Onteora Lake Trailhead and Parking - Kingston, NY
Onteora Lake Trailhead and Parking: A Dog-Friendly Park in Kingston, NY
Onteora Lake Trailhead, located just outside central Kingston, New York, offers a scenic getaway for dog owners looking to explore the 3,000-acre Bluestone Wild Forest. This pet-friendly destination boasts approximately 29 miles of well-marked hiking trails, including the popular Onteora Lake Loop Trail. The mountain lake access points and beautiful forested trails make for a memorable dog-friendly hiking experience. With trailheads easily accessible from two parking lots, Onteora Lake is a top choice for outdoor-loving locals and visitors alike.
While the park is not a traditional fenced dog park, it’s a great spot for leashed adventure with your furry companion. There are picnic areas, benches for relaxing, and plenty of natural shade from mature trees lining the trails. Hikers and their dogs can enjoy lakeside views, swimming opportunities (no lifeguard present), and serene areas perfect for a day out in nature. The park is clean, peaceful, and suitable for dogs of all sizes, making it a favorite for dog walkers seeking a tranquil, well-maintained escape in the Kingston region.
FAQ
- Are dogs allowed off-leash at this park? Dogs must be on a leash while on trails and in the general park area.
- Is there a fenced area for dogs? No, there is not a designated fenced dog park area.
- Are there benches or seating areas for owners? Yes, there are benches and picnic spots available throughout the park.
- Is there shade or shelter available? Yes, the park features plenty of natural shade provided by trees along the trails and picnic spots.
- Are there restrooms available for owners? There is a handicap accessible porta potty in the lower parking lot.
- Is there parking available? Yes, two parking lots are available, though they can fill up quickly on busier days.
- Are there walking or hiking trails connected to the park? Yes, nearly 29 miles of trails are available, with marked routes for hiking with your dog.
- Is there a swimming area or pond for dogs? Yes, there are a couple of access points to the lake where dogs can swim, but no lifeguard is present.
- Is the park open year-round? Yes, the park is open for visitors all year.
- Is the park regularly cleaned and maintained? Yes, the park is noted for being clean and well-maintained.
- How busy does the park get on weekends? The parking lots can fill up quickly, especially on weekends and holidays, so plan to arrive early for the best spot.
Reviews
The trail was well marked until it wasn’t! Pretty track through the woods, but it gets narrower and less clear when it’s time to loop back.
The trail was well marked until it wasn’t! Pretty track through the woods, but it gets narrower and less clear when it’s time to loop back.
i’ll
take a share of the blame for not giving this trail 5 stars. What
could be hard about a 1.8 mile loop around the lake? A daschund would love it! So would i!
The trail was flat and well marked…until it wasn’t . Why i chose to climb down a slope to get to what i thought was the trail
is beyond me…as was finding the markers again. My loyal and elderly dachshund was becoming less loyal and more elderly as i pondered our next move. I decided to claw my way back up the slope. It was like a scene out of an Indiana Jones movie. Back on the trail, but still no markers. Out of nowhere appeared two humans who pointed me in the right direction. i was filled with hope, for i feared i would die there, and my dog would resort to eating my rotting corpse. We stumbled out 30 minutes later. All in all a 2 hour hike, which i would do again… with a sherpa guide.
I’m sure an experienced 8 year old hiker with a sense of direction would throughly enjoy this trail
i’ll
take a share of the blame for not giving this trail 5 stars. What
could be hard about a 1.8 mile loop around the lake? A daschund would love it! So would i!
The trail was flat and well marked…until it wasn’t . Why i chose to climb down a slope to get to what i thought was the trail
is beyond me…as was finding the markers again. My loyal and elderly dachshund was becoming less loyal and more elderly as i pondered our next move. I decided to claw my way back up the slope. It was like a scene out of an Indiana Jones movie. Back on the trail, but still no markers. Out of nowhere appeared two humans who pointed me in the right direction. i was filled with hope, for i feared i would die there, and my dog would resort to eating my rotting corpse. We stumbled out 30 minutes later. All in all a 2 hour hike, which i would do again… with a sherpa guide.
