 
Lake Minnewaska IS located on the summit of the Shawangunk Mountains, ten miles southwest of New Paltz, in Ulster County, New York. New Paltz, a station on the Wallkill Valley Railroad, is eighty-eight miles (about three and one-half hours) distant from New York; nine miles west of Poughkeepsie, on the Hudson, and fifteen miles southwest of Kingston. N.Y. This lake, which is fed by springs and is very deep and clear as crystal, is held in a strikingly picturesque, rocky and well-wooded bowl, rising one hundred and fifty feet above the lake on the eastern side and sixty feet on the western, and from either edge the rocks tumble precipitously down to the Wallkill and Hudson River Valleys on the one side, and to the Rondout Valley on the other. Minnewaska is now widely known as a summer resort: First. For the remarkably bracing and restoring quality of its atmosphere. It being on the crown of a ridge, dew seldom falls. The drainage of each house is away from the lake and far down the mountain side, and the hills all around are covered with resinous pine forests. Second. For the remarkably select character of the guests who frequent the place, a large portion of whom return year after year. Third. For the wonderful and unique combination of the grand and the picturesque in its scenery. decoration Awosting Falls Within a mile of the lake are these picturesque falls, above sixty feet high; and about half a mile lower down, the same stream falls over one hundred feet by a series of pretty cascades.
The Great Crevices About three-quarters of a mile distant are a series of wonderful rents in the mountains over one hundred feet deep, some of the fissures being open to the light and others covered. decoration Millbrook Mountains One and three-fourths miles from the lake are the Millbrook Mountains, where the cliffs are in some places perpendicular, and in others over-hanging the rocks five hundred feet below. The views here are remarkably grand and impressive. decoration The Palmaghatt Still nearer, in a deep glen of the mountain, is the Palmaghatt, where is a large forest of massive primeval hemlocks. To all these and many other strange and picturesque places, good walks have been constructed, and a large number of covered seats and summer-houses (about ninety in all) have been built. Three drives have been built recently to Millbrook Mountains, Kempton Ledge, and Beacon Hill. Awosting Lake Since last season over two thousand acres adjoining Minnewaska have been added to the estate, which now covers above five thousand acres of land. This new tract includes the magnificent Awosting Lake, having four times the extent of Lake Minnewaska; also the lofty High Point; the bold Hamilton Ledge, several miles long and several hundred feet in perpendicular height; the picturesque Stonykill Falls, ninety-five feet high, and much other strange scenery peculiar to the Shawangunk Mountains. decoration New Roads A fine road, three and one-half miles long, has been built from Minnewaska to Awosting Lake, passing through the wild Huntington Ravine (Dark Hole). During the spring and summer this road will be extended around the lake four and one-half miles farther. Another road has been built through the Palmaghatt to the edge of Hamilton Ledge. All these roads are of very easy grades, being for the most part nearly level, and are specially adapted to the use of the bicycle.
Approaches to Minnewaska By West Shore Railroad to Kingston, and by special trains to New Paltz. By New York, Ontario & Western Railway from New York to New Paltz, via Cornwall and Campbell Hall. By New York Central & Hudson River Railroad or by New York and Albany day boats to Kingston Point, and by rail to New Paltz. By New York, Lake Erie & Western Railroad to Goshen, and by Wallkill Valley Railroad to New Paltz. The Highland & New Paltz Electric Railroad will make good connections with New York Central and West Shore trains at Poughkeepsie and Highland. After the summer time-tables are arranged, schedules of trains, etc., will be sent on application. Tickets from New York, Brooklyn, and Philadelphia will be sold to and from New Paltz, and baggage checked through. Parties wishing to inspect the rooms in May will be met at the train upon proper notice being given, and when wishing to stay over night, can be comfortably accommodated at one of the houses.
