Gertrude's Nose Trail

Great panoramic views throughout the trail. Even though this is high up there is shade at regular intervals on this trail in summer which is a welcome relief. Went after a week of on and off raining, the trail was very very slippery. Be careful if you're going after snow/rain, some of the rock scrambles and descents my grip was slipping, especially the steep rocky section by the stream crossing. Plenty of deep crevasses to hop over and a few scrambles near drop offs--keeps the interest and adrenaline going. There are two rock formations that are similar, apparently Gertrude's nose is the one with the larger outcropping. You can take Millbrook Carriage back for a longer but more gentle way to end or to MM trail to Lake Minnewaska for a steeper route.

Looked for but didn't see many blueberries at all, sadly. Plently of huckleberries along the way, though.

So many beautiful views on this loop around Gertrude’s Nose. Loop itself was about 6ish miles, with just under two coming in and out from the parking lot. Not sure about folks who don't find this a difficult trail - either they’re stroking their egos or I’m nurturing mine!...you make the call *smile*. Lots of irregular terrain, steep spots to climb - up and down, and large slippery rocks with water crossings on the path. That said, I’m no pro hiker and I found it totally doable. And, despite it being a Sunday and there being lots of folks circulating by the lake, I was solo for nearly the whole loop.... just ran into one duo toward the end. (Maybe because it was later in the day, ~3-7.) I wanted a challenging new trail with lots of natural beauty and definitely found it!

Once you get to the peak, the view is amazing. But be prepared for lots of walking. Bring snacks and plenty of water.

Lovely trail but this is a moderate one - cannot call this hard

My 1st ever trail; you'll love it. great view from top. Hydrate well

The views are great and the trail is well-maintained. Good for beginners, I say.

Awesome views

What an amazing hike. This was my first hike of the season, so I was a bit out of shape and found myself struggling to make it to the end. This is about 7 to 8 miles long. The hike can be difficult at times bc some paths are slippery while some are very rocky. In the end it is all worth it. The scenery, the peace, the smell of nature and feeling of achievement is all worth it. I took both my dogs w me. They were troopers! My advice is to take some snacks and plenty of water.

I can’t wait to do it again in the fall.

Amazing trail, beautiful views. Will definitely do it again!

Wow

We were a little wary with storms being a possibility, but the weather held off. Was a really great day and good hike. Views were pretty awesome.

A lot of hiking. Beautiful views.

Incredible trail. It is a carriage road for a large part of the start of the loop so don’t fret because it does come to an end. The trails are very well kept and the views are amazing. One of the best day trip hikes I have ever done coming from the city. Bring 2 liters of water! You seriously will need it.

I came here hoping to swim peacefully at lake minnewaska but it is incredibly restricted and we , a group of 4, were hassled by multiple registered swimmers near the section of the lake where people do laps. The restrictions appear to be in place because of insurance reasons but I was incredibly put off by how the registered swimmers approached us and managed our misunderstanding of the swimming regulations. Down right mean and rude. So simply said - don’t try to make your own swimming moment here.

Great views but the full loop starts to feel tedious after a few hours. Took yellow up to red. There was one cliff/balancing walk before Gertrude’s Nose that was hard for my debilitating fear of heights. Otherwise nothing too strenuous or difficult.

One of my favorite hikes in the tri-state. Lots of views points and a fairly dynamic trail overall. I’d say it’s more moderate than hard but it’s a good challenge overall. I’ll be back!

Stunning views. The trail is fairly well marked. Be sure to stop at the cave entrance where the cold air is blasting up out of the depths of the earth. The rock formations out at the trail center are amazing. I did this trail as an extension of the Millbrook Mountain Trail, making it about an 8.5 mile loop around Lake Minnewaska and up to the Millbrook Mountain lookout. Lovely day! I didn’t see many other people on this trail.

Awesome view and a nice moderate trail!

Go early on summer weekends (9 am) to avoid crowds. It’s moderately difficult if you don’t mind some elevation and scramble. The loop I describe below clocks in at about 8 miles.

