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Gertrude's Nose

Gardiner, New York

4.9/5
based on 8 reviews

Details

Distance

6.97 miles

Elevation Gain

919 ft

Route Type

Loop

Description

Added by Kelly Phillips

Gertrude's Nose, close to New Paltz, is a great day trip if you're looking for a workout and offers stunning views and beautiful rock formations.

It would be impossible to see all of Minnewaska’s beautiful spots in one day. Gertrude's Nose is, in my opinion, the best view in the entire park. Round trip, the hike is approximately 5 hours, and is a 7.5 mile trip.

To get to the trailhead: Drive to the Minnewaska State Park entrance, pass the main entrance, and drive up the hill until you reach the highest lot. From there, walk over to the spot that overlooks Lake Minnewaska.

From there, take the carriage road right and follow the red blazes for a ways. This part of the hike is easy and relaxing.

Keep walking on the carriage road until you reach Millbrook Mountain Carriage Road with yellow blazes. Take that and bear left when the path splits. We stopped for a little to take photos of the views, which are AMAZING. Definitely take time to stretch, sit down, chat... make a day of it. Try and pick a day to do this with a clear forecast, because it's not easy to get back once you're off the trail, and you'll be disappointed if you have to turn around before reaching the end.

When you reach the point marked with triple red blazes, take the road less traveled. (See what I did there?)

The path off the carriage road can get a little tricky. There’s some crevasses you’ll have to hop over, a steep rocky drop you’ll have to climb down, and then up the way back. It’s tough, but totally worth it.

The trip there is around 3.5 miles. Minnewaska is beautiful and should be savored. These views are priceless.

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Features

Fitness
Rock Climbing
Photography
Hiking
Bathrooms
Food Nearby
Forest
Lake
Scenic

Gertrude's Nose Reviews

If you can figure out how to get there on days that are not too busy you will have an incredible experience with nature. The hike can either be a loop, or there and back, half the loop is difficult and half the loop is relatively moderate. It is a long distance if you do the loop but it is an unbearable. Views all the way around the mountain are pretty different from one another and each are breathtaking in their own way.

This was my first experience at Lake Minnewaska State Park and it did not disappoint. This trail had everything you could want, streams, forest, rocks and elevation, and the views on the open rock faces at Gertrude's nose were amazing. I did this hike late fall/early winter and it was still gorgeous even with barren trees. Afterwards we stopped in the cute town of New Paltz for food and beer and explored the local shops. A great day trip from central jersey.

Hiked this trail today and what a day! When you pull into the parking lot (which you have to pay $10 for) there was a small booth where a girl told us exactly where to go for what we wanted to do. Park in the second lot, follow the path around the right side of the lake, and then begin the loop. When you walk around the lake it can get a little tricky. Almost right away there is a split where you can continue down or go to the sunset area which is about .8 miles away - tempting! Continue down the hill and you will hit a small opening by the lake which has a beautiful view. As you move forward around the lake you will pass openings to other trails. Once you get to the other end of the lake you have two options - go right which will have yellow blazes or go left to the red blazes. This will determine which direction of the loop you go. We went down and followed the red all the way around. It's the longer "half" but was worth every second. If you decide to go this way as we did once you pass the nose (which was so gnarly) you follow the red blazes until you end up at a fork. This is where the yellow blazes start. Head to the left and continue up the trail and you will end up back where you started at the lake. Enjoy!

Completed this hike on October 14th and it was the most perfect day! The fall foliage had hues of orange, yellow, and red and was probably the most spectacular foliage I've seen in the Hudson Valley. The pictures above do not do the trail or look-out points any justice. The hike was definitely more difficult on the last leg, right after you have reached the nose and continue on the Millbrook Mountain trail. Great photo opps and ideal Autumn hike.

Wonderful views and an amazing hike. You can also swim in the lakes on the trail. We ended up doing over 12 miles because it's easy to continue exploring. I really want to go back soon.

If you want to make this hike a lot harder, but a lot of fun, I recommend going on Lake Minnewaska Carriage Road to Millbrook Mountain Trail then to Gertrude's Nose trail (all red blazes), then connect to Millbrook Mountain Carriage Road (yellow) and back on Lake Minnewaska Carriage Road. All around 7.5 mile round-trip and around 4 hours. Gorgeous views!

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

Nearby

Lake Minnewaska Loop Trail

Hike the Millbrook Mountain/Gertrude Nose loop

Hike the Dickie Barre, Peters Kill and Awosting Falls Loop

Hike the Overcliff - Undercliff Road Loop

Hike The Millbrook Mountain Ridge Trail

Hike to Sky Top via the Undercliff Road