If you are looking for a scenic and serene destination to enjoy nature, Lake Awosting is a great option. Lake Awosting is a beautiful and remote swimming destination in the Minnewaska State Park Preserve at the heart of the Shawangunk Mountains in New York. This water body is approximately 1.5-miles long and 0.5-miles wide. It has a unique, flat rock slab beach that gradually descends into the water. The lake is one of three Sky Lakes in the preserve, which are created by rainfall rather than streams, rivers, or a dam. The lake has a unique ecology due to its acidic water, which registers an approximate pH level of 4.5. Therefore, aquatic life is minimal, and it is and probably always has been a fishless lake. However, there are a number of water fowl that inhabit the area, as well as the two-lined salamander.
Lake Awosting is not only a great place to swim, but also to hike, bike, or cross-country ski. There are several different ways to access the lake from the park entrance overlooking Lake Minnewaska. The most direct carriage road to the lake is the Upper Awosting (UA) Trail, which is 3.1 miles long and ends at a beautiful vista overlooking the length of the entire lake. You must continue about another half-mile along the Lake Awosting (LC) Trail to reach the beach. Alternatively, you can take the Castle Point (CP) Trail or the Hamilton Point (HP) Trail, which explore amazing cliff edges with views that stretch over the entire Hudson Valley to the east and to the south. These trails are longer but more scenic than the UA Trail. The trails are generally considered moderate in difficulty, with some steep and rocky sections. The best times to visit these trails are April through November.
If you decide to visit Lake Awosting, there are some things you should know before you go. First, there is a fee or the Empire Pass card required to enter the park. The machine takes both cash and credit cards. Second, swimming is only permitted between 11:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. during the summer season, when lifeguards are on duty.
Lake Awosting is a wonderful place to experience nature in all its beauty and diversity. Whether you want to swim in its clear waters, hike along its trails, or simply relax on its beach, you will find something to enjoy at this majestic park in New York.