Mohonk Mountain House Hike – Visitor Center To Skytop Tower

Mohonk Mountain House hike is a pretty good hike. I rate it as moderate due to the distance. It can be easy also. People can modify the route to skip labyrinth, giant workshop and so on. This is a great hike for fall foliage. I usually go to this hike once a year and I save it for fall foliage. Plenty of picture opportunities and lots of trails to choose from. Labyrinth is also a very fun rock scramble. This is definitely one of the best and most beautiful hikes that I know of.

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Mohonk Preserve Hike – Visitor Center To Skytop Tower Important Information

Trail Map: Trail Map 1
Phone GPS Apps: Alltrails.com, Avenza Maps, Google Maps

Difficulty: Moderate To Strenuous
Distance: ~8 Miles
Elevation Gained: 1395 ft
Entrance fee: $15 or more
Portable Toilet At Parking: Yes

Trail Breakdown
Undercliff Road
Laurel Ledge Road
Giant’s Workshop
Humpty Dumpty Road
Eagle Cliff Road
Path towards Mohonk Mountain House
Mohonk Mountain House To Labyrinth
Skytop Tower, Skytop Path going back to Mohonk Mountain House
Copes Lookout Path, Giant Workshop, Laurel Ledge Road, Undercliff Road then back to Visitor Center

https://www.mapmyhike.com/workout/1230568079

Note: The information is just an approximation.

In the picture, the distance is 10 miles because I went to Zaidee Bower instead of Copes Lookout. But in this story, the trail back will go to Cope’s Lookout instead of Zaidee Bower.

 

Parking
The entrance to the visitor center is at:

41°44’04.6″N+74°11’19.7″W or 41.734620,-74.188805

 

Mohonk Preserve Visitor Center

The atmosphere felt nostalgic and new as I drove through the gates of the Mohonk Preserve Visitor Center. This was the third time I was here but the air felt different, there was a hint of new beginnings, and new experiences to come. I opened my car door as my eyes wandered through the parking lot. I was entrapped with visions of red, gold, green and rust colored leaves as a multitude of them were scattered on the concrete ground and on the crowns of the trees.

 

A strong gust of a cool wind passed me by, carrying with it a few of the red and yellow leaves on the ground while also rattling the trees in front of me. As I looked up, thousands of leaves took off to the air in an elegant dance as if they were hearing a music that I could not understand. I stretched out my hands and touched some of the leaves falling from the trees as they spiraled gracefully down to the Earth.

 

Note: I got a free map at the visitor center. There is a bathroom at the visitor center also.

 

Undercliff Road

The once gray Undercliff road that I remembered was now colored in a murky goldish aura due to the dead leaves that blanketed it. The trees on this part of the land were more vibrant than ever. Some trees showed off a red color that made their trunks look like they were on fire. Nature was showing off and I was at the perfect time to witness it. I walked further up in the road and a chilly wind crept into the air as a drop of water hit my face. I looked up and saw the clouds turning dark as more droplets of water poured into the landscape. I took refuge under a tree and became worried that it will keep raining all through out my hike.

 

Each drop of rain had the icy kiss of winter, a clear promise in that late October morning that the season was changing. But as rays of sunlight peeked through the holes in the sky, my apprehension was relieved and I became even more excited about the scenery that I was about to experience. An earthen aroma, a softer light, colorful leaves, cool air, footsteps making a crackling sound and a taste of warm latte – the season of Fall wrapped around my senses like a comfortable old blanket as I traveled towards the Mohonk Mountain House.

 

An ocean of red and yellow leaves scattered through out the ground, and each step that I made was cushioned by the beautiful leaves that I almost felt sorry for stepping on them. There was a part of me that wanted everyone to see the scenery and enjoy the beautiful road for a long time but I knew that was not going to happen. It maybe good that Fall foliage comes and goes after a few days, giving us time to reflect and appreciate nature’s beauty while it lasts.

