Verkeerder Kill Falls

Verkeerder Kill Falls is a 187-foot waterfall on the Shawangunk Ridge, reached on foot from the Sam's Point Area of Minnewaska State Park Preserve in Cragsmoor. NY State Parks lists it as 5.5 miles round trip from the Sam's Point Visitor Center, about three and a half hours, on the aqua-marked Verkeerder Kill Falls Trail. The falls themselves are on private property, so stay on the marked trail, and book a parking reservation if you go on a weekend or holiday between mid-April and November 15.

How to Get There

Park at the Sam's Point Area, 400 Sam's Point Road, Cragsmoor ($10 per car). From the visitor center, follow the park map to the Verkeerder Kill Falls Trail (aqua blazes, 2.0 miles long). NY State Parks' round-trip time is 3.5 hours for 5.5 miles. Carry the official Sam's Point map; it shows the trail junctions and the private land the trail crosses.

The High Point Loop

NY State Parks also lists a Verkeerder Kill Falls and High Point loop: 8.3 miles, about five and a half hours. It adds the red High Point Trail (2.4 miles) and the High Point lookout, which is 6.6 miles round trip on its own. Start early: Sam's Point opens at 9 a.m. and closes at a posted time that moves with the season, 5 p.m. through the winter.

Private Property

NY State Parks says the falls sit on private property and asks every visitor to respect it and remain on the trail. The Sam's Point map repeats the point: private owners allow hikers on their land, and that access depends on people staying on the marked trail and following the preserve's rules. Do not climb down to the base off-trail.

Swimming and Safety

• No swimming. It is not permitted in any lake, stream or waterfall in the Sam's Point Area.
• Cliff edges. NY State Parks warns that cliffs and steep drops line the trails and overlooks, and that a fall can cause serious injury or death. The top of a 187-foot falls is one of those places.
• Flow. The falls run strongest after rain and snowmelt; in a dry spell the flow can be thin.

Parking Reservations

On weekends and holidays from mid-April to November 15, Sam's Point requires a parking reservation: ReserveAmerica or 1-800-777-9644, up to two weeks ahead. Do not park on the road; NY State Parks says cars on the shoulder are ticketed or towed. Details on the Sam's Point page and parking.

Other Waterfalls at Minnewaska

• Awosting Falls, 2.5 miles round trip on a carriage road from the main entrance.
• Stony Kill Falls, on the preserve's north side.
• Rainbow Falls, on its own orange-marked trail (see hiking).

Good For / Maybe Skip If

• Good for: a half-day hike to a 187-foot waterfall, combined with the Sam's Point overlook.
• Maybe skip if: you want an easy walk. Awosting Falls is shorter and on a wide carriage road.