Sam's Point and Verkeerderkill Falls Trail

Note: $10 a day to park at the visitors center. [Trail Notice: The Ice Caves Trail closes for the winter season. It re-opens in the spring when conditions allow for patron safety.] This hike will take you through the Sam's Point preserve, owned by the Nature Conservancy. The preserve is part of the Shawangunk ridge extending into Minnewaska SP. You will hike through a rare and endangered ecosystem, consisting of a Rare Dwarf Pitch Pine barren. One of the few remaining in the world. You will also hike to the Ice Caves which was formed from the talus or boulders from the cliffs, creating huge rock crevices or caves. The air in the Caves gets trapped, keeping the inside cold enough for snow to stay through July. Along the way you will also hike up and on top of the many cliffs in the area. You will get views of High Point Monument in NJ, the Hudson Valley, as well as the Catskills and Roundout Valley. You will also pass the Verkeerder Kill Falls and the Old Berry Picker Shacks from the days when the area was picked for its wild blueberries.