 

Laurel Ledge Road

The air gave off a nice chill on Laurel Ledge road. It was cold, taking away the warmth on my face and leaving me paler than I used to be. I zipped my jacket and looked through the place were I was at. Everything as far as my eyes could see were covered with yellow and rust colored leaves. They took flight from up above, gliding for a fleeting moment, beautiful and graceful and then lay solemnly still at the ground. Each one of my footsteps made a crackling sound as my boots smashed through a handful of dead leaves and branches. It was beautiful and somewhat sad at the same time.

 

Note: I went straight, and kept an eye on my right. The path to giant workshop was there. It was a dirt footpath and not a road. I made sure to check my map and my GPS so I do not get lost.

 

Giant Workshop

The cave did not look friendly as if it would swallow me up in whole and bury me inside its narrow passages. Bars of sunlight slipped through the sharp openings on the walls that made the dust glitter amidst the air. The lights flickered, creating an incredible glow inside the Giants Workshop. Blue rectangular marks marred the walls, the floors, and the ceilings to signify to the hikers where to go. The tunnels inside the cave were not something I typically see in the city and the walls were layers of stone that was not made by man. Brown and yellow leaves lay everywhere, as if the wind forcefully blew them there. The floor smelled like the earth and the walls seemed as if it would echo all of the voices of people that went there.

 

Crouched like a drunken old man, I fought my way through. Rock after rock, I grabbed onto anything I could in order to give me leverage. The stones felt coarse and the only sound my ears could hear were the footsteps that I made. I climbed up the tunnel moving from one rock to the next. My body instinctively knew how to move. I felt like a kid searching, being curious and discovering things about exploration that I once forgotten. I reached the top with a big smile on my face and told myself, “That was fun!”

 

Note: To get To Humpty Dumpty Road, I followed the blue trail. It was a slight ascent.

 

Humpty Dumpty Road

In front of me was a small hut that was built on top of a rock, just about 1000 feet to the ground from where I stood. I shudder to think what would happen if the hut would crumble and I would fall down with it. I placed my backpack in the hut and sat next to it, enjoying the view and the refreshing cool wind that came with it. At the front of the hut was a view of a vast expanse of rich forests and mountains and as I looked at the dark clouds on top of me, I prayed that they would disappear in time.

 

Note: To get to Eagle Cliff, I went right since I was coming from the blue trail. It was somewhat confusing but there was a sign.

 

Eagle Cliff Ascent

Moss and other forms of plant life covered the boulders as I made my ascent to Eagle cliff. I touched a few rocks as I made my way through, they were slippery, moist and some of the moss stuck themselves on my fingers. I wiped my fingers off the wooden bridge and tried my best not to touch anything green. The rocks, bridge, leaves, and boulders were all covered in rain water that fell a few minutes ago which made the terrain somewhat slippery. The narrow and rocky footpath proved to be rather easy if I took my time, and if I placed my feet rather carefully. Slow and steady, I inched my way to the top unscathed and uninjured.

 

Optional: Bushwacking And Bouldering

Note: A lot of my experienced group members continue taking the red trail and climb to the top via bushwacking, bouldering, rock climbing and creating their own path. I’ve never done it since I always take the beginners to the Eagle Cliff Ascent and I just meet everyone at the top or at Eagle Cliff.

 

Eagle Cliff

At the left of Eagle Cliff were three huts that were a few feet separated from each other. Each hut offered a different view and different angles for photography of the beautiful world below. Wooden fences covered the edges, providing a barrier to prevent people from falling off the cliff.

 

The old looking wooden fence near the farthest hut looked somewhat safe and secure as I have seen a lot of people lean on them for picture taking and for resting as well. I was a little late for picture taking on this outlook as the valley was mostly covered in brown leaves, yet there was still beauty in the scenery and I felt lucky that I was able to hike this gorgeous place at this point in time.

 

Note: The road was tricky at this point. One road leads north and the other leads south. I made sure I went to the southern road as it will offer the best views. I know the North path would take me to the same place but it would be boring.

 

Path Towards Mohonk Mountain House

The landscape glowed in hints of green, red, yellow, gold, brown and every color imaginable underneath the dark cold sky. The valley was very beautiful as if it were a painting freshly made that came straight from a great artist in Rome. I traced my finger on the wooden fence, it felt wet, moist and soggy, most likely due to the light rain before but the old decrepit fence made the view even more amazing. The trees were engorged in their late foliage, the lake was solemn and still, and the clouds diffused the light from the sun which made the sky even more dazzling.

