Stony Kill Falls: Best Kept Secret in Minnewaska State Park

Stony Kill Falls is a hidden gem in Minnewaska State Park. It often gets overseen by the more popular Awosting Falls Trail, Minnewaska Loop Trail, and Gertrude Nose Trail which is a real shame. The trail is quick and easy and offers grand views of cascading waterfalls and even a beautiful natural swimming pool for hot summer days.

What are you waiting for? Make sure to read our information about parking, when to go, what to expect hiking Stony Kill Falls and even find a list of more breathtaking hikes in Minnewaska State Park and start your adventure!

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Know Before you Go

Massive cliffs and ledges on one of Minnewaska State Park trails Lake Minnewaska — Lake Minnewaska in Minnewaska State Park

Stony Kill Falls is located in Minnewaska State Park in Ulster County, New York, just off of Route 44-55. It is approximately a 1 hour and 30 minutes drive from New York City.

Minnewaska is one of the 180 New York State Parks spread out throughout New York. The park sits along the striking Shawangunk Mountain ridge at 2,000 feet above sea level and consists of dense hardwood forests, dramatic ledges, and rough and rocky terrain.

There are 2 sections to Minnewaska State Park Preserve, the main area where Stony Kill Falls is located and the Sam’s Point area. To drive from one section to the other you have to allow at least 30 minutes.

Quick Facts:

Location: Kerhonkson, NY
Hours: 9:00 AM to the park’s closing. For accurate closing times check the hours posted at the park entrance or on the park’s website.
Parking: Along Shaft 2A Road
Cost: No. Whereas it requires you to pay an entrance fee to park at most of the other trailheads in Minnewaska State Park, there is no need to spend money for this trail.
Facilities: None

Directions to the Trailhead

The Stony Falls trailhead is 4.8 miles south of Minnewaska State Park’s main entrance. From there, drive southwest on US-44 E for about 2 miles. Then turn left onto Minnewaska Trail and make a quick left onto Rock Haven Road. Continue for 1.9 miles down Rock Haven Road before turning left onto Shaft 2A Road. Proceed down Shaft 2A Road until you reach a closed gate.

Is Stony Kill Falls Open?

Don’t let the closed gate fool you! The first time we tried to hike the trail was in the winter time. The gate was closed and we thought it might be because of inclement weather. I couldn’t stop thinking about the trail, and did some more research and guess what, we found out that the gate always seems to be closed.

When it doesn’t say anything about a closure on the State Park’s website, expect the trail to be open during the regular opening hours.

Where to Park

Our car parked along the road at the Stony Kill Falls Trailhead

Once you have reached the closed gate on Shaft 2A Road, your best bet is to park your vehicle along the side of the road in front of the gate. Do keep in mind not to block the gate when you are parking.

Parking is limited, that is why we would recommend arriving at the falls trailhead in the early morning. This is more important during the springtime when Stony Kills Falls is flowing the best. We arrived around 9:00 AM and were totally fine. Technically, you don’t even have to wait for the State Park’s opening hours because you won’t have to pass a barrier to get to the trailhead.

By the way, there is a parking area shortly past the gate, however, every time we have gone to Stony Kill Falls the gate has been closed.

What to Expect on Hiking Stony Kills Falls

General Information about the Trail

Difficulty: Easy
Length: 1.5 mile
Type of Hike: Out & Back
Elevation Gain: approximately 226 ft

After parking along Shaft 2A Road, walk around the closed gate and continue on the wide gravel pathway.

Once you reach this fork in the gravel road, you will see a fenced area. It is a water supply property of the City of New York. Stay to the left and enjoy the beautiful views of the Shawangunk cliffs.

Just past the fenced area, you will see the “real” parking lot for the Stony Kill Falls and a sign with a trail map. Even though it is nearly impossible to get lost on this trail, it is worth taking a quick look at the map.

Official parking area of Stony Kill Falls

You will also find a sign telling you that you will enter the timber rattlesnake habitat. Rattlesnakes are venomous but they don’t cause serial harm. Keep in mind that it is an endangered species and simply stay away from any snakes when you encounter them.

Continue straight on the narrow gravel pathway leading to the woods. The trail to Stony Kill Falls will be marked by red trail markers and winds along Stony Falls creek. Soon, you will see the magnificent Stony Kill Falls right in front of you.

Rachel hiking the Stony Kill Falls Trail

Walk straight ahead and down a few stone steps to reach the cute wooden bridge. Don’t forget to pause on the bridge for your first grand viewpoint of the waterfall.

Us standing on the bridge in front of Stony Kill Falls

Then continue across another wooden bridge and up a few more stone steps. At the top of the small incline will be the official Stony Kill Falls viewing platform. You will be up close to the stunning waterfall dropping off the steep cliff.

Don’t stop here, there is more you don’t want to miss!

