The Beacon Hill Carriageway Loop at Minnewaska State Park Preserve is an easy 1.4-mile loop trail that leads up to a vista point atop Beacon Hill.
This hike follows two trails - the Beacon Hill Carriageway and the Beacon Hill Trail before finally ending at the picnic area along the Lake Minnewaska Carriageway Trail. From the picnic area you can hike back along the road to the trailhead or hike back to parking.
This trail starts at the trailhead near the main road in the park and goes down to a quiet and scenic lookout point. The trail is a wide gravel road is easy to follow. If you're looking for a nice spot in the park without the normal crowds around the lake, this is your spot. The Beacon Hill Trail is a well marked footpath through woods and along rocks that will take you back up to one of the main picnic areas.
Fee: The fee for parking at Minnewaska is $10 per car.
Parking: Parking can be found at the upper lot or in-between this trailhead and the upper lot, where the Get Directions coordinates are located. We had parked at the upper parking area and followed the road down to this trailhead.
Pets: Leashed dogs are allowed.
Facilities: Near the parking lot there are porta-potties available, as well as a picnic area.
Find our trail guides useful? Consider becoming a Supporter to unlock perks!
MyHikes is an indie platform that makes exploring public trails easier for everyone. The platform has no investors, runs no ads, and is owned and operated by one person, Dave Miller. Dave has personally mapped and written over 1,600 trail guides on MyHikes for the public to explore. As of 2024, MyHikes has helped over 1,300,000 outdoor enthusiasts plan their next adventure.
But it takes a lot of time 🕦, money 💰, and work, and espresso shots ☕ to run MyHikes, including hiking , mapping , writing , and publishing new trails with high-quality (accurate) information... along with software engineering (coding) the platform like building new features, site and mobile app development for iOS and Android, site maintainance . and much much more.
Supporters unlock website and mobile app perks with an annual one-time payment of $25 (you renew) 😎👍. Or you can simply make a Donation of your choice. Otherwise, you can support us by telling your friends about MyHikes - both quick and free 🎉