The Minnewaska State Park lots have a $5 (may be $6 now) per car fee. During non peak hours you may find the Minnewaska gates not staffed in which you can park free. When you enter notice the closing time - the gates are locked at night. The nearest parking to Gertrude's Nose is the Lake Minneswaska parking lot. Those lots are less expensive than the
Mohonk Preserve Trapps parking area on Route 44/55 where there is an $8 per person day use fee (or free with a Preserve membership). FYI Mohonk's Coxing Parking lot is closed for the winter. The free DOT parking areas at the scenic overlooks on Route 44/55 have a 1 hour limit - not practical for hiking.
Despite the extra cost of the Mohonk Preserve the hike over the Near Trapps and Bayards to Millbrook Mt. on the way to Gertrude's is well worth it. There are some impressive rock overhangs with about a 500' vertical drop at Millbrook Mt. A nice photo op. You can also reach these overhangs from Lake Minnewaska. The inside edge of Gertrude's Nose overlooking the Palmaghatt Ravine is probably the most impressive part of the Gertrude's Nose trail IMHO.
FYI I am 99.9% certain that the Stony Kill trail is not officially open yet. According to the Sept/Oct 2003 trail conference newsletter the trail was only half completed. It ends within sight of the falls so you can probably bushwhack the remaining distance. Apparently it is a
sensitive area with rattlesnakes (see note 13), and there was some concern on the final routing of the trail. In January 2004 the OSI purchased
18 additional acres on the west side of the Stony Kill. I believe this includes the traditional path through the old gravel quarry that is shown on the trail conference maps. Perhaps that route will be used as the final trail. That would avoid the stream crossing and the sensitive area. Whenever the trail opens there will be a well publicized ceremony.
Sean, thanks for mentioning the OSI lands on Berme Road. I assume this is near the Witch's Hole (Louis Ravine). I have never hiked in that particular area, and I will need to check it out this spring. According to the new guidebook "Shawangunks Trail Companion" by Jeffrey Perls, published by BackCountry, 2003 - the Long Path will likely be rerouted from Verkeerderkill Falls, over High Point, through Napanoch Point, down the Louis Ravine, and then over to and up through the recently acquired Lundy Estate along the Vernooy Kill up to the Vernooy Kill Falls. That reroute will take some significant time to build. BTW that new guidebook is the most comprehensive trail guide yet for the Shawangunks. It is a welcome companion to the "Scenes and Walks in the Northern Shawangunks" by Jack Fagan, published by the NY/NJ Trail Conference - which has excellent drawings describing the origins of the Greater Ice Caves and other rock features of the Gunks. Having said all that, both books need more detailed descriptions for this western side of the Shawangunk Ridge. As the new trails are built the descriptions should follow. I really believe this area is the most scenically unique area in the northeastern USA.