 

A light cool breeze kept blowing in from the silver horizon, swaying and rustling the colorful trees while hitting my face as I tried to relax under the wooden hut to enjoy the breathtaking view before me. The last set of people left, and I was all alone on a beautiful place devoid of tourists, muffled conversations, and other distractions. All alone with nature, I sat in solitude full of appreciation for the landscape that was in front of me. I gazed at the sky, as the sun tried its best to break through the clouds giving off a shimmering white color of light. The landscape was the embodiment of beauty and I was enjoying every minute of it.

 

The road to Mohonk Mountain House was overwhelming with beauty, as the bright and vibrant trees were not too far down a cliff but rather close to the road. The Skytop tower could be seen from a distance as its distinct presence could not be ignored. The dark clouds were dissipating as the clear blue sky could be seen becoming bigger and bigger. I watched as the forceful winds tear the clouds apart, pushing them away while some clouds disintegrated in seconds. There was a sudden shift in the weather in the sky, almost like a fight or battle between light and dark.

 

The man-made huts were particularly abundant in this place, such structures were rather unique in architecture and design and I’ve only seen them in Mohonk. They were somewhat primitive, yet modern at the same time. A very innovative design by human beings as the structures were useful, aesthetically pleasing, and works well with the landscape also.

 

Mohonk Mountain House

The house felt like it was made of wood and the staff was very friendly. The floor was kept clean and windows as well. The mansion had been fighting off mother nature for quite a while. I was surprised it looked great even after countless times of long summer days and cold winter nights have passed through its corridors. The walls were coarse to the touch and age was the mansion’s distinctive characteristic but it felt strong as if it would survive a thousand more frozen winters and baked in a thousand more summers.

Within the great walls of the mansion were incredible stairs of wood and beautiful paintings on the walls. Beautiful lights, wooden decors and tables covered in fresh table cloth can be found as well. The rooms inside the mansion were very modern looking, with modern facilities such as lights, electricity, bathroom, plumbing, faucets and so on. The outside of the mansion looked old yet the inside looked new and fresh like a modern restaurant that can typically be seen in Manhattan.

 

The blue lake glimmered in a beautiful color underneath the light of the bright sun. The peculiar Mohonk huts could be seen through out the path on the left as there were a few of them leading up to the Skytop tower. There were boats moving along the surface of the beautiful water, and colorful fishes that swam underneath it. I was tempted to rent a boat or buy food for the fishes at the machine but opted not to. Every time I was here, I was always more concerned about my group members that I don’t get to enjoy everything this place had to offer.

 

I went here once before and the sunset caught up to me. Instead of spending 1 hour walking back to my car and having the chance that it will be very dark, one of the staff offered to give me a ride. I was very much grateful. He loved working there. He said that the owners treated him well. The place was very beautiful. I knew from the excitement of his voice that he was telling the truth.

 

Labyrinth

As the name implied, the Labyrinth in Mohonk was like a maze. A maze of rocks for anyone who wished to explore the Labyrinth’s narrow alleys and passageways. The rocks did not care about minutes, hours or even time. It did not care about yesterday nor tomorrow. The path was just there for anyone to explore. I did not care about time as well, I was just there enjoying the present, not caring about the future nor the past.

 

I had my hiking boots, backpack, and jacket to keep me warm, it was time to make tracks. I was moving from one obstacle to another. My feet was light and a smile can be seen on my face through out the journey. I cared little about the mud stuck on my boots, the heaviness of my backpack, nor the length of the trail. All I wanted to do was explore and see where my feet will take me.

 

Each footstep coincided with how much fun I was having. The more steps I did, the more fun I had. There were narrow crevices, wooden bridges, holes on the ground and red markers to signify where the path would lead. I would often times create my own path to explore and it was the beauty of the journey of this hiking trail. I was there to explore and satisfy my heart’s craving for exploration.

