New York · Hiking

Mount Guardian Trail

Mount Guardian TrailPhoto: sashimomura, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
1.2 mi
one way
736 ft
climb
2,065 ft
high point
Point to point
route
Sep–Oct
best months

Mount Guardian Trail is a 1.2-mile hike in New York, about 0.8 miles from the village of Byrdcliffe. It is a point-to-point route, and the climb is rated easy, with a total elevation gain of 736 feet from a starting point at about 1,300 feet to a high of 2,065 feet. The steepest part of the trail comes at about 0.4 miles in, where the grade reaches 39 percent. The route also has a total descent of 378 feet, so it works well as a loop with another trail. Summer and early fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from the nearby Platte Clove weather station, at a similar elevation, show July highs around 80°F and September highs near 72°F with lows around 48°F. Winter is cold, with January highs near freezing. Several other trails sit close by. Byrdcliffe Trail is 0.4 miles away, Meads Meadow Trail is 1.1 miles away, and Overloop Trail is 1.2 miles away. For paddling, Plattekill Creek is about 6 miles off.

Local outfitters

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

  • Best time to go · Sep–Oct

    Best time to visit Mount Guardian Trail

    Best months: September–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

      32° / 12°

      16 wet

    2. Feb

      35° / 13°

      13 wet

    3. Mar

      42° / 20°

      13 wet

    4. Apr

      55° / 31°

      12 wet

    5. May

      67° / 42°

      14 wet

    6. Jun

      75° / 51°

      14 wet

    7. Jul

      80° / 55°

      14 wet

    8. Aug

      79° / 54°

      13 wet

    9. Sep

      72° / 48°

      11 wet

    10. Oct

      59° / 37°

      12 wet

    11. Nov

      47° / 28°

      13 wet

    12. Dec

      37° / 19°

      16 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Platte Clove, NY, 5.9 mi away at 2,032 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

Byrdcliffe TrailPhoto: sashimomura, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Byrdcliffe Trail

Next door

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Ashokan Rail TrailPhoto: New York Public Library, No restrictions (via Wikimedia Commons)

Ashokan Rail Trail

~14 min drive

2.68-mile out-and-back rail trail in New York with 497 ft elevation gain

Overloop TrailPhoto: _sffc, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Overloop Trail

~2 min drive

0.69-mile point-to-point trail in New York with 191 ft gain.

Onteora Lake LoopPhoto: Russ Nelson, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Onteora Lake Loop

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4.82-mile out-and-back trail with 1,257 ft elevation gain in New York.

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Poet's Ledge Trail

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Overlook Spur Trail

~4 min drive

2.78-mile point-to-point trail in New York with 311 ft gain and 1,397 ft loss.

Twilight Park TrailPhoto: Alexander Gude, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Twilight Park Trail

~14 min drive

1.44-mile out-and-back trail in Twilight Park, New York with 1,285 ft of elevation gain.

Escarpment TrailPhoto: Andy Arthur, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Escarpment Trail

~17 min drive

2.56-mile point-to-point trail in New York with 1,389 ft gain and 1,634 ft loss.

Overlook TrailPhoto: New York Public Library, No restrictions (via Wikimedia Commons)

Overlook Trail

~8 min drive

3.63-mile point-to-point trail in New York with 1,492 ft elevation gain

Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors