Sam's Point Preserve
Sam's Point Preserve, or Sam's Point Dwarf Pine Ridge Preserve, is a 4,600-acre (19 km2) preserve in Ulster County on the highest point (2,289 feet [698 m]) of the Shawangunk Ridge in New York, on the Wawarsing, New York-Shawangunk town line. Visitors find it in Wawarsing. Pleasant highs of 69–82°F mark the mildest months, May to September.
A cave inside Wawarsing
Winters are cold
January nights drop to 16°, with about 59" of snow a year. When to go ↓
You can stay in Wawarsing
Sam's Point Preserve is inside Wawarsing, which has 22 places to stay, so you won’t need a base farther out. Where to stay ↓
A day trip from New York City
New York City is about 73 miles south (straight-line). Where to stay ↓
Best months: May, Jun, Jul, Aug and Sep
May, June, July, August and September are the mild months, with highs of 69–82°. When to go ↓
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia.
Highs and lows by month
Below are typical highs and lows near Sam's Point Preserve.
Sam's Point Preserve
Sam's Point Preserve, or Sam's Point Dwarf Pine Ridge Preserve, is a 4,600-acre (19 km2) preserve in Ulster County on the highest point (2,289 feet [698 m]) of the Shawangunk Ridge in New York, on the Wawarsing, New York-Shawangunk town line. It is owned and managed by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation after having previously been managed by The Nature Conservancy. Its unique environment features dwarf pitch pine trees along the ridgetop. Located within the park is Lake Maratanza, the highest lake on the ridge, and the Ellenville Fault Ice Caves. Parking reservations are required April 15 through November 15 on weekends and holidays.
- Type
- Cave
- Listed
- National Natural Landmark
- Wikipedia readers
- 6.2K a year
Overnight near Sam's Point Preserve
Hotels, motels or campgrounds are closest in Wawarsing (22) and Ellenville (4).
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From Sam's Point Preserve | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wawarsing | in town | — | 22 7 hotels · 4 motels · 2 inns & B&Bs · 3 lodges & cabins · 5 campgrounds · 1 RV park | 12,448 | $237K | — |
| Ellenville | in town | — | 4 2 hotels · 1 motel · 1 campground | 4,201 | $218K | — |
| Gardiner | 9 mi east | 15 min | 13 5 hotels · 6 inns & B&Bs · 2 campgrounds | 5,621 | $469K | — |
| Rochester | 11 mi northeast | 15 min | 13 5 hotels · 1 motel · 2 inns & B&Bs · 4 lodges & cabins · 1 campground | 7,463 | $354K | — |
| Wallkill | 13 mi south | 20 min | 16 13 hotels · 2 motels · 1 campground | 31,414 | $353K | B+ |
| Mamakating | 9 mi southwest | 15 min | 9 2 hotels · 1 inn or B&B · 2 lodges & cabins · 3 campgrounds · 1 RV park | 12,701 | $247K | — |
| Thompson 25% vacation homes | 17 mi west | 25 min | 19 8 hotels · 1 motel · 5 lodges & cabins · 4 campgrounds · 1 RV park | 16,722 | $229K | — |
| Fallsburg 42% vacation homes | 14 mi west | 20 min | 12 2 hotels · 1 lodge or cabins · 8 campgrounds · 1 RV park | 15,156 | $256K | A− |
Day trip from
Straight-line miles.
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Close to Sam's Point Preserve
Places worth adding lie within 69 miles.
Big draw128 mi MuseumUnited States Military Academy
Big draw65 mi City parkCentral Park40.0M visitors a year
Big draw66 mi Stadium & arenaMadison Square Garden
Big draw61 mi Stadium & arenaMetLife Stadium
Big draw65 mi TheatreStudio 54
Big draw65 mi MuseumMetropolitan Museum of Art2.0M visitors a year
Big draw62 mi Stadium & arenaYankee Stadium
Big draw69 mi MuseumNational September 11 Memorial & MuseumPhoto credits
United States Military Academy: USMA Public Affairs Office, Public domain · Central Park: Ed Yourdon from New York City, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Madison Square Garden: Ajay Suresh from New York, NY, USA, CC BY 2.0 · MetLife Stadium: babyknight, CC BY 2.0 · Studio 54: Americasroof (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0 · Metropolitan Museum of Art: Hugo Schneider, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Yankee Stadium: Matt Boulton, CC BY-SA 2.0 · National September 11 Memorial & Museum: Paul Sableman, CC BY 2.0
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Before visiting Sam's Point Preserve
Is Sam's Point Preserve in Wawarsing?
Yes. It’s inside Wawarsing, NY.
When is the best time to visit Sam's Point Preserve?
May, June, July, August and September, with highs of 69–82°.
How far is Sam's Point Preserve from Newark and Jersey City?
About 66 miles south of Newark and about 68 miles south of Jersey City, as the crow flies.
What is the closest airport to Sam's Point Preserve?
New York Stewart (SWF), about 17 miles away. The nearest big hub is LaGuardia (LGA), about 67 miles.
Where should I stay near Sam's Point Preserve?
Wawarsing (in town, 22 places to stay), Gardiner (9 mi, 13 places to stay) and Rochester (11 mi, 13 places to stay).
Ask people in Wawarsing
Be the first to share a tip in Wawarsing’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.