NEW PALTZ + GARDINER

There are mountains, and then there are the Shawangunk Mountains (called “The Gunks” by locals). Here you will find attractions and activities that include spectacular mountain views, historic trails, distilleries and breweries, pick-your-own farms, rock and ice-climbing, sky-diving. and historical designated landmarks.

New Paltz is a vibrant college town chock full of farm-to-table eateries, bistros, cafes and boutiques, beautiful 17th-century homes, live music and a first-rate SUNY campus. It’s home to the historic and extraordinary Mohonk Preserve with its fabulous mountain views and miles of carriage roads and trails for hiking, biking, running, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and horseback riding. And let’s not forget Minnewaska State Park, with its 50 miles of bike trails, footpaths, sky lakes, sheer cliffs and waterfalls.

History buffs should visit the Terwilliger House and Locust Lawn to learn how we lived in the 17th and 18th centuries.

French Huguenot settlers named the area after Germany’s Palatinate region (known as the Pfalz, in German). The “f” was eventually dropped to become “Paltz.”

New Paltz has been featured on the hit HBO show Girls, some of which was filmed at SUNY New Paltz. It’s also been featured in the long-running cult hit Supernatural.