NEWS RELEASE: Public Programs at Minnewaska State Park Preserve and Sam s Point for October 2016

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1 NEWS RELEASE: Public Programs at Minnewaska State Park Preserve and Sam s Point for October 2016 Pre-registration is required for participation in most public programs. Please call the Park Preserve Office at , unless otherwise noted. For outings, please wear appropriate clothing and footwear and bring snacks and water. A parent or guardian over the age of 18 must accompany children wishing to participate in any programs. Minnewaska Nature Center and Sam s Point Visitor Center Hours: The Minnewaska Nature Center will be open Saturday, Sunday and Holidays 10:00 a.m. -12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. from Memorial Day until Columbus Day. Staff will be either at the Nature Center or out in the Park Preserve leading public programs during these time slots. When the building is closed, an information center will be available on the porch to assist patrons with questions about the Park Preserve. The Sam s Point Visitor Center is open Monday through Friday from9:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 a.m. 7:00 p.m. until October, when the office will close at 6:00 p.m. The following public programs will be offered at Minnewaska State Park Preserve and Sam s Point Area in October: Saturday, October 1, 9:30 a.m. 11:00 a.m.: Morning Light on Beacon Hill Join Becca Howe, Student Conservation/AmeriCorps Intern, for a lovely morning walk along the Beacon Hill loop, which follows along the top edge of an east facing escarpment. This walk, which is over two miles long, will offer a 180 degree view of the Rondout and Wallkill valleys below and the Catskill Mountains to the north. This route follows along carriage roads as well as the Beacon Hill Footpath, which does include some hills and tricky footing. Preregistration is required Saturday, October 1, 9:30 a.m. 5:00 p.m.: Hike to the Shingle Gully Ice Caves Explore the Shingle Gully Ice Caves where ice persists into summer in deep crevice caves. These caves are in a primitive area in Minnewaska State Park Preserve. This rugged, protected landscape is accessible only on guided tours led by park staff and volunteer docents. This all-day, strenuous adventure ascends and descends 1,500 feet, includes off-trail bushwhacking and steep rock scrambles, and is only appropriate for experienced hikers. Preregistration is required by calling Sam's Point at Pre-registration deadline: September 26th.

2 Sunday, October 2, 8:30 a.m. 4:00 p.m.: Hike to the Shingle Gully Ice Caves Explore the Shingle Gully Ice Caves where ice persists into summer in deep crevice caves. These caves are in a primitive area in Minnewaska State Park Preserve. This rugged, protected landscape is accessible only on guided tours led by park staff and volunteer docents. This all-day, strenuous adventure ascends and descends 1,500 feet, includes off-trail bushwhacking and steep rock scrambles, and is only appropriate for experienced hikers. Preregistration is required by calling Sam's Point at Pre-registration deadline: September 27th. Sunday, October 2, 10:00 a.m. 2:00 p.m.: Live Birds of Prey Drop-In Program Have you ever been so close to a hawk that you could see how sharp its talons were? Have you ever been so close to an owl that you could see what color eyes it has? Now is your chance! Join Annie Mardiney, wildlife rehabilitator for Wild Mountain Birds, to see and learn about these fascinating raptors. Stop by the Nature Center to see a variety of live education birds. All children must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian over the age of 18. Preregistration is NOT required. Tuesday, October 4, 8:00 a.m.: Early Morning Birders Designed for birding enthusiasts, or those just looking to learn the basics, this series will offer various outings led by experienced birding volunteers and park naturalists. Participants will meet at the Minnewaska main entrance and should come prepared with binoculars. Outing destinations will be determined the day of the program. Thursday, October 6, 11:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m.: Babes in the Woods Come join volunteer leader Renee LaMonica and other parents with babies or toddlers at Minnewaska State Park Preserve for an hour of leisurely strolling. Babes in the Woods is offered the first and third Thursday of each month from June through October, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. This program will meet at the Wildmere parking area, near Lake Minnewaska, unless otherwise noted. Please bring a jogging type stroller or back/front pack child carrier. Pre-registration is required. Thursday, October 6, 1:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m.: Homeschoolers: Fall Foliage and Paper Making Come join other homeschoolers to learn about why the leaves change color and fall off of trees in autumn. After, we will go on a short leaf-peeping walk to look at and gather a few leaves. We will use these leaves in learning how to make paper. Papermaking is a fun, interesting and hands-on experience. This program is recommended for six to twelve year old children, accompanied by a parent or legal guardian over the age of 18. Pre-registration is required.

