MANITOGA Trails

PATHS AND HIKING TRAILS

We are delighted to share that Manitoga’s woodland trails are open to you every day during daylight hours with a suggested donation of $5 per adult. Groups larger than 10 people should provide advanced notification prior to visiting to Landscape Manager Emily Phillips at ephillips@visitmanitoga.org.

PLEASE NOTE: The House, Studio & Design Gallery are monitored by video surveillance to prevent trespassing and can be visited by guided tour only with advance reservations required. For more information please visit the PUBLIC TOURS page. 

Help protect this precious resource and place of beauty.

• Please stay on marked trails

• Pets are not permitted due to sensitive habitat

• Do not pick flowers, branches or mushrooms

• Use a single walking stick, no dual ski poles please

• Do not swim, fish or hunt

• Do not smoke or light fires

• Stay on paths to protect our fragile moss and wildflowers

• Carry out what you carry in

We rely on you to stay on the woodland trails and to heed property signage so that we can keep the trails open for the health and enjoyment of all.

Enjoy the trails, and thank you for your cooperation.

WOODLAND TRAILS

Woodland trails are open year round during daylight hours unless otherwise posted. Manitoga reminds you to take care on our trails and that all hiking is at your own risk.

The trails offer opportunities for moderate loop hikes of varying distances on the west facing slopes as well as access to extended hiking on the Osborn Loop Trail and Appalachian Trail in the adjacent Hudson Highlands State Park. In the summer there are pocket views of the Hudson River. These are called “osios” at Manitoga, from the language of the Algonquins.

Three trail loops, named for an historic trail segment, story, or event unique to that loop are marked with blue, red, or white markers.

The trails are co-aligned, following a single path from the start, with the Wickopee Trail Loop (Red) first peeling off to a short inner loop; then the White Pine Trail Loop (White): and finally, the Lost Pond Trail Loop (Blue) extending up the hill to an elevation of 650’ (400’ above the start). Loops reunite at Four Corners and are co-aligned for the descent to the meadow origin.

Wickopee Trail Loop - Red Blazes
.74 miles   45 min.  
- easy hike on Wickopee Trail includes Log Bridge stream crossing

White Pine Trail Loop - White Blazes
1.1 miles   1 hr.  
- easy to moderate hike follows White Pine Path along the top of a great cliff; over a boulder stream crossing; past the fallen, giant white pine to Deer Pool; and through Fern Meadow

Lost Pond Trail Loop - Blue Blazes
1.5 miles 1-1/2 hrs.   
- moderate hike crosses streams on boulder stepping stones and ascends to Lost Pond
- access to 3 view spots: Mossy Overlook, Lost Pond Osio, and Chestnut Ridge Osio
- connects to Osborn Loop and Appalachian Trail

Trails to View Spots and at connecting trail - Yellow Blazes
Trail to Sunset Osio                                                       .03 miles
Trail to Chestnut Oak Ridge Osio                                 .16 miles
Osborn Loop & AT connecting trail at Lost Pond        .12 miles

In keeping with Wright’s original plan, all his trails were designed to be hiked in one direction; trail blazes reinforce that intention by being single colored in one direction, and the same color but with a black dot in the reverse direction.

PET POLICY: Manitoga has observed and determined that pets (including dogs), even on leash, threaten the character of the designed landscape. Stepping stones through fern meadows, moss carpets, and ephemeral pools that provide habitat for sensitive species are vulnerable to dog traffic and waste. To fully respect and contemplate the design and nature of the trails, please leave your pets at home. Only ADA Title III service animals are permitted. Please review the ADA’s service animal regulations for clarification.

PICNICKING: You are welcome to picnic while hiking but please carry in-carry out.  Please help keep the paths clean.       

DEER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM: To control deer over-browsing, bow hunting will take place in the woodland landscape October through December by members of the Garrison Fish and Game Club. All other hunting is prohibited. Please direct any question or concerns to Manitoga Landscape Manager, Emily Phillips at ephillips@visitmanitoga.org or 845 424 3812. 

PARTNERSHIPS AND SUPPORT

In 2016, Open Space Institute and Manitoga worked in partnership to guarantee the protection the of the trail network designed by Russel Wright. The agreement guarantees permanent public access to Manitoga’s scenic footpaths while protecting a key access point to the Appalachian Trail through the adjacent Hudson Highlands State Park.

Manitoga's trails were adopted by the NY/NJ Trail Conference in 2014.

An interpretive Visitor's kiosk, new trail signs and restoration of stone work and other landscape features have been funded in part through grants from Open Space Institute's Malcolm Gordon Charitable Fund.

Manitoga is grateful to The Jolly Rovers Trail Crew for their ongoing work to restore the stonework along the trail network as a part of their Stewards of Stonework Program. 

Photos: Chestnut Oak Osio: Manitoga Archives; Lost Pond: Robert Glenn Ketchum; trail blazed; restored stone steps; Winter View