Turn around and walk up the stone steps directly behind the viewing platform. Be sure to continue following the red blaze trail markers as you head to the top of Stony Kill Falls.

After just a few minutes, you will arrive at the top of the waterfall. Now, you can stand right next to the drop-off of the water. Just be careful, when you are up there. The cliffs are very steep and you don’t want to take a spill.

Off to the left is a gorgeous cascade leading to the drop-off of Stony Kill Falls. Honestly, we spent more time admiring and taking pictures of this dazzling water feature than the actual Stony Kill Falls.

Cascading waterfall on top of Stony Kill Falls

For a special treat, especially when it is hot out, continue the trail for about another 0.1 miles or so up the stream. You will be rewarded with a small natural swimming pool. Unfortunately, it was too cold when we hiked up but we definitely want to come back to take a nice dip.

Natural swimming pool behind Stony Kill Falls

Here is the end of the trail and the Minnewaska State Park area. Everything behind it is private property. Please respect private land and don’t hike further.

When you are ready to make your way back to the parking area, just turn around and follow the trail the way you came.

How Long Does it Take to Hike Stony Kill Falls?

The trail is very short and easy to hike. It will take between 1 and 1.5 hours to complete the whole trail up to the natural swimming pool with plenty of breaks to enjoy the outstanding scenery and of course the water attractions.

Additional Minnewaska State Park Trails

Awosting Falls in the spring — Awosting Falls in Minnewaska State Park

Stony Kill Falls doesn’t connect with other trails in Minnewaska State Park. On top of that, it is located aside from the main trailheads. To hike another trail in the park, which we can’t recommend enough, you will most likely have to pay the entrance fee ($10) to park in one of the parking lots.

Park at the Main Entrance for these trails:

Awosting Falls Trail – Check out Minnewaska State Park’s most popular feature, Awosting Falls plunging 60 feet into Peterskill stream, on an easy 1-mile hike.
Rainbow Falls Trail -Take in the view of another stunning Minnewaska waterfall on a moderate 6.5 mile loop trail with a wide range of scenery, from evergreen pine trees, to charming wooden bridges, and beautiful river beds.
Lake Minnewaska Loop Trail – Enjoy stunning views of the glistening Lake Minnewaska on an easy 2.0 -mile trail around the lake through dense hardwood forests.
Gertrude’s Nose Trail – Besides being one of the best hikes in Minnewaska State Park, it is also a top rated trail within the entire Hudson Valley Region. Take on the climb and enjoy fantastic views of the surrounding area on this challenging 6.9 -mile hike.

Park in the Eastern side of the Park for:

Peterskill Falls Trail – Experience Minnewaska’s dense forest and the calming sound of Peterskill stream on a quick and easy 1.2 mile hike to Peterskill Falls.

Park at the Sam Point Area of Minnewaska State Park:

Verkeerderkill Falls Trail – Enjoy a beautiful 6 mile hike to one of the most breathtaking waterfalls in Minnewaska plunging 187 feet. For an added bonus stop off at Sam’s Point Overlook the areas most famous viewpoint.

Best Time to Visit Stony Kill Falls

The best time to see Stony Kill Falls is in the springtime after the snow melts or after heavy rainfall. Even when you visit during those times, don’t expect the water flow to be massive. When we hiked Stony Kill Falls in April, there were still some icicles behind the waterfall and we had a lot of rain before, but the amount of water coming down was not a lot. Nevertheless, it was a beautiful natural attraction to admire.

Another great time to visit the waterfall is during the winter months. Frozen waterfalls with icicles everywhere are a special experience and just magical. Plus, you will probably have a good chance of experiencing the falls with no other hikers. Make sure the trail is not closed due to the weather conditions before you start your trip.

TOP TIP: Visiting Stony Kill Falls in the summertime may not be the best if you want to see a good water flow. Most of the time water from the falls is just a trickle during the summer. BUT if you would like to enjoy a cool dip in a natural swimming pool, it would be a perfect time to hike up to the top of Stony Kill Falls.

Final Thoughts

Us standing on rocks in front of Stony Kill Falls

Stony Kill Falls is a hidden gem in Minnewaska State Park, which is not overcrowded yet. We didn’t expect much when we planned on hiking this trail and were overly surprised by the many cool features it has to offer. No matter in which season you visit, there are always outstanding things to see and do. The shortness of the trail makes it perfect to combine with other beautiful trails in the park.

There is just one last thing to say: Go there before the crowds find it!

What is your favorite feature of Stony Kill Falls? Did you hike other trails in Minnewaska State Park?

Share your experiences or drop a question in the comments below!

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Stony Kill Falls dropping down the cliff

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Stony Kill Falls: Best Kept Secret in Minnewaska State Park

Our Other Resources for Waterfalls in New York State