Cannabis Dispensary Near Mohonk Preserve
The closest Farmers Choice to Mohonk Preserve is our New Paltz farm stand, about 7 miles away, roughly a 15-minute drive.
Farmers Choice New Paltz
What is Mohonk Preserve?
Mohonk Preserve is the largest visitor-supported nature preserve in New York, roughly 8,000 acres of Shawangunk ridge wrapped around carriage roads, singletrack, and the white quartzite cliffs that made the Gunks one of the most storied climbing areas in the country. The Trapps cliffs, Bonticou Crag, Duck Pond, and miles of connected carriage roads all sit inside its boundaries, along with the visitor center on Route 44/55 where most first-timers get oriented. It shares the ridge with Mohonk Mountain House and Minnewaska, but the Preserve is the piece built for day visitors on foot, on ropes, and on bikes.
Why it is worth the trip
This is the biggest outdoor draw in Ulster County, and it earns it. Climbers travel from across the Northeast to rope up on the Trapps, where hundreds of routes stack along a single road. Hikers come for the Labyrinth rock scramble, the Bonticou climb, and ridge views that run across six states on a clear day. Trail runners and gravel riders loop the carriage roads in every season, and photographers show up for fall color that turns the whole escarpment copper and gold. However you like to move through the woods, some corner of the Preserve is set up for it.
Plan your visit
Day passes are required, they support the land, and the West Trapps and Spring Farm lots fill early on nice weekends, so arrive before mid morning or aim for a weekday. From Farmers Choice New Paltz, head west on Route 299 straight through the village, then follow Route 44/55 up the ridge past the hairpin turn toward the Trapps, about fifteen minutes of orchard and cliff scenery. Wear real shoes for the scrambles, carry water, and check the Preserve's site for trail conditions and seasonal closures before you commit to a route.
Good to know
Spring brings waterfalls and mud in equal measure, summer means an early start beats both the heat and the parking, fall is the showcase and the busiest stretch of the year, and winter turns the carriage roads into quiet snowshoe country. The Preserve pairs naturally with the rest of the corridor: breakfast in the village, a morning on the ridge, and a slow roll back through Gardiner past the orchards. Cell service gets thin against the cliffs, so download your trail map before you leave town, and keep an eye out for the resident turkey vultures riding the thermals off the escarpment.
Make Farmers Choice part of the day
The farm stand sits right at Thruway Exit 18, which makes it the natural first or last stop of a Preserve day. Order Online from the New Paltz menu when you get back to the trailhead and your pickup is usually ready by the time you roll down Route 299, or Come Visit and let a Farm Hand point you somewhere good for the evening after a day on the ridge. Bring a valid 21+ ID, and remember New York law does not allow consuming on the Preserve or in a vehicle.
1 Old Route 299, New Paltz, NY 12561, get directionsDaily 8AM to 10PM845-419-2420Find us on the way
Farmers Choice New Paltz sits at 1 Old Route 299, right where Route 299 meets NYS Thruway Exit 18, about 7 miles from Mohonk Preserve.
Mohonk Preserve questions
Is there a dispensary near Mohonk Preserve?
Yes. Farmers Choice New Paltz is about 7 miles from the West Trapps trailhead, roughly a 15-minute drive down Route 44/55 and Route 299, right at Thruway Exit 18.
Do I need a pass to visit Mohonk Preserve?
Yes, the Preserve is visitor supported and day passes are required for hikers and climbers. Buy them at the visitor center or trailhead kiosks, and expect weekend lots to fill by mid morning.
What is the best hike for a first visit to Mohonk Preserve?
The Labyrinth and Lemon Squeeze scramble to Sky Top is the famous one, and the carriage road loops from West Trapps suit anyone who wants views without the rock work. Bonticou Crag is the short, scrappy alternative on the north side.
Can I order ahead and pick up after hiking the Gunks?
That is the easy way to do it. Place your order on the New Paltz menu when you finish your hike and it is usually ready within the hour, right on your way back to the Thruway.
Can I consume cannabis at Mohonk Preserve?
No. Consumption is not permitted at the Preserve, and New York law prohibits consuming in vehicles. Enjoy your purchase at home or wherever the property owner allows it.
When is Mohonk Preserve least crowded?
Weekday mornings, especially outside of fall color season. Summer weekends and October Saturdays are the peak, and the main lots can fill before 10AM on those days.