15. Sam's Point and Verkeerderkill Falls

Distance:	Dayhike
Difficulty :	Challenging for children
Distance :	5.6 miles, round trip
Hiking time :	6 hours
High point/elevation gain :	2255 feet, 255 feet
Hikable :	March-October
Map :	NY-NJ Trail Conference Map 9

The hike to see the magnificent Verkeerderkill Falls in the Shaw-angunk Mountains is a tough one for kids, way too difficult even for sturdy, uncomplaining little ones. But before you turn to the next hike, read the full description. The Sam's Point part of this hike comes at the start—it's a short and easy trail (OK, it's a road) that takes you to one of the highest points in the 'Gunks with very little effort. The kids will love it, and so will you. You might even want to continue on the old road for just another mile or so to explore some real caves. And if you're hiking with sturdy older kids (ten and up) who will enjoy the challenge of a long, rough trail with magnificent views, by all means carry on to Verkeerderkill Falls. Just be sure to allow enough time and bring plenty of water and trail snacks.

From New York City, take the Thruway (I-87) north to Exit 17 for Newburgh. Follow NY-300 north briefly to the junction with NY-52, then follow NY-52 west toward Ellenville for approximately 19 miles. Look carefully on your right for a sign for the hamlet of Cragsmoor—it comes up quickly on this curvy mountain road, and if it you miss you will have to travel several miles more before you can safely turn around. Turn right onto Cragsmoor Road and follow it for 1 mile until it curves sharply to the right past the Cragsmoor Post Office. Immediately make the next right onto Sam's Point Road—you'll see a sign for Sam's Point Preserve. Follow Sam's Point Road for 1.75 miles until the road dead-ends in the parking area.

The parking area here is unusually large for a trailhead. That's because from 1967 until 1996, this magnificent, 4600-acre segment of the Shawangunk Mountains was leased to a private concession that made it into a tourist attraction called Ice Caves Mountain. The ecologically sensitive land, which includes one of the best examples of a ridgetop dwarf pine barrens in the world, was closed to hikers. In 1997, after twenty-five years of trying, this natural area was finally returned to public use through the efforts of the Open Space Institute and The Nature Conservancy. The property is now managed by The Nature Conservancy as a nature preserve protecting this unique landscape.

The easy part of this hike is the 0.6-mile walk to Sam's Point. Stroll through the old stone gates at the east end of the parking area and follow the eroded old asphalt road to the right as it heads steadily but easily upward through low woods with scattered rock formations. (Wooden signposts point you on your way.) Almost from the start, you'll have magnificent views out over the Walkill Valley to the east, with the Hudson River visible beyond. On a really clear day, you can see the skyscrapers of New York City.

You'll soon see the towering rock formation of Sam's Point ahead on the trail. A signpost points you to the left and a broad gravel road that leads up to the Sam's Point overlook. You're now standing at 2255 feet above sea level, one of the highest elevations in the Shawangunks. There are protective stone walls around the viewing areas, but many unofficial side trails lead off the rock formations—keep an eye on small kids. Older kids may want to explore a bit. Who can find the hidden steps? And who was Sam? A prize for the silliest answer!

If the kids want to continue on to see the ice caves (what kids wouldn't?), return to the main road, turn left, and follow the road for 0.4 mile to the junction with another battered old road leading off to the right. You'll also notice two turquoise-blue blazes pointing in that direction. In just 50 feet or so you'll notice a signpost on the left pointing you toward Verkeerderkill Falls. If you're with small kids, ignore this and continue down the road for another 0.25 mile to arrive at the ice caves.

The caves in the face of the Shawangunk escarpment were made by vertical cracks splitting the horizontal layers of conglomerate rock that form the underlying geology of the ridge. The caves were formed when the rock separated along the cracks—they're really more like canyons covered by slabs of rock than caves. Because so little sunlight penetrates into the deeper recesses of the formations, winter ice lasts here well into the summer—that's why they're called ice caves. There's plenty to explore here just for fun, plus some interesting geology lessons. What, for example, makes those flat slabs of rock fall off the cliff and collect in talus (debris) piles? (Water gets into the cracks, expands when it freezes, and splits off the slabs.)

The caves were somewhat garish and "touristy" when the site was privately operated. Volunteers have replaced the colored lights with solar-powered light panels and have repaired old staircases and railings to make the site both safe and more natural in appearance. The ice caves are expected to be open to hikers by the spring of 2002, but delays are possible. Call ahead for an update on the work (For more contact information "See Addresses").

Return from the ice caves the way you came.

If you want to trek on to Verkeerderkill Falls, backtrack along the road to the signpost and blue blazes you passed earlier. Turn right onto the trail. The turquoise-blue blazes tell you that the trail to the falls is part of the Long Path. This long-distance hiking trail, created and maintained entirely by volunteers, begins in New Jersey on the Palisades at the foot of the George Washington Bridge and winds northward through New Jersey and New York until it reaches its current end near Albany (the trail will eventually continue on into the Adirondacks). It's a very narrow, rocky path that winds through a fascinating ecological zone known as a dwarf pine barrens. If you've ever been to a barrier beach or the New Jersey Pine Barrens, this environment will be familiar, even though you're 2000 feet above sea level. The thin, acidic soil, dry conditions, and constant wind have created a landscape of low, twisted pitch pines and acres and acres of dense lowbush blueberries and other shrubby vegetation such as sheep laurel. The soil here is very easily eroded. Any damage you do by bushwhacking will take literally decades to be repaired, so stay on the path.

The trail winds up and down, circling past large glacial boulders and occasionally passing through stands of white birch and sparse areas of stunted trees, including scrub oaks and white pine. What's the difference between pitch pine and white pine? Pitch pine has very thick bark; the needles grow in clusters of three, sometimes directly out of the bark. White pine needles grow in clusters of five.

After 0.5 mile you'll pass through a small, fern-filled glade with taller birch and oak trees and a running stream. Older kids will easily grasp from the sudden change in the vegetation how even a small change in the environment can make a big difference in the ecology.

Carry on along the path as it meanders through the barrens. The blue blazes of the Long Path are hardly necessary—the path is very narrow but very clear and is now descending slightly but steadily as you march on. Occasional boulders are fun to climb up on for a rest, and there are plenty of blueberries to pick along the way.

After 1.7 miles on the Long Path, the trail descends more steeply and you may hear the sound of rushing water. At 1.8 miles you'll arrive at Verkeerderkill Falls. The Verkeerder Kill (kil means "creek" in Dutch) runs in from the left (north), tumbles in cascades down a series of flat slabs for about 50 yards, and then quickly drops straight off the edge of the escarpment in a dramatic 100-foot fall down into a heavily wooded area below. To see the fall, you'll need to cross the stream and work your way very carefully around to the right on the unofficial trails. You'll come out onto bare rocks at the edge of the escarpment that give you an astonishing view of the entire cliff face. If you're fortunate, you may spot a raven soaring along the cliff. These large black birds nest on the rock ledges of the cliffs.

In the summer and early autumn the stream here is low and easy to cross; it's also safe to wade around in the icy water. When the water is high from spring runoff or a heavy rainstorm, however, extreme caution must be used here.

Take a good, long rest at the falls and cool off in the shade of the trees. The return trip is the way you came, but it's uphill most of the way until you arrive back at the old road.