Follow the red trail (Lake Minnewaska Carriage) from the parking lot until you reach the yellow trail (Milbrook Mountain Carriage). Take yellow trail past Patterson’s Pellet, where the views will start to get scenic! About 1.5 miles past the pellet. Gertrude’s Nose trail (red blazes) begins on the right side of the yellow trail. The first rocky scramble begins when you cross a set of power lines. After that point the western views of the Gunks are SPECTACULAR. The trail turns at the nose and begins to head northeast to a lovely viewpoint of Milbrook Mountain. At this viewpoint, Gertrude’s Nose trail ends and you will reach a juncture where the yellow trail (Milbrook Mountain Carriage road) meets the red trail (Milbrook Mountain footpath). If you want to make a loop without backtracking, take the red trail (the sign says “to Lake Minnewaska”). The red trail dips down the mountain and crosses Coxing Kill river. Be careful as you descend, this area is wet and a bit slippery! After you cross the river, the trail increases in elevation until you reach the banks of Lake Minnewaska. Dip your toes in the lake, and then take the red trail (Lake Minnewaska Carriage Road) back to the parking lot. This hike takes about 4 hours at a relaxed pace, with time for resting at Gertrude’s Nose. Bring 2 liters of water, you’ll need it!

Loved this hike. It's pretty boring until you get to Patterson's Pellet then it's just one amazing view after another. I had it all to myself since most of the others going to Gertrude’s Nose seemed to be doing it clockwise. The trail from Gertrude's Nose up to Millbrook Mountain is less spectacular but still has some amazing views and cool areas with lots of pine scrub. There's also a few areas where it dips into pine forest and climbs rocks. Don't miss the ice cave that blows cool air along the way. The view at Millbrook Mountain is spectacular too, then it's mostly downhill back to Lake Minnewaska. Bring lots of water on a hot day - this is a tough and long (but very rewarding) hike.

Views are very nice. Hike is not very hard its more moderate. Pay attention to parking its easy to get on the wrong trail at the start and end of the hike. If you go clockwise on the trail its easy to miss Gertrude’s. nose. It’s nothing overly special but many go to look for it specifically. Was about 85 today and beautiful.

Love this trail!!! It is not very hard, but my boyfriend and I were hiking in the rain and some parts of the trail got very slippery. The rocks can get pretty polished so we need to be extra careful. The views are amazing and there are diverse landscapes and plantations.

Fantastic trail! I would not rate it as hard, but rather moderate. There are some parts that are more challenging, but I was expecting a lot worse from the other reviews. Most of the trail is on the cliff side, so if you’re afraid of heights, it might be a little nerve wracking but the views are incredible and totally worth the hike!

A lot of carriage roads but the Gertrude's Nose trail makes up for it. Awosting Falls running pretty good.

There are a lot of amazing views on this hike as the trail hugs the edge of the cliff for a good portion. The elevation changes are spaced out well and strenuous at a few points. Overall, the payoff is definitely in the hikers' favor. Once the views are all thoroughly enjoyed, the return trip through the forest is also very nice. I did this hike with a good amount of snow on the ground, I imagine this will be much easier once the snow melts.

Currently about 2 feet of snow on the nose trail. Hiked here through millbrook mountain from the west traps there was only a covering of snow everywhere else. But, once you hit the Gertrude’s nose trail it is rough if you’re not used to the snow. Still, beautiful views and an exhilarating hike although if not experienced I would say wait out the snow.

This trail is not accessible to hikers during skiing season. Still giving 4 stars because it looks awesome and I will be back when the snow melts!

I would give this hike 5 stars if it wasn’t so busy. IT’S TOO CROWDED! (On Saturday morning we barely could find any parking in few miles radius) Views are amazing, but asian tourist groups blasting music trough speakers were ruining our experience. Dogs without leashes shouldn’t be allowed at this trail, but there there at least 3 dogs running freely. My advice would be DON’T GO THERE ON THE WEEKEND! (Unless you like crowds)

Beautiful hike. easy hike around the lake. good traction is recommended in some part of the trail in winter.

I hiked this trail back in August with my brother and parents and was awesome! It had many great views and the overall experience was great. The trails were marked very clearly, weather conditions were perfect and bugs were not an issue.

*****This is closed when there's snow on the ground for skiing.***
learned that the hardway!