I’m sure an experienced 8 year old hiker with a sense of direction would throughly enjoy this trail
I found this Trailhead while looking for a business. We decided to check it out. When you enter the parking lot it has parking for 20 or so cars and a dirt road leads down to the lower (main) parking lot. There weren’t any spaces available at the lower parking lot so we went back to the first parking lot. Cars were parked along this dirt road which I’m sure isn’t allowed. There is a handicap accessible porta potty at the lower parking lot. There is also a kiosk at the start of the walking path with lots of information and rules for the park. A map is also posted but since this is behind a plastic panel it’s hard to get a good photo of the map.
Just a short walk from the lower parking area are a couple of areas to access the lake. Both areas had a few people hanging out and picnicking with about a dozen people in the lake on stand up boards, inner tubes and other floating devices. This is a little gem to take a swim in a mountain lake. No lifeguards.
The website says the park is 3,000-acre Bluestone Wild Forest and has about 29 miles of trail. We did the Onteora Lake Loop Trail which was about 4 miles starting at the upper parking area. This is a great trail. We didn’t know what to expect and were surprised at how beautiful the trail was. We only passed a few other walkers within the first half a mile. After that it was just us on the trail. Now I want to go back to walk the Red and Bluestone Trails.
I found this Trailhead while looking for a business. We decided to check it out. When you enter the parking lot it has parking for 20 or so cars and a dirt road leads down to the lower (main) parking lot. There weren’t any spaces available at the lower parking lot so we went back to the first parking lot. Cars were parked along this dirt road which I’m sure isn’t allowed. There is a handicap accessible porta potty at the lower parking lot. There is also a kiosk at the start of the walking path with lots of information and rules for the park. A map is also posted but since this is behind a plastic panel it’s hard to get a good photo of the map.
Just a short walk from the lower parking area are a couple of areas to access the lake. Both areas had a few people hanging out and picnicking with about a dozen people in the lake on stand up boards, inner tubes and other floating devices. This is a little gem to take a swim in a mountain lake. No lifeguards.
The website says the park is 3,000-acre Bluestone Wild Forest and has about 29 miles of trail. We did the Onteora Lake Loop Trail which was about 4 miles starting at the upper parking area. This is a great trail. We didn’t know what to expect and were surprised at how beautiful the trail was. We only passed a few other walkers within the first half a mile. After that it was just us on the trail. Now I want to go back to walk the Red and Bluestone Trails.
We hiked this in July – mosquitos when closer to the water but otherwise not an issue.. nice views and an easy to moderate hike.
We hiked this in July – mosquitos when closer to the water but otherwise not an issue.. nice views and an easy to moderate hike.
An important thing to note is that the moment you reach there, you see a parking lot which is pretty small and holds only about 25 cars. When I arrived there, I saw that the people parking had parked haphazardly and as a result, parking spaces had gone for a waste. I drove back as I didn’t have parking space and when I got back after 30 mins, I found some spots luckily. I am glad I returned; else I would have missed one of the most beautiful trails ever. When I started walking in the trail path, i noticed that there was another parking lot inside that could hold another 25 cars. A few suggestions to the authorities maintaining this trailhead – 1. Please mark parking spaces to avoid people parking haphazardly. 2. Please mention in the 1st parking lot that there is a 2nd parking lot inside, at the start of the trailhead. 3. The road to the second parking lot had two potholes. Please fix it.
One can expect both smooth and rocky terrains. Some inclines may be difficult for beginners but easy for hikers. Trail routes are marked with a yellow badge on trees. There are multiple trails and are mostly foot trails.
An important thing to note is that the moment you reach there, you see a parking lot which is pretty small and holds only about 25 cars. When I arrived there, I saw that the people parking had parked haphazardly and as a result, parking spaces had gone for a waste. I drove back as I didn’t have parking space and when I got back after 30 mins, I found some spots luckily. I am glad I returned; else I would have missed one of the most beautiful trails ever. When I started walking in the trail path, i noticed that there was another parking lot inside that could hold another 25 cars. A few suggestions to the authorities maintaining this trailhead – 1. Please mark parking spaces to avoid people parking haphazardly. 2. Please mention in the 1st parking lot that there is a 2nd parking lot inside, at the start of the trailhead. 3. The road to the second parking lot had two potholes. Please fix it.
One can expect both smooth and rocky terrains. Some inclines may be difficult for beginners but easy for hikers. Trail routes are marked with a yellow badge on trees. There are multiple trails and are mostly foot trails.