Sometimes, we want a short path to a magical place for a small dose of nature. In all seasons, Minnewaska State Park delivers. This particular trail is best in June, when the mountain laurel is blooming all along the path.
The Jenny Lane parking lot is just past the main entrance of Minnewaska State Park preserve, on the right hand side of 44/55. Warning: the lot is small and it is difficult to find a parking space if you arrive on a weekend past 9 or 10am. You also must walk on the road for a few hundred feet, which means extra supervision for our smallest hikers.
The path is short and sweet, a ramble over large slabs of limestone, lined by shrubs. These produce beautiful pink and white flowers in mid-June, which makes the path quite something from a fairy tale.
After a short walk, you will find yourself at a small stream. We usually stop here; please be careful not to leave your things on the trail, which crosses the stream here. My children love looking for frogs and exploring the streambed. If you choose to continue on the path, it eventually joins up with the Lower Awosting trail, but this is much more easily accessed via the Lower Awosting parking lot through the main gate.
Passport Hudson Valley 