About Minnewaska
Minnewaska State Park Preserve covers more than 24,000 acres of the Shawangunk Ridge in Ulster County, New York, and is run by NY State Parks and the Palisades Interstate Park Commission. It began as a 19th-century mountain resort: Alfred Smiley opened the Cliff House hotel above Lake Minnewaska in 1879. New York State bought the land in 1987 and opened the park preserve in 1993, and the Sam's Point Area joined it in 1996.
Minnewaska at a Glance
The Name
According to a 2020 Times Herald-Record history, "Minnewaska" comes from two Native American languages and means "good water."
The Smiley Hotels
The same history records that Minnewaska was first part of the Mohonk Mountain House property of the twin brothers Albert and Alfred Smiley. After helping run Mohonk for ten years, Alfred H. Smiley bought and developed Minnewaska separately. He built the Minnewaska Mountain House, better known as the Cliff House, above the lake in 1879. A second hotel, Wildmere, followed.
The Phillips Years and the Fires
In 1955 Kenneth B. Phillips Sr., Minnewaska's general manager, bought the property from the Smiley family. The Cliff House was abandoned in 1972 because of its upkeep costs and burned to the ground in 1978. Wildmere closed in 1979 and was destroyed by fire in 1986.
A State Park Preserve
New York State bought the property in 1987 and opened Minnewaska State Park Preserve in 1993. NY State Parks describes it as a place of clear streams, waterfalls, sky lakes, dense hardwood forests and sheer cliffs and ledges, with 35 miles of carriage roads and 50 miles of footpaths.
Sam's Point
In 1996, 5,400 acres of the old Ellenville watershed lands, the area now called Sam's Point, were transferred to the preserve through the Open Space Institute. NY State Parks describes the Sam's Point Area today as about 5,000 acres on the highest section of the Shawangunk Mountains, with globally rare dwarf pine ridges, Lake Maratanza, ice caves and cliffs. See Sam's Point.
The Preserve Today
- More than 24,000 acres, up from the 22,275 acres the Times Herald-Record reported in 2020.
- Three sky lakes in the main preserve, by NY State Parks' count, and Lake Maratanza at Sam's Point.
- Two visitor centers: Lake Minnewaska (5,000 square feet, restrooms, exhibits) and Sam's Point (exhibits, children's area, a mural with 90 species).
- Free public programs every month, from guided hikes to bird walks.
- Activities: hiking, biking, swimming (closed until 2027), picnicking, scuba diving, rock climbing at Peter's Kill, bouldering, non-motorized boating, horseback riding, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.
Who Runs It
Minnewaska is in NY State Parks' Palisades Region and is managed with the Palisades Interstate Park Commission. Its friends group is the Palisades Parks Conservancy (palisadesparks.org), which NY State Parks suggests joining to support the park. Next door, Mohonk Preserve is a separate nonprofit. See Mohonk Preserve.
Visit
Start with Lake Minnewaska and Awosting Falls, then read hours and parking before you go.
About Minnewaska FAQ
When did Minnewaska become a state park?
New York State bought the property in 1987 and opened Minnewaska State Park Preserve in 1993.
What happened to the Cliff House at Minnewaska?
The Cliff House hotel, opened in 1879, was abandoned in 1972 and burned to the ground in 1978.
What does Minnewaska mean?
A 2020 Times Herald-Record history says it means "good water," from two Native American languages.
Who manages Minnewaska State Park Preserve?
NY State Parks (the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation) with the Palisades Interstate Park Commission.
How big is Minnewaska State Park Preserve?
More than 24,000 acres, according to NY State Parks.