Sam’s Point & The Ice Caves

A day hike to the cliff-top overlook at Sam’s Point and through the Ice Caves, rock crevices where patches of ice can last into summer.

Sam’s Point is the highest point of the Shawangunk Ridge: a cliff with forest and the Wallkill Valley stretching to the horizon below. Next to it starts the Ice Caves trail. It isn’t a cave in the usual sense but a maze of cracks in the rock that sunlight barely reaches. It is noticeably colder inside, and snow and ice deep in the crevices can hang on until late summer.

The plan: we leave Philadelphia in the morning for a drive of about three hours. From the visitor center we walk up a wide road to the overlook, then drop into the Ice Caves, with wooden ladders, boardwalks, and narrow passages, and walk back. That’s about 4 miles (6.5 km) and 2–3 hours on foot, plus time for photos and snacks.

Effort is moderate: the climb is gentle, but the caves have ladders, wet rock, and spots where you duck or turn sideways. If tight spaces aren’t your thing, tell us; you can do the overlook without the caves. The Ice Caves are open only in the warm season and close when they ice up, and from mid-April to mid-November weekend parking must be reserved in advance, which we take care of.