3 Friday, October 7, 10:00 a.m. 11:30 a.m.: For the Birds at Ellenville Library Join Nick Martin, Park Educator, in this second installment of a three-part series offered through the Ellenville Library. Each program will offer a discussion at the library, followed by a bird walk in the local community. During the course of this series, we will talk about habitat, unique bird characteristics, methods of identifying birds, binoculars and tips on resources for continuing your birding education. Interested participants are welcome to attend one or all three programs. Please call the Ellenville Public Library at for more information. Saturday, October 8, 9:30 a.m. 11:00 a.m.: Nature Journals for Children Bring your child to the Nature Center to make their own nature journal with Becca Howe, Student Conservation Association/AmeriCorps Intern. After the journals are made, we ll take a walk on trails near the Nature Center where children can look for leaves and other natural items to include in their book. This program is recommended for children between the ages of six to ten, accompanied by a parent or legal guardian over the age of 18. Siblings of any age are welcome to join us, but younger children may need parental assistance making their journal. Pre-registration is required. Saturday, October 8, 7:00 p.m. 9:30 p.m.: International Observe the Moon Night Join us at Sam s Point to take part in International Observe the Moon Night, an annual worldwide public event that encourages observation, appreciation, and understanding of our Moon. The evening will begin with a brief presentation by Dr. Willie Yee, President of the Mid- Hudson Astronomical Association, on the history and characteristics of the moon. This will be followed by time outside where everyone will be able to view the moon through a variety of telescopes provided by the members of MHAA, who will also be there to answer questions about the moon or astronomy in general. If conditions permit, viewing of other astronomical objects will also occur. If there is inclement weather this program will be held onsunday, October 9th. Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian over the age of 18. This program is being offered at the Sam s Point Area in Cragsmoor. Pre-registration is required by calling Sam s Point at Sunday, October 9, 9:30 a.m. 12:30 p.m.: Hike to Echo Rock Join Laura Conner, Environmental Educator, for an approximately four mile round trip walk along two carriage roads to reach the picturesque Echo Rock. Ancient Eastern Hemlock trees line the edges of this route, which offers expansive views of the colorful fall foliage. From the top of this scenic lookout, visitors peer down into the pristine Palmaghatt Ravine, where vultures often glide below. Pre-registration is required.

4 Monday, October 10, 10:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m.: Wild Golf Course Fall Foliage Hike Join Laura Conner, Environmental Educator, for a wander along various carriage roads and mowed paths through an old golf course and wild orchard that offers spectacular Catskill Mountain vistas. These old, overgrown fields, edged with abundant blueberry bushes and patches of deciduous forests, used to provide supplemental food for the elegant hotels that were once found here. These same berry bushes turn a velvety crimson color that glows in the warm autumn light. This approximately two mile route includes easy walking as well as potentially wet sections of trail and a few hills. Pre-registration is required. Monday, October 10, 1:00 p.m. 3:00p.m.: Holiday Hike - Loop around the Lake for Families at Sam s Point Join us for this three mile loop to view magnificent Lake Maratanza. On our way back toward the visitor center, we will stop at the Sam s Point Overlook, where on a clear day there is a great view of the Wallkill Valley, the Catskills, and much more. Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian over the age of 18. This program is being offered at the Sam s Point Area in Cragsmoor. Pre-registration is encouraged. Call Sam s Point at Tuesday, October 11, 8:00 a.m.: Early Morning Birders Designed for birding enthusiasts, or those just looking to learn the basics, this series will offer various outings led by experienced birding volunteers and park naturalists. Participants will meet at the Minnewaska main entrance and should come prepared with binoculars. Outing destinations will be determined the day of the program. Tuesday Treks: This series of outings is being offered every second and fourth Tuesday of the month from October through the following May. It is designed for people who are home during the week, such as retirees, stay-at-home parents, or people with weekdays off from work. The series will offer outings led by a park naturalist. Tuesday, October 11, 9:30 a.m. 4:00 p.m.: Tuesday Trek: Castle Point to Scenic Trail Join Becca Howe, Student Conservation Association/AmeriCorps Member, on a guided hike on a mixture of carriage roads and footpaths. Enjoy the company of other hikers as well as the stunning views and fall foliage from along the cliff-edge Castle Point Carriage Road. We ll also explore the backcountry Scenic Footpath, which features views from Margaret Cliff. This approximately ten mile route is mostly on carriage roads, which are easier and faster to walk than footpaths. There are some hills and the footpath section does have a couple of narrow, rocky areas to traverse. This hike is recommended for fit hikers who are comfortable with

