Hiker’s Holiday: April

Hiker’s Holiday Meet and Greet
Join us in the Lake Lounge to answer any questions you may have about the program. Sign-up for the all-day hike on Sunday and choose your box lunch. At 4pm, enjoy afternoon tea and cookies and meet the program leaders.

First Hike (Leisurely)
Join us for a casual 1 hour hike with some of the weekend’s hike leaders.

Night Hike (Leisurely)
Enjoy the beautiful evening mountain air on this casual hike to Cope’s Lookout. We’ll depart the Mountain House in full darkness, watching and listening for sights and sounds of the night: stars, planets, satellites, owls, coyotes, whippoorwills, and more – if the weather allows! No flashlights, phones, or electronics please. (1 hour)

Live Music with the Snowy Mountain Sisters
Created to promote more opportunities for female musicians in the New York City area, the Snowy Mountain Sisters perform bluegrass music throughout NYC and have toured to Montana, North Carolina, and upstate New York.

Early Morning Walk
Join Paul Huth, Director of Research Emeritus, on a leisurely walk along two historic paths built in the autumn of 1874, Lake Shore Path and Undercliff Path, and discuss some of the 150-year long history of this National Historic Landmark property. (1 hour)

Half Day Hike
This hike will certainly offer some majestic views of the Catskill Mountains as we will be hiking to some of the best viewpoints of the Mountain House and Mohonk Preserve. This hike will start with some beautiful sweeping views of the Catskill Mountains, as we will be making our way towards the Clove Valley side of the Shawangunk Ridge. As we make our way back towards the Mountain House, we will be able to soak up majestic views of the Catskill Mountains, Mountain House and Mohonk Lake. (4 hours)

Brisk Morning Hike 
A member of the Recreation staff will lead a hike along Huguenot Drive, Bridge Road, Forest Drive, and Lake Shore Road. This hike is moderate to fast pace over carriage roads with gradual descents and ascents. Approximately 3 miles. Age 7 and up. Proper footwear is required, sneakers or boots, no flip-flops or sandals. (1 hour)

Moderate Two Hour Hike
This moderate hike will take you around the base of Sky Top Tower and over to Cope’s Lookout, where you will be able to take in a majestic view of the Clove Valley, Catskill Mountains, and the Shawangunk Ridge. This hike will lead us through the Mountain House and Mohonk Preserves majestic property via carriage roads and on some of the best hiking trails, this area has to offer. (2 hours)

Hikers’ Holiday Expo* 
Explore, taste, and experience the unique flavor of the Hudson Valley during this special event with displays from breweries, cider houses, distilleries, local vendors for our Hikers’ Holiday Weekend! Your taste buds will be tantalized by some of New York’s finest! No Fee.

*Must be 21 years old and have a valid ID to taste.

Leisurely Afternoon Hike
Join a member of our Recreation staff for this leisurely afternoon hike along Eagle Cliff Road. Approximately 2 miles. Age 7 and up. Proper footwear is required, sneakers or boots, no flip-flops or sandals. (1 hour)

Summerhouse Tour: Behind the scenes with Mohonk’s Rustic Carpenters
Summerhouses have been an integral feature of Mohonk’s breathtaking grounds since the beginning. During this walk you will see the latest projects undertaken by this very talented crew. Prepare to be amazed! (1 hour)

Live Music with Swing Vipers
The Swing Vipers infuse the timeless tunes of the early jazz era with a contemporary, gritty style of swing. Tonight they will deliver a musical mix of familiar melodies, surprising harmonies, and hard-edged swing.

Full Day Hikes
The Sunday all-day hikes depart at 9am and should return to the Mountain House by 3:30pm.

Full Day Hike (Dynamic)*: Our journey will begin with a sweeping view of the Catskill Mountains and Shawangunk Ridge. We will then be making our way towards the top of the famous Trapps cliff where we will be traveling through amazing forest and rock slab landscapes. We will then make our way towards the bridge that bridges the gap between Minnewaska State Park and the Mohonk Preserve. As we make our way back to the Mountain House, we will see the cliff we just traveled and if we are lucky, we will see rock climbers climbing that same cliff. From here, we will be hiking back to the Mountain House on some of the most amazing trails and carriage roads this region has to offer.

