Gertrude's Nose

Gertrude's Nose is a cliff-top point in Minnewaska State Park Preserve, reached on the red-marked Gertrude's Nose Trail. NY State Parks lists it as 7.0 miles round trip from the Lake Minnewaska Visitor Center and about 5.5 hours, the slowest pace of any hike on its map, because much of it is on a rugged footpath rather than a graded carriage road. It is free once you have paid the $10 parking fee, and it needs a full day and dry weather.

The Route

NY State Parks' trail map gives the pieces:

• Gertrude's Nose Trail (red footpath), 2.7 miles one way, out along the cliff edge to the point.
• Millbrook Mountain Carriage Road (yellow, 2.5 miles) and Millbrook Mountain Trail (red footpath, 1.2 miles) lead toward Millbrook Mountain, the neighbouring summit.

NY State Parks times the hike from the Lake Minnewaska Visitor Center by the upper lot. Ask staff there for the current route, and carry the official map so you can follow the red blazes at each junction.

Why It Takes 5.5 Hours

NY State Parks' times are the best guide. Lake Minnewaska is 2.0 miles in an hour; Gertrude's Nose is 7.0 miles in five and a half hours. The difference is the footpath: slower going than the carriage roads, with careful walking near the edge. Budget for the time, and check the posted closing: 6 p.m. in late October, 5 p.m. from November to early March. Start by late morning at the latest.

Cliff Safety

NY State Parks' map carries one warning in capitals: keep away from cliff edges. Cliffs and steep drops line carriage roads, trails and overlooks across the preserve, and a fall can mean serious injury or death. Gertrude's Nose is a cliff-top destination, so that warning applies all the way out.

• Stay on the marked trail.
• Keep children within reach and dogs on a leash of six feet or less.
• Turn back in rain, ice or high wind; wet rock is slick.
• Call 911 in an emergency; the map gives no other rescue number.

Bikes and Horses

Bikes are allowed only on carriage roads, never on footpaths, so cyclists can ride the Millbrook Mountain Carriage Road but must leave bikes off the Gertrude's Nose Trail. Horses need a Minnewaska permit and are allowed only on non-holiday weekdays.

Pair It With Millbrook Mountain

NY State Parks lists Millbrook Mountain as 5.3 miles round trip, about four hours. Strong hikers combine the two in one long day. If you want a shorter cliff-top view, try Castle Point or Hamilton Point on carriage roads instead (see hiking).

When to Go

Fall is the peak: searches for Gertrude's Nose more than double in October. It is also the month the lots fill earliest. A weekday start at 9 a.m. avoids both the crowds and a race with the closing time.

Good For / Maybe Skip If

• Good for: experienced hikers, sure-footed teenagers, cliff-edge views over the valley.
• Maybe skip if: you have small children, a fear of heights or under five hours. Walk to Awosting Falls and round Lake Minnewaska instead.