5 spending all day on the trail. All participants must wear appropriate shoes and carry enough water and food for the day. Pre-registration is required. Saturday, October 15, 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.: Fall Foliage Hike to Gertrude s Nose Join Becca Howe, Student Conservation Association/AmeriCorps Intern, for an adventurous eight mile round trip hike to Gertrude s Nose, which offers one of the most expansive views in Minnewaska, along with beautiful fall foliage. Our route will follow a combination of carriage roads to reach the Gertrude s Nose Footpath, a challenging cliff-edge trail offering magnificent views of the Hudson Valley. All participants should come well prepared with appropriate footwear, food and water. Pre-registration is required. Saturday, October 15, 9:30 a.m. 5:00 p.m.: Hike to the Shingle Gully Ice Caves Explore the Shingle Gully Ice Caves where ice persists into summer in deep crevice caves. These caves are in a primitive area in Minnewaska State Park Preserve. This rugged, protected landscape is accessible only on guided tours led by park staff and volunteer docents. This all-day, strenuous adventure ascends and descends 1,500 feet, includes off-trail bushwhacking and steep rock scrambles, and is only appropriate for experienced hikers. Preregistration is required by calling Sam's Point at Pre-registration deadline: October 10th. Sunday, October 16, 9:30 a.m. 12:30 p.m.: Fall Foliage Multiple Scenic Views Hike Join Laura Conner, Environmental Educator, on a guided hike to see all the stunning views from the numerous scenic vistas along the East side of Lake Minnewaska. Our first stop will be the last remaining historic summerhouse gazebo, which sits perched above the Lake. From here, we ll continue our walk to reach the site of the former, historic Cliffhouse Hotel. Marvel at the spectacular views that former guests would have had across Lake Minnewaska to the distant Catskill Mountains. Next, we ll drop down to the Beacon Hill Footpath, which offers a broad vista of the Wallkill Valley including distant views of Storm King and Break Neck Mountains, as well as the iconic stone fire tower, Skytop, to the North. The last leg of our journey includes another cliff edge viewpoint that offers scenic vistas of the Catskill Mountains and the Dickie Barre area. This modest hike, which follows along a combination of carriage roads and a footpath, is approximately two-and-a- half miles long and does include some hills and rocky sections of footpath. Your guide stays with the group the entire trip, offering answers to your questions about the cultural and natural history of this special Park Preserve. Preregistration is required. Sunday, October 16, 10:00 a.m. -1:30 p.m.: Ice Caves and Lake Maratanza Loop at Sam s Point Join Laura Davis, Park Educator, for this hike to the Sam s Point Ice Caves. This hike includes

6 approximately three-and-a-half miles of hiking on old woods roads and a half mile of hiking on the Ice Caves Footpath. This footpath includes steep stone stairs, ladders, boardwalks and some potentially slippery surfaces. For the return trip, we will complete the rest of the Loop Road around Lake Maratanza. This program is being offered at the Sam s Point Area in Cragsmoor. Pre-registration is encouraged by calling Sam s Point at Tuesday, October 18, 8:00 a.m.: Early Morning Birders Designed for birding enthusiasts, or those just looking to learn the basics, this series will offer various outings led by experienced birding volunteers and park naturalists. Participants will meet at the Minnewaska main entrance and should come prepared with binoculars. Outing destinations will be determined the day of the program. Thursday, October 20, 11:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m.: Babes in the Woods Come join volunteer leader Renee LaMonica and other parents with babies or toddlers at Minnewaska State Park Preserve for an hour of leisurely strolling in the Park Preserve. Babes in the Woods is offered the first and third Thursday of each month from June through October, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. This program will meet at the Wildmere parking area, near Lake Minnewaska. Please bring a jogging type stroller or back/front pack child carrier. Preregistration is required. Saturday, October 22, 1:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m.: Animal Tracks for Kids at Sam s Point Join Laura Davis, Park Educator, to make your very own plaster track of one of the many types of animals that live at Sam s Point. While the tracks are drying, we will hike up to the Sam s Point Overlook, looking for signs of animals along the way. The distance for this hike is just over one mile roundtrip on a carriage road that ascends 200 feet. All children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian over the age of 18. This program is being offered at the Sam s Point Area in Cragsmoor. Pre-registration is required by calling Sam's Point at Saturday, October 22, 9:30 a.m. 1:30 p.m.: High Peter s Kill/Awosting Falls Loop Hike Come explore most of the High Peter s Kill Footpath with Becca Howe, Student Conservation Association/AmeriCorps Intern, on this approximately five mile hike. We ll start by walking downhill on the High Peter s Kill Footpath, which features a variety of terrain, along a cliff escarpment with numerous, scenic viewpoints. For our return trip, we ll walk along the easygoing Awosting Falls Carriage Road, past the beautiful and iconic Awosting Falls. Hopefully, we will catch the beautiful fall colors during this outing. This hike does include rocky, narrow sections of trail that may be challenging for some. Please note: This outing location may need to change if road construction restricts access to the trails. Meet in the Awosting Parking Area. Pre-registration is required.

