Minnewaska State Park Preserve occupies the southern end of the Shawangunk Ridge and protects two sky lakes — Lake Minnewaska and Lake Awosting — that sit in natural basins in the quartzite. The water in these lakes is strikingly clear and acidic, tinted amber by the tannins of the surrounding pitch pine barrens, and swimming in Lake Minnewaska from the smooth rock ledges is one of the best free (well, park admission fee) pleasures in the Hudson Valley.
The park has over 35 miles of carriage roads and footpaths that explore the ridge's varied terrain: cliff edges, berry heaths, and dense forest. The walk from the main parking area to Lake Awosting is longer and less trafficked than the Minnewaska circuit and rewards the extra effort with solitude and views. The park is extremely popular on summer weekends and the parking lot fills early — arrive before 9am or come on a weekday. The Sam's Point Area, at the park's southern tip, preserves the highest and most exposed section of the ridge and offers remarkable views toward the Catskills and beyond.