If you are looking for a day filled with outdoor adventure, you have to spend a day at the Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz, NY. Mohonk Mountain House is a historic and picturesque resort set against the beautiful backdrop of the Shawangunk Mountains. It is known for its outdoor recreational activities and Victorian castle-like architecture. The resort is only 90 miles north of New York City – making it a perfect day trip! In this blog post, I will be sharing how you can spend a summer day at the Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz, NY
The Resort Day Pass
The Mohonk Mountain House nightly rates are pretty steep, but I love that they offer day passes to explore their resort. You can get a day pass by booking a dining reservation for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, make a spa appointment, purchase a Sports Pass, or get a Hiking Trails Pass. Please note that each of these to need to be purchased in advanced. Here are the details below on each of these options.
Day Pass with Dining Reservation
You can make a dining reservation at Mountain House for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner. All dining reservations include complimentary access to the Mountain House, grounds, evening entertainment, and more! You can come prior to your reservation or stay afterwards – your access includes the entire day!
Here are the prices for dining reservations:
- Breakfast: $83 per person
- Brunch: $135 per person
- BBQ Lunch: $102 per person
- Dining Room Lunch: $130 per person
- Dinner: $135 per person
Click here for more details on their dining options!
Day Pass with Spa Appointment
The Spa at Mohonk Mountain House is the perfect place to relax. They have 16 treatment rooms, relaxation verandas, an outdoor heated mineral pool, eucalyptus infused steam room, and a sauna. A reservation at the spa includes a full day access to the Mountain House, Greenhouse, Gift Shop, Victorian Gardens, and Carriage Lounge. You have access to afternoon tea and cookies at the Lake Lounge, evening entertainment, and their 85 miles of scenic hiking trails.
Click here to check out their different treatments and prices.
Sports Pass
If you don’t have a dining or spa reservation, you can still enjoy the resort’s outdoor activities with a Sports Pass. They offer a Winter and a Summer Sports Pass.
Their Winter Sports Pass is $125 per person and includes equipment rental fees for ice skating, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing. It also includes access to hiking trails, the Mountain House, Afternoon Tea and Cookies, the Ice Skating Pavilion, Greenhouse, Gift Shop, and Carriage Lounge.
Their Summer Sports Pass is $99 per person and includes a one hour tennis court reservation, one 30 minute boat rental, and access to their hiking trails and rock scrambles. You also have access to the Mountain House, Greenhouse, Gift Shop, Carriage Lounge and Afternoon Tea and Cookies.
Hiking Trails Pass
If you are only interested in spending a day outside, you can purchase their Hiking Trails Pass for $35 per person. This pass includes access to 85 miles of hiking trails, ranging in difficulty from beginner to advanced. Please note that this does not include access to the Mountain House. Parking for hiking guests are 2.2 miles from the resort so keep this in mind when you select your time slot if you want to get to the hiking trails at a certain time. There are also restroom facilities in the parking lot.
Mohonk Mountain House Activities
Hiking
The Mohonk Mountain House has 85 miles of winding hiking trails to experience. They range in difficulty from beginner to advanced so whether you are looking for a challenge or a relaxing stroll, there is something for everyone!
An awesome and unique hike in Mohonk Preserve is the Labyrinth Trail. It is a difficult 45 minute rock scramble where you have to go under and through various rock formations and climb ladders. The last part of the hike is the Lemon Squeeze where you walk through a narrow crevice and climb up to the top. You are rewarded with such an amazing view! This is an awesome hike and I think it’s one of the most unique hiking trails in Upstate New York.
This is doable for most hikers as long as you are comfortable climbing up ladders and maneuvering up, around, and through rocks. Some parts of the hike, especially the Lemon Squeeze, are tight. If you have a backpack, you might need to take it off to fit through. If you decide this trail isn’t for you, there are side exits in the beginning if you change your mind. There are also alternate hiking trails to take where it will lead you to the same view point.
This is a pretty popular hike so I recommend doing this on a weekday or super early on the weekends or else you may be stuck waiting in line to go through the hike.
Boat Rentals
A fun activity that you can do on Lake Mohonk is rent a boat! It’s so peaceful gliding across the serene waters surrounded by the beauty of the mountains. They have rowboats, paddle boats, canoes, kayaks, and paddle boards. Please note that boat rentals are an additional price to the day package you purchased. Boat rentals are $22 per boat for 30 minutes.
Golf
Book a tee time at the Mohonk Golf Course. This is a 9-hole course that was built in 1897, making it one of the oldest courses in the US. The season is open from April through early November. Tee time reservations are required in advance and collared shirts and proper footwear are required. Click here for more information.
Rock Climbing
If you are up for an adventure, check out their guided rock climbing tour with Alpine Endeavors. You get to see amazing views of the Hudson Valley as you scale the heights of the Shawangunk Ridge. This excursion is available from April through November and you can choose between an all day or half day tour. For additional information about their rock climbing tour, please call (845) 256-2752 or email rockclimbing@mohonk.com.
Mountain Biking
You can experience mountain biking or e-biking on Mohonk’s 40 miles of wooded trails. You can bring your own bike or rent one from their Wheelworks Shop for $35/day. They also have E-Bikes that you can rent for $75/day. Biking trail maps are available that indicate the difficulty level of the trail. Helmets are required and are included in the bike rental fee.
Carriage Ride
You can book a Carriage and Hiking Package. This includes access to the Mountain House, Greenhouse, Gift Shop, and Carriage Lounge. Take a carriage ride on their carriage roads where you get breathtaking views of the landscape. You also get a history tour of the grounds and get access to their hiking trails for the entire day including rock scrambles and their Victorian gardens.
Horseback Riding Trail Ride
You can book a Semi-Private Horseback Trail and Hiking Package. This includes access to the Mountain House, Greenhouse, Gift Shop, and Carriage Lounge. You get a 30/35 minute semi-private trail ride on their historic carriage roads. They also provide riding tips and horsemanship tips and a history tour of the grounds. You also get access to their hiking trails for the entire day including rock scrambles and their Victorian gardens.
When Carl and I visited Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz, NY, we bought the hiking pass and hiked the Labryinth and Lemon Squeeze trail. After, we rented a row boat and spent the afternoon relaxing by Lake Mohonk. It was such an awesome day!
