Sams Point - Verkeerder Falls hike

The hike to Verkeerder Falls, from the Sams Point visitor center, is a fabulous hike that has only recently been an option for Shawangunk trail enthusiasts. It is a reasonably long hike, about 7.5 miles. It will take roughly 5-6 hours, depending on how long you stop for breaks. The falls are absolutely spectacular after a big rainstorm, but crossing the Verkeerder Kill will be a LOT more difficult and you should then factor in extra time.

I will describe the hike that Rachel & I took. Use the map at the bottom of the page -- the numbers in the list will correspond to locations on the map. The IMGxxxx - IMGyyyy ranges refer to pictures taken at or beyond that point.
  1. Start at the visitors center. This is labelled 1 on the map below, and is also labelled Parking with an arrow. Follow the signs toward Sams Point. The path will be a fairly wide carriage road. Hike for a little while - you'll go uphill and around some turns. You will reach a location soon after the climbing is done where you can go straight or turn left (labelled Sams Point on the map below). Turn left to walk briefly to ...
    IMG_6211 - IMG_6216

  2. Sams Point (northwest end of the tiny trail stub, #2 on the map) -- Fabulous views! Then return to the same location and go straight (towards the ice caves).
    IMG_6218 - IMG_6250

  3. You will reach a T intersection - turn right to head towards the Ice Caves.

  4. Very soon you will reach the Verkeerder Falls trailhead. There will be a sign. Turn left here. The trail will be very narrow but well defined, with blue blazes. Very beautiful!
    IMG_6256 - IMG_6279

  5. After about a mile and a half you will reach the falls. They are spectacular! Crossing the Verkeerder Kill can be tricky. Go upstream if necessary. Once you cross, bushwack back towards the top of the falls to get back to the trail (still blue). Continue on the blue trail (mostly uphill), and you will soon reach an intersection.
    IMG_6286 - IMG_6298

  6. At this point, you want to head northwest on the High Point trail, which will be marked with red blazes (a left turn). The trail is easy to follow, for the most part. Sometimes there are helpful little rock walls set up by hikers (or perhaps elves!) that guide you along your way when the blazes are hard to find. Occasionally the blazes will be blue instead of red. As you can see from the contour lines, this trail runs along the edge of the ridge. It's a really nice walk.
    IMG_6299 - IMG_6313

  7. High point is a big rock you climb up onto with a breathtaking 360 degree view. When Rachel & I got there, first it snowed a bit, and then it hailed!! When you are ready to continue, keep going in the same direction you were heading when you reached High Point - you will see more blazes. The trail will head north fairly soon.
    IMG_6314 - IMG_6331

  8. The trail will hit a T intersection along a rough carriage road (much wider than the trails you've been using). Turn left and head east for a bit.

  9. At the next intersection (very soon), turn left to head south. This also is a wide but rough carriage road.
    IMG_6334

  10. You will see a trail to your right for Indian Rock. You're headed in the right direction!

  11. You will pass some enormous towers on your right. Shortly after the towers (you pass more than one), you will reach a T intersection. Turn right. This path will take you back to the visitor center. As you are walking on this path, keep an eye out on the left sfor the decripit shacks that were occupied by blueberry pickers up until the 1950s. Hopefully, when you get back the bathrooms in the visitor center will still be open!
Pictures Rachel & I took while hiking along this trail, during peak leaf-peeping season: Click here
(use the IMGxxxx - IMGyyyy references above on this page)

Directions from Route 17 to Sams Point visitor center: Click here (Google maps)



Verkeerder falls hiking map

I have scanned this map from Scenes and Walks in the Northern Shawangunks by Jack Fagan (the 2nd book in the list). If you hike in this area, this book is a wonderful purchase. You can also buy it at the Mohonk Preserve visitor sections. All of the illustrations are sketches, such as the map above. I have two copies!!