New York · Hiking · Near New Windsor

Ice Cave

Ice CavePhoto: daveclausen, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
0.8 mi
one way
273 ft
climb
2,226 ft
high point
Point to point
route
Apr, Jun–Oct
best months

Clear at last check

Weather is good · OpenWeather · checked 17 h ago

Ice Cave is a short, easy hike in Minnewaska State Park Preserve in New York, managed by State Park and Recreation. The route is 0.8 miles long, with a total elevation gain of 273 feet from the low point at 1,939 feet to the high point at 2,226 feet. The climb is point to point, and the steepest stretch comes at about 0.35 miles in, with a grade of 17 percent. The most comfortable months for a visit are late spring through early fall. Typical averages from the nearby Mohonk Lake weather station show May highs around 71°F and September highs around 73°F, with July the warmest at about 83°F. That station sits roughly 1,000 feet lower than the high point, so temperatures on the trail run cooler. The trip takes about half an hour. The closest trails are the Scenic Trail / SRT (Violet/Blue Blazes) and the Shawangunk Ridge Trail, both about 1.6 miles away. The High Point Carriageway is about 2.3 miles off, and Sandburg Creek, a paddling spot, is about 4.8 miles away.

Around this trail

Add any of these when you start a trip
  • Sleep close

    Kerhonkson NY Troop 22, B

    Campground

    Campground · 9.1 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    Hoot Owl

    Restaurant

    On your way back · 5 mi

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors · Photos: The original uploader was Daniel Case at English Wikipedia ., CC BY-SA 3.0 (commons)

More in New Windsor

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go · Apr, Jun–Oct

    Best time to visit Ice Cave

    Best months: April and June–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      34° / 19°

      11 wet · 7 snow

    2. Feb

      37° / 20°

      9 wet · 6 snow

    3. Mar

      46° / 27°

      11 wet · 4 snow

    4. Apr

      60° / 39°

      11 wet · 1 snow

    5. May

      71° / 50°

      13 wet

    6. Jun

      78° / 59°

      12 wet

    7. Jul

      83° / 64°

      12 wet

    8. Aug

      80° / 63°

      11 wet

    9. Sep

      73° / 56°

      10 wet

    10. Oct

      61° / 45°

      11 wet

    11. Nov

      49° / 35°

      10 wet · 2 snow

    12. Dec

      38° / 25°

      11 wet · 5 snow

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Mohonk Lake, NY, 12 mi away at 1,245 ft. The station sits about 1,000 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

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Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors