Not So Urban Athletics: Fall Foliage Rock Stomping Hike

We're going to start winding down hiking season with one of the most spectacular hikes in the Northeast and one of my personal favorites: The Labyrinth and Lemon Squeeze in the Shawangunk Mountains.

And because apparently hiking 11 miles over rocks wasn't enough, we're doing it during peak fall foliage, when the mountains put on their annual Instagram-filter-without-the-Instagram-filter display. Brilliant reds, yellows, and oranges will surround us, presumably to distract us from the fact that our legs are slowly filing a formal complaint.

We'll start in the Mohonk Preserve on the relatively civilized Undercliff Trail, a beautiful stretch with spectacular rock formations on one side and sweeping views of the Hudson Valley on the other. It's the sort of scenery that makes you think, "Wow, this is amazing. I should do this more often."

Don't get too comfortable.

That's merely the appetizer.

We'll then make our way to the Labyrinth and Lemon Squeeze, which are exactly as ridiculous as they sound. The Labyrinth is a knuckle-, knee-, and dignity-scraping maze of rocks that requires squeezing, scrambling, climbing, and occasionally wondering who thought this was a perfectly reasonable way to spend a Saturday.

Then comes the Lemon Squeeze—a narrow crevice that requires us to wedge ourselves into a deep crack in the mountain and haul ourselves upward toward the light. It's basically nature's way of asking, "How badly do you want to see what's up there?"

The answer, apparently, is badly enough to crawl through a rock.

Once we're through, we'll be rewarded with spectacular views from the mountaintop tower. And because I clearly don't know when to stop, we're also going to throw in several more fantastic rock scrambles along the way.

Four scrambles for the price of two!

That's right. It's the hiking equivalent of a Costco membership: more scrambling than you probably need, but somehow you're going to feel like you got a great deal.

The important stuff...

• By RSVPing for this event, you agree to the following waiver of liability: https://bit.ly/3atj0C5
• This is an ADVANCED loop hike of approximately 11 miles round trip. You don't need to be a world-class athlete, Olympic rock climber, or someone who regularly posts pictures of themselves carrying a backpack up Everest. But you do need to be in decent physical condition. There is elevation gain, several rock scrambles, and plenty of opportunities to discover muscles you forgot you had. We'll be out all day, so don't schedule anything immediately afterward unless you enjoy making poor decisions.
• This is a social hike, and the pace will be moderate. We'll stop to enjoy the views, take pictures, catch our breath, and perhaps smell a flower or two. If your idea of a good hike is sprinting ahead of everyone else while yelling "COME ON, PEOPLE!" this probably isn't your support group.
• Dress in layers of non-cotton clothing and wear hiking boots or trail shoes. I wouldn't recommend sneakers unless your personal definition of "traction" is extremely optimistic. Bring a hat, 2–3 liters of fluids, a packed lunch and/or snacks, and sunscreen.
• There is a $15 per-person preserve day-use fee.
• Rain cancels the hike. Because rocks, rain, and gravity have an unhealthy relationship.
• RSVP only if you seriously plan to attend. Space is limited, and there are only so many people I can drag through a hole in a mountain.

How to get there...

Take the New Paltz exit 18 off the NYS Thruway. Go approximately 7 miles west through New Paltz on Route 299 to the end. Make a right onto Route 44-55 and continue about ½ mile to the Visitor Center on the right.

Come for the foliage. Stay for the spectacular views. Crawl through a mountain because apparently walking around it wasn't good enough.