Bonticou Crag and Table Rocks in Mohonk Preserve, NY

Hike Bonticou Crag and Table Rocks Mohonk Preserve, NY

Class 3 5.3 miles 1100 gain 2-4 hrs Loop Jul 4, 2023
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

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With an empty afternoon, I looked at my options in the Mohonk Preserve. I laid my eyes on Bonticou Crag even though I’d been there before, mostly because I couldn’t believe the last time I hiked this was 9 years ago, such a wild amount of time that I felt I wanted to revisit this famous New York scramble. I’d also never had a chance to check out Table Rocks, a neat-looking fissured rock formation north of Bonticou Crag, so I drove to the trailhead with more excitement than I usually do for repeat hikes. I’d already purchased the steep $15 Mohonk Preserve entrance day pass so I rolled right in and set off along the Crags Trail.

The trail to reach the Bonticou Crag scramble is often poorly marked, mostly because the trail uses a variety of intersecting gravel roads, grassy meadow perimeters, and singletrack. While major junctions have a blaze marking the right way, I still think there could be more to help hikers avoid taking one of the many incorrect spur trails. After only about a half mile along the weird trail system, I made it to the base of Bonticou Crag, a steep sea of boulders ending with a short cliff face. The easiest route is marked well with red painted blazes on the rocks, so getting lost in the expanse isn’t going to happen, but the scrambling could be burly for someone who hasn’t experienced it before. A series of Class 2/3 moves led up the talus, using ledges and cracks to gain elevation. It was good fun, but too quickly I reached the Class 3 crux that uses a weakness in the cliff face in order to gain the rim above. I remember it being a bit longer for some reason.

A trail leads to the high point of Bonticou Crag, where the views south are lovely. After enjoying the Shawangunk views for a bit, you could return the same way for some added scrambling, but the majority of hikers continue north along the ridge since it makes the hike longer and also allows for an alternative descent to heading back down the talus field. I followed the ridge, well-marked and viewless for a bit. I reached the junction where most leave the ridge to descend back to the car, but it made more sense to just continue along the ridge since my next goal was to reach Table Rocks and that was farther to the north. The ridge views improved a bit past here, where clearings offered great overlooks from the west cliffs’ rim toward the surrounding greenery.

Enjoying the nice scenery as I descended along the trail, I eventually reached another junction where I took a left on an old trail labeled Clearwater Road. This trail plopped me onto the Table Rocks Trail, really just a wide repurposed road that took me north for about a mile. I had a few minutes of being less stimulated to think about how much time had passed since I was here ( and about mortality and whatnot, never a great thing) while walking through this forested section. A junction took me away from the wide trail and west toward the Table Rocks feature. This short spur trail opened up to the top of Table Rocks as well as a view. It’s a fun time navigating the rock monoliths separated by deep crevices. Angled downward slightly, the cross-hatch pattern was unique and I was happy to have taken the detour. If the rocks are wet, they could definitely be particularly dangerous due to their high angle and subsequent drop into one of the crevices. I backtracked along the Table Rocks Trail, then continued along the Spring Farm Road Trail back to my car.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Bonticou Crag
1194 ft
134 rise

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Starting along the Crag Trail from the parking lot.
Starting along the Crag Trail from the parking lot.
Ascending through a meadow.
Ascending through a meadow.
View back, some nice hills visible in the distance.
View back, some nice hills visible in the distance.
One of a few tricky junctions. Keep left here.
One of a few tricky junctions. Keep left here.
Better-signed trail.
Better-signed trail.
A road junction, signs marking the Crag Trail.
A road junction, signs marking the Crag Trail.
A short section of hiking along a gravel carriage road.
A short section of hiking along a gravel carriage road.
A final junction before reaching the base of Bonticou Crag.
A final junction before reaching the base of Bonticou Crag.
The start of the scramble.
The start of the scramble.
A view toward the rim, seen above.
A view toward the rim, seen above.
Class 2/3 marked well with red paint.
Class 2/3 marked well with red paint.
It wasn't hard to navigate with all the markers, but it's definitely a talus scramble requiring some base scrambling competence.
It wasn't hard to navigate with all the markers, but it's definitely a talus scramble requiring some base scrambling competence.
View back at my progress.
View back at my progress.
Massive boulders.
Massive boulders.
View back at a cool ledge feature.
View back at a cool ledge feature.
Image 15 from gallery
Approaching the crux.
Approaching the crux.
Class 3 crux up a weakness.
Class 3 crux up a weakness.
View back down after reaching the rim.
View back down after reaching the rim.
View north at the rim.
View north at the rim.
Bonticou Crag high point ahead.
Bonticou Crag high point ahead.
bBonticou Crag, view south.
bBonticou Crag, view south.
Bonticou Crag, view north.
Bonticou Crag, view north.
I headed north along the ridge.
I headed north along the ridge.
A junction most take to return. I continued heading north along the rim.
A junction most take to return. I continued heading north along the rim.
Mostly forested for the first bit.
Mostly forested for the first bit.
But then I got some nice views as clearings along the ridge opened up.
But then I got some nice views as clearings along the ridge opened up.
Lovely views along the cliffy rim.
Lovely views along the cliffy rim.
View back.
View back.
And then back into the forest.
And then back into the forest.
A junction where I kept left to hike along the Clearwater Trail.
A junction where I kept left to hike along the Clearwater Trail.
Clearwater Trail, an old road.
Clearwater Trail, an old road.
Pretty lighting along the Clearwater Trail.
Pretty lighting along the Clearwater Trail.
Junction with the Table Rocks Trail.
Junction with the Table Rocks Trail.
Along the Table Rocks Trail, heading north.
Along the Table Rocks Trail, heading north.
Approaching the junction where a spur trail leads to Table Rocks.
Approaching the junction where a spur trail leads to Table Rocks.
Along the spur trail leading to Table Rocks.
Along the spur trail leading to Table Rocks.
Table Rocks!
Table Rocks!
It's very cool.
It's very cool.
Image 39 from gallery
Some of the crevices at Table Rocks are very deep.
Some of the crevices at Table Rocks are very deep.
Amazing formation.
Amazing formation.
I backtracked and took the Spring Farm Road Trail.
I backtracked and took the Spring Farm Road Trail.
Along the Spring Farm Road Trail.
Along the Spring Farm Road Trail.
A great view before reaching the trailhead.
A great view before reaching the trailhead.

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