Home⎟Hikes & Wanderings⎟New York⎟The Gunks⎟Bonticou Crag

Distance: 3 miles

Time: 2.5 hours

Difficulty: Moderate, some rock scrambling involved.

Elevation Gain: 500 feet

Dog Friendly: Yes. But a short rock scramble is involved where you may need to give your buddy a leg up, or at the very least spot her/him.

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Trailhead Directions: From the NYS Thruway, take exit 18 for NY-299 toward New Paltz/Poughkeepsie. Merge onto NY-299 West/Main Street and continue 1.7 miles before turning right onto Springtown Road. Go a half mile and make a left onto Mountain Rest Road. After 2.8 miles, Mountain Rest Road turns slightly left and becomes Mt Rest Road. Go 0.4 miles and continue onto Mohonk Road. Go 1.2 miles and make a slight right onto Upper 27 Knolls Road. Pay the parking fee at the tollhouse ($12 as of this 2016 writing), and park in the lot on your left.

Hike Directions: From the Spring Farm Trailhead, follow the blue blazes uphill along a field before entering the woods. 0.25 miles from the parking area, you’ll cross an unmarked path and continue straight on the blue blazes. In about a tenth of a mile, the trail begins to ascend through forest. Continue 1.41 miles on the blue blazed Table Rocks Trail before turning left to the Table Rocks. Enjoy the northwestern views toward New York’s Catskill mountains. Return to the blue blazed Table Rocks Trail and turn right, continuing 0.71 miles to an intersection with a red blazed connector trail. Veer left onto the red blazed trail and continue 0.3 miles to its intersection with the blue blazed Northeast Trail. After three quarters of a mile, the trail goes right and downhill for a 150 feet, to an intersection with the yellow blazed Bonticou Crag Trail. This trail takes you along the ridge to its end at Bonticou Crag, providing breathtaking views to the west. Be careful here, as there is a very sharp drop-off on both sides of the crag. Once finished taking in the views, continue downhill on the yellow blazes, via a 300-foot rock scramble. The yellow trail ends right below the rocks, running into the blue blazed Northeast Trail. From here you’ll turn right onto the Northeast Trail and go 0.34 miles, before turning left on the red blazed Cedar Trail. Continue through forest 0.2 miles to an unmarked trail on your left. Go 400 feet on the unmarked trail and you’ll reach a fork and turn left once again. After another 400 feet you’ll reach another fork and turn right, then make an almost immediate left back onto the blue blazed Table Rocks Trail. You’ll return to the parking area in a half mile.

Scenery: 8/10