7 Sunday, October 23, 9:30 a.m. 5:00 p.m.: Gorgeous Views from the Cliffs along Castle Point Join Laura Conner, Environmental Educator, for a day spent outside admiring the views from the cliffs of Castle Point Carriage Road and Rainbow Falls Footpath. This approximately eight mile long hike offers bird s eye views of Lake Awosting and panoramic views of Sam s Point Preserve and the Wallkill Valley. The carriage roads are modest walking, but the footpath component of this hike does include tricky footing, rocky surfaces and hills. If the fall leaves are still colorful, this will be a particularly beautiful route. Pre-registration is required. Tuesday, October 25, 8:00 a.m.: Early Morning Birders Designed for birding enthusiasts or those just looking to learn the basics, this series will offer various outings led by experienced birding volunteers and park naturalists. Participants will meet at the Minnewaska main entrance and should come prepared with binoculars. Outing destinations will be determined the day of the program. Tuesday, October 25, 9:30 a.m. 1:30 p.m.: Tuesday Trek: High Peter s Kill/Awosting Falls Loop Hike Come explore most of the High Peter s Kill Footpath on this approximately five mile hike. We ll start by walking downhill on the High Peter s Kill Footpath, which features a variety of terrain, along a cliff escarpment with numerous, scenic viewpoints. For our return trip, we ll walk along the easy-going Awosting Falls Carriage Road, past the beautiful and iconic Awosting Falls. This hike does include rocky, narrow sections of trail that may be challenging for some. Please note: This outing location may need to change if road construction restricts access to the trails. Meet in the Awosting Parking Area.Pre-registration is required. Saturday, October 29, 9:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.: Rainbow Falls and Lake Awosting Hike Join park educators for an exciting excursion on an assortment of historic carriage roads and footpaths to explore some of the lesser-traversed sections of the Park Preserve. For this approximately eight mile hike, participants will hike Mossy Glen Footpath, Lower Awosting Carriage Road, Rainbow Falls Footpath, Scenic Trail Footpath and Lake Awosting Carriage Road. We ll begin our hike on Mossy Glen Footpath and make our way over to Rainbow Falls Footpath via Blueberry Run Footpath, Jenny Lane Footpath and Lower Awosting Carriage Road. Rainbow Falls features interesting backcountry terrain and has a spectacular view of the Catskill Mountains. At the intersection of Castle Point, we ll wander down to the Scenic Trail, walking past Margaret Cliff and Murray Hill on the way to the southwest end of Lake Awosting. From here, we ll continue around Lake Awosting on the Lake Awosting Carriage Road and return on Lower Awosting Carriage Road, which is an easy stroll back to the parking area. This outing includes some hiking over rock slabs, tree roots, a stream crossing and a rock

8 scrambling section, which some hikers may find challenging. Participants must come with appropriate footwear and enough food and water to sustain themselves for the day. Meet in the Awosting Parking Area. Pre-registration is required. Sunday, October 30, 9:30 a.m. 12:00 p.m.: Mossy Glen Long Loop Hike The first part of this approximately five mile hike, is on the Mossy Glen Footpath, which follows along the edges of the Peter s Kill, a cool mountain stream that cuts through white, quartz conglomerate rock. We ll walk through a richly varied forest until the trail intersects the Blueberry Run Footpath, which we ll follow until we reach the Upper Awosting Carriage Road. We ll walk this to reach Scenic Sunset Carriage Road and return to our starting point. The footpath does include some tricky footing, including potentially slippery rocks and tree roots. Meet at the Awosting Parking Area. Pre-registration is required. Sunday, October 30, 10:30 a.m. 12:00 p.m.: Preschoolers in the Park - Colorful Scavenger Hunt at Sam s Point Bring your preschoolers and join Laura Davis, Sam s Point Educator, for a morning of exploration! We will start off with a story and craft before heading outside to search for natural items of different shapes, colors, and textures. All children must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian over the age of 18. This program is being offered at the Sam s Point Area in Cragsmoor. Pre-registration is required by calling Sam s Point at For more information and to register for programs at Minnewaska, please call the Park Preserve Office at For more information and to register for programs at the Sam s Point Area, please call the Sam s Point Visitor Center at Minnewaska State Park Preserve is open from 9:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. until October 11 th, when the Park Preserve will begin closing every day at 6:00 p.m. The fee for parking is $10 per vehicle or a valid Empire Passport may be used. All fees are subject to change. There are no additional fees for public programs, unless noted otherwise. Minnewaska State Park Preserve consists of over 23,000 acres of wild and scenic land located on Route 44/55, five miles west of the intersection with Route 299 in Gardiner, New York and also includes the Sam s Point Area, located in the hamlet of Cragsmoor, south of Route 52. The Palisades Interstate Park Commission administers 30 parks, parkways and historic sites for the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation in New York as well as the Palisades Interstate Park and parkway in New Jersey. For more information about New York State Parks, please visit

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