The Cliff House Opened in 1879 and enlarged in 1881, will accommodate about two hundred and twenty-five guests. This house is located on the eastern side of the lake on a commanding height, eighteen hundred feet above tide-water, or nearly as high as the Catskill Mountain House; and from nearly every room in the hotel there are magnificent valley and mountain views, taking in the mountains of New Jersey on the south; the highlands of the Hudson and Newburg Bay to the southeast; the Housatonic Mountains of Connecticut to the east; the whole line of the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts and the Green Mountains of Vermont to the northeast; the Helderberg Mountains to the north; the bold outline of the Catskills and the Shandaken Mountains to the northwest: and the Neversink and Shawangunk Hills to the west. The views embrace several river valleys, including the valley of the Hudson from Cornwall to the mountains about Lake George. From the cupola of this house six States can be seen at one view. To accommodate the constantly increasing patronage, a new hotel was opened in 1887 on the western edge of this rocky rim, called the Wildmere house This is somewhat larger than the Cliff House, and commands very similar views. The Wildmere is lighted with gas, the halls are heated by furnaces, while the rooms, both public and private, are mostly provided with open fireplaces for burning the resinous mountain pine that abounds in this region. A large portion of the rooms in both houses are provided with private balconies. Reading Rooms. In each house is a large and well-lighted reading-room, containing all the leading English and American monthly and quarterly periodicals and weekly and daily papers, and also a carefully selected library of books for reading and reference. Postal and Telegraph Offices Will be open during the season at the lake. Telegrams should be addressed to Lake Minnewaska, N. Y., and letters to Minnewaska P. O., Ulster County, N. Y. A Good Physician Will reside permanently at the lake. The Wildmere house Opens June 15th and closes October 1st to 10th. The Cliff house Opens June 29th and closes about September 15th. Both Minnewaska houses Will be kept on a strictly TEMPERANCE PLAN. The same arrangements with regard to meats, fruits, cream, etc., that have made the table so satisfactory for the past nineteen years, have been made for the coming season. Visitors Are not expected to arrive or depart on Sunday. No dogs taken. Rates of Board. June: single rooms, $11 to $14; double rooms. $22 to $25. July and August: single rooms, $15 to $20; double rooms, $25 to $35. From September 1st to close of the season: single rooms, $14 to $16; double rooms, $25 to $28. Day rates: June. $2; July and August, $3; after September 1st, $2.50. Liberal arrangements will be made for families coming early. For further information, address ALFRED H. SMILEY. Proprietor,
Boating. Boat liveries are operated in connection with both houses. They are provided with the celebrated St. Lawrence River skiffs, which can be rented by the week or day, with or without oarsmen, at reasonable rates. Eight skiffs have been added to the fleet since last season. Owing to the land-locked location of the lake, ladies and children can enjoy the pleasures of boating with perfect safety. decoration Bathing. Another of the many attractions of the lake is the delightful still-water bathing. The water is soft, becomes warm early in the season, and the bathing is free from enervating effects usually experienced in fresh-water bathing. Two new bath-houses, exclusively for ladies, have been constructed, and a bathing-master and life-guard are always present to assist ladies and children. Recreation. Exercise in the open air is acknowledged by every one to be of the greatest assistance in the recuperation of the nervous system and a grand specific for building up the physical body. Every effort has been put forth to stimulate and foster active exercise. Walking parties find each year new paths leading through deep forests to quiet recesses of the mountains and points of vantage hitherto unapproachable. decoration Sports, Etc. The ball ground, tennis courts, bowling alleys and shuffle boards give an ample field for the spirit of contest, while the many delightful walks and drives meet the requirements of those in search of moderate exercise. decoration Verderskill falls. A view of this charming cascade is shown on this page. The falls are situated two miles beyond Awosting Lake. References THE management at Lake Minnewaska has aimed to provide the comforts of a good home at reasonable rates for the refined and moral classes, where they could enjoy the splendid scenery without molestation from the fast and rougher elements of society. That this object has been attained, the proprietor would respectfully refer to the following persons, nearly all of whom have remained at the lake for a considerable period of time—many of them for several years in succession. None of these persons have been consulted as to this use of their names, but any of them, doubtless, if approached at proper times, would be glad to give any information they may possess about the lake. The names are selected to represent a variety of professions and circles of society and are arranged alphabetically. NEW YORK.
BROOKLYN.
PHILADELPHIA.
MISCELLANEOUS.
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