 

Lemon Squeeze

The crevice was narrow and the path was covered with brown leaves that the wind blew in. The light of the sun peeked through at the gap or opening at the top. Lemon Squeeze was like a crack on a wall that you enter but in this case, it was like a crack in a mountain and you have no idea where it leads. It was as if the mountain was slit in half by a giant sword and I was walking at the space that was created by it. The rocky vertical walls of the crevice made it impossible for me to climb up. The only way was to go forward and see what lurked at the end of it. At the end was a wooden ladder to help people get to the opening at the top. The climb was rather difficult as I had to squeeze through a hole and barely anything to grab onto other than the ladder.

 

Note: Lemon Squeeze can get pretty crowded in the weekends. There could be a line and you may have to wait since only person can fit in the crack or hole at the end.

 

Top Of Lemon Squeeze

The reward after the lemon squeeze was a cliff with an amazing view. My eyes were experiencing marvelous delight as I saw different shades of green, gold and red. Nature was showing off again. The gallery of a sea of trees in vibrant colors sent my senses into a blaze of excitement. There was exhilaration in the atmosphere and in the way the world glowed in front of me. The sun was shining down on the trees as if it knew how to make the landscape more beautiful. The colors of the Fall season would fade away someday but not on that day. On that day, the world looked great in my eyes. On that day, everything was right, everything was beautiful.

 

Beautiful trees of varying degrees of color, shape and size, could be seen from this vantage point. Vibrant and wild, solemn and reflective, with a few touches of soft lighting coming in from the heavens, made the scenery echo in dazzling beauty. Towering trees that stood from the ground below, blasted the scenery with dynamic and vivid colors from different shades of red, orange, yellow and green. As if I entered a story were Elves and Fairies live in a place in nature more beautiful than any forest I have ever seen.

 

The landscape reverberated in charm and artistry, that all the people who were fortunate enough to be destined at this place on this fateful time had their souls captured by the elegance and timelessness of this wonderful place.

 

Skytop Tower

The Tower lay like a giant on a hill. It stood tall among all the other structures. It was something I only imagined in books and fairy tales like the tower where Rapunzel laid down her hair. The walls felt thick and sturdy. A great monolith of concrete and stone, soaring all above others. I took the spiral staircase all the way to the top, and as I entered the roof, massive amounts of ferocious winds smashed through my body. I was taken aback but held my ground, as I had full intention of making it to the walls on the roof to take pictures.

 

The top of the tower offered 360 degree views and was all alone on the top on this weekday. The brilliant rays of the sun could be seen caressing the carpet of red, green and yellow colors of the forest below me. The wind blew fiercely at the top, tousling my hair wildly, and flapping the clothes that I was wearing. The winds made me want to shout out the words that was deep within my heart which were “This is freaking amazing!” I wanted to shout and let my voice echo through the beautiful fall colored trees before me. I wanted my voice to be carried by the wind and heard throughout the valley. I wanted to but couldn’t as I heard people coming up the stairs. I didn’t want to scare them.

 

Return To Mohonk Mountain House

I packed my camera into my backpack, and headed back to the Mountain House. The road to the Mountain House was rather easy and took me around 12 minutes to get back. There were various huts along the way for people to take a rest, and a portable potty near Skytop Tower. The road had plenty of the convenience of man to make the place more tamed rather than wild. The place was a great tourist destination after all and the hotel provided plenty of luxuries for the people that stayed there as well.

 

Copes Lookout

The fiery, golden and vibrant colors of the forest were fading away. The sky was falling asleep and the darkness faded most the colors of the valley. I looked at the sun, and it was a fiery yellowish orb of light slowly sinking into the horizon. The threads of light lingered and it mingled with the clouds giving the sky a red, orange and yellow color. It was time to go home and go back to the city. I put on my coat and headed back to my car. The adventure was over. But like the sky that is ever changing, the leaves that changes their color in time, so is life in a way. There are times of adventure, times of comfort, times of beauty and times of struggle. I headed back home to prepare for my next adventure.

 

Note: I did not need to go to copes lookout or go back down to giant’s workshop. I could just have followed the road back to the parking lot. The road was parallel to the labyrinth. Boring but easier to get back.

 

For More Hikes

For more hikes similar to this one, you can go to my Best NYC Hikes Or Best New Jersey Hikes.