*Note: Pre-registration with overnight reservation is required. Space is limited.

Full Day Hike (Moderate)*: The trails and carriage roads surrounding the Mountain House will be the focus of this moderate hike, while hiking through forested areas that the pioneers once traveled. From the Mountain House, we will make our way on carriage roads and trails on Mountain House and Mohonk Preserve property, where we may sneak a glimpse of some of the wildlife that inhabits this amazing area. Our hike will then lead us over to the Clove Valley side of the Shawangunk Ridge, where the views of the Catskill Mountains will astound you. We will be returning to the Mountain House on trails and carriage roads that folks have been traveling on for many years because of the surrounding landscapes.

*Note: Pre-registration with overnight reservation is required. Space is limited.

Brisk Morning Hike
Brisk morning hike to Sky Top via Huguenot Drive and Sky Top Road — this hike is moderate to fast pace is up hill on carriage roads and returns on a path. Approximately 3 miles. Age 7 and up. Proper footwear is required, sneakers or boots, no flip-flops or sandals. (1 hour)

Leisurely Afternoon Hike
Take a hike along Home Farm Loop with Mohonk’s Recreation staff. Approximately 1 ¾ miles. Age 7 and up. Proper footwear is required, sneakers or boots, no flip-flops or sandals. (1 hour)

Brisk Hike
Hike along Lake Shore Road, Forest Drive, Bridge Road, and Huguenot Drive, Hemlock Lane, and North Lookout Road. This hike is moderate to fast pace over carriage roads with gradual descents and ascents. Approximately 3 ½ miles. Age 7 and up. Proper footwear is required, sneakers or boots, no flip-flops or sandals. (1 hour)

Live Music: Fiddle Tunes, Folk Songs, & Fancy Footwork
John Kirk and Trish Miller are dance callers and musicians from Saratoga Springs, NY. With the use of fiddle, guitar, mandolin, and banjo, they will present an array of funny songs, sing alongs, folk ballads from the northeast, sentimental favorites and some singer-songwriter gems.

Early Fox Walk: The Way of our Ancestors
Learn how moving efficiently through the natural world helps to pattern our brains for expanded awareness and our bodies for balance, agility, and strength. Shifting from an urban or suburban gait to our ancestral gait makes us instantly quieter in the woods and enables a more intimate perspective into the natural world. By learning to expand all of our senses to their fullest potential, we are able to see more wildlife and discern more subtle patterns. 1 mile, easy pace, all are welcome. (1 hour)

Farewell Hike
Our final long hike will be one to remember.  We will travel around the beautiful trails of the Mountain House taking in the majestic views of the surrounding valleys, mountains, lake, and of the mighty Mountain House itself. We will start our hike up to Eagle Cliff, where we will take in a beautiful view of Sky Top Tower, Lake Mohonk, Catskill Mountains, Shawangunk Ridge, and of the Hudson Valley. We then will travel down to Cope’s Lookout and over to Lake Mohonk, where we will be soaking up breathtaking viewpoints along the way. Our journey will end at the Mountain House where this will conclude our Hikers’ Holiday program until the next time we meet. (3 hours)

Brisk Morning Hike
Join a member of our Recreation staff for this brisk morning hike along Copes Lookout Road, Humpty Dumpty Road, Long Woodland Drive, and Lake Shore Road – This hike is moderate to fast pace over relatively flat terrain with gradual uphill portions. Approximately 3 miles. Age 7 and up Proper footwear is required, sneakers or boots, no flip-flops or sandals. (1 hour)

Leisurely Afternoon Hike
Join a member of our Recreation staff for this leisurely afternoon hike around Lake Mohonk. Approximately 1 mile. Age 7 and up. Proper footwear is required, sneakers or boots, no flip-flops or sandals. (1 hour)