The Modern Day Nomads: Hiking Sam's Point

Nick leaves his calling card on the Shawangunk Ridge

Two weekends ago the weather gods bestowed on us temps in the high 70's and we had no choice but to honor them by getting a new hike in. This time we explored Sam's Point Preserve (apart of the Shawangunk Ridge) outside Ellenville, NY. Sam's point offers a variety of terrain and beautiful scenic views from a variety of points.

Sam's Point is home to the Ellenville Fault Ice Caves, the largest known open faults in the United States with corresponding ice caves, and this is where we headed first. We were immediately greeted by a drastic drop in temperature as we descended down into the caves. Due to the cool micro-climate, ice is present in these caves year round. We encountered sheaves of ice covering the steps right from the get go but thanks to a trusty rope (and a promise from Nick that I wouldn't slip and kill myself) I made it down. We continued to weave in and out of the caves, going from the warmth of the sun to the refreshing cold crevasses. We slid across ice glossed bridges and climbed up through the snow packed exit to emerge back up near the trail.

We then decided to hike the rock scattered 3 mile trail paralleling the ridge line and through the dwarf pine barrens to VerKeerdekill Falls. We bush-wacked our way down the side of this 180 foot waterfall and hung out on the sun warmed rocks below, shot a yoga sequence and enjoyed this beautiful day.

We finished our hike by returning to the main trail and dipping off to the ridge line to enjoy the setting sun, greeting a porcupine awaking from it's winter slumber, balancing rocks and doing some yoga.

All in all this was a great hike with beautiful views and lots to explore. When we were there, there was a fair amount of foot traffic but by choosing your paths wisely you can get off the beaten trail and enjoy some privacy. Enjoy the pictures below!