Awosting Falls
Awosting Falls is the waterfall most visitors come to Minnewaska State Park Preserve to see, an easy walk on the Awosting Falls Carriage Road. NY State Parks puts it at 2.5 miles round trip from the Lake Minnewaska Visitor Center, about an hour and a half, and the Lower Parking Area sits even closer. The trail is a wide gravel carriage road. Swimming at the falls, and in the stream below, is not permitted.
Awosting Falls at a Glance
How to Get to Awosting Falls
Enter at the main gate, 5281 Route 44-55 in Kerhonkson ($10 per car), and choose your lot:
- From the Lower Parking Area (about 1,400 feet): the closest start. NY State Parks' map shows the falls just below this lot on the Awosting Falls Carriage Road.
- From the Upper Parking Area and visitor center (about 1,650 feet): follow the red-marked Awosting Falls Carriage Road downhill. NY State Parks lists 2.5 miles round trip, about 1.5 hours. The return is the uphill half.
The Awosting Falls Carriage Road is 1.4 miles long, and a short connector (0.2 mile, white) links it with the trails nearby. The falls pour over a layered rock ledge into a rocky pool in the woods.
Can You Swim at Awosting Falls?
No. NY State Parks lists the waterfall with a single rule: swimming is not permitted. Its general rules repeat that there is no swimming in any stream or waterfall in the preserve. The only legal swimming is in the designated areas on Lake Minnewaska and Lake Awosting with lifeguards on duty, and those are closed until the 2027 season. See swimming.
When to Go
- Spring and after rain: the most water over the ledge.
- Fall: the busiest weeks of the year at Minnewaska. NY State Parks warns the lots fill on good-weather days and the entrance closes until cars leave.
- Winter: the carriage road can be icy; bikes are not allowed when roads are snowy, icy or soft. The preserve closes at 5 p.m. in winter.
Make It Longer
- Add Lake Minnewaska: the 2.0-mile lake loop starts at the visitor center. See Lake Minnewaska.
- Add Peter's Kill: the High Peter's Kill Trail (2.8 miles, blue) connects the Awosting Falls area with the Peter's Kill Area, the preserve's climbing area. See rock climbing.
- Other falls: Rainbow Falls is on its own orange-marked trail; Stony Kill Falls is on the preserve's north side; Verkeerder Kill Falls is reached from Sam's Point.
Safety
The carriage road is easy, but the rocks round the pool are wet and slick. NY State Parks warns about cliffs and steep drops across the preserve and asks visitors to stay on designated trails. Keep children close, and keep dogs on a leash of six feet or less.
Good For / Maybe Skip If
- Good for: families, a short first hike, waterfall photos, cyclists on an easy carriage road.
- Maybe skip if: you want a swim. Swimming here is not allowed; wait for the lake beaches to reopen in 2027.
Awosting Falls FAQ
How long is the hike to Awosting Falls?
2.5 miles round trip from the Lake Minnewaska Visitor Center, about 1.5 hours, on the Awosting Falls Carriage Road. It is shorter from the Lower Parking Area.
Can you swim at Awosting Falls?
No. NY State Parks does not permit swimming at the waterfall or in any stream in the preserve.
Where do you park for Awosting Falls?
Inside the main entrance at 5281 Route 44-55, Kerhonkson. The Lower Parking Area is closest; the Upper Parking Area by the visitor center works too. Parking is $10 per car.
Is the Awosting Falls trail easy?
Yes. It is a wide gravel carriage road. From the upper lot it is downhill to the falls and uphill back.
Can you bike to Awosting Falls?
Yes. Bikes are allowed on the carriage road with a helmet, at 15 mph or less. Only Class 1 e-bikes are allowed.