Sam's Point

Well, since the summer is nearly half way over with already I urge people to get outside and do some hiking before it's too late. In this entry I will relate the details of my favorite hike in the Hudson Valley. I strongly suggest that anyone who has some extra time over the next couple of months to check this site out. A single day is all you need to have an extraordinary time.

1. Sam's Point

Sam's Point Preserve which is situated atop the Shawangunk Mountains in Cragsmoor, NY is absolutely stunning. In my opinion it's the best place to go in the region. If you enjoy breath taking views over 2,000 feet high which include distant glimpses of the Catskills, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and the Hudson Valley this is the place for you. In addition to the views there are blueberries ripe for the picking, ice caves, a sky lake, and a very tall waterfall, not to mention countless rare plants and animals. This preserve has been called by many one of the "Last Great Places on Earth", and it's not difficult to see why.

The way that Sam's Point got its name is a highly interesting story. I'll give a brief account of the way it originated which was in the 1700's. During this time period this part of New York was sparsely settled by Europeans, most of the inhabitants were of the Native American variety. Tensions were often high between the two groups. The Europeans saw the Indians simply as savages and generally nothing more. While the Indians viewed the settlers are greedy land grabbers who wanted to destroy their culture. So the groups clashed quite frequently. In those days raids by the natives were pretty common, especially during the French and Indian War which is when this event took place. As the legend goes, in 1758 during the midst of war a resident of the region, Samuel Gonsalus, was pursued by an Indian scalping party while on the land that now makes up the preserve. Apparently the group had already killed a few people not long before chasing Sam, so he knew he was in a dire situation. Just before the natives were about to capture him atop the ridge, he jumped off a rock ledge. This sounds like it would be the end of the story, but alas, he did in fact survive. He managed to do this by grabbing hold of a tree near the bottom as he was falling. The Indians who saw him jump figured he had been killed by the fall. Little did they know that he was very much alive below. This gave him the necessary time to climb down the tree and make his escape. Ever since this daring leap of faith, the very spit of rock where Samuel Gonsalus jumped from has been known as Sam's Point.

Once the entrance to the park is reached there's a somewhat moderate climb to the top of the ridge. It's really not that difficult, but once the summit is reached a break is in order. The best places to rest are on the many glacial erratics that are all around. Sitting on a huge boulder at the edge of a cliff over 2,000 feet high, gazing at the amazingly beautiful and sublime views makes for an awesome sight. It's not something easily forgotten, trust me on that! From there, it's a relatively easy hike on account of now being on an enormous plateau. There are many different trails that go to completely unique areas. One of the best is a path that winds around the ridge and goes through an ice cave. Ice caves are pretty rare throughout the world, but atop the Shawangunks they're quite common. These caves are located within the incredibly hard quartz conglomerate. Even though the rock it very tough many fissures are evident in places along the mountain chain. Inside some of these cracks and fissures caves have formed over millenia. And during the winter, storms blow all kinds of precipitation inside be it either snow, sleet, or freezing rain. Here it remains unaltered until the very last days of summer. So a stroll through one on a hot and humid day in July or August will be much better than sitting inside with just AC!

Another trail goes to a very large lake, and it seems to touch the sky. That's why the Indians called these bodies of water "Sky Lakes". Following this path around the lake one will encounter thousands upon thousands of blueberry bushes. If you're a fan of them I would say visit it towards the end of July for some ripe fruit. And guess what: all of them are free!

If waterfalls are your thing you're in luck because there's one located within the bounds of the preserve. VerKeerderkill Falls is the name and it's nearly 200 feet high. The path that bring you to it winds through Pitch Pine barrens, blueberry bushes, and many other types of environs. The entire length of the trip is along the edge of the ridge and gives the hiker unrivaled views to the east. A section of the trail actually goes to the brink of a precipice adjacent to the falls, so if you're the adventurous type feel free to walk it and stand only feet away from the roaring water. If this really isn't your thing, don't despair, there's a much safer route that still allows excellent panoramic views. This is the best waterfall located anywhere in the Shawangunks!

And yet another trail heads to the west of the plateau. This one brings the hiker to Indian Rock which is probably one of the largest glacial erratics located in the preserve. This giant monolith is situated very near to the edge of a cliff. The boulder is an excellent place to visit if one wants to sit and contemplate for awhile. The not too distant Catskills are the main attraction. For this unspoiled view shows many peaks that seem to be sprouting from the earth. And not a single sign of human habitation can be seen in any direction. This offers one of the nicest glimpses of the region.

Besides the trails I have listed there are many more, but I have yet to visit them. Hopefully I can fix this soon, as I'll be taking a trip there very shortly. And I say to my readers: take a chance and go to the preseve one day this summer. I'm positive you'll be swept away by it; just remember no person has truly lived until they take a journey to one of the "Last Great Places on Earth".