting.
Expect the unexpected! The biggest thrill of the day might be when you are on the overcliff portion of the trail and your son says, ”’What’s that?” A box hidden between some rocks…What could be inside? Sure enough it was a Geocache. Got to love when you find a geocache when you are not even geocaching. What is geocaching you ask yourself? See our geocaching blog to find out.
Let us know how your hike goes! What age kids did you bring? Did you see any cool things along the way?