NEW YORK

When people hear the words "New York" most think city and not state. So they are shrugging off America's first and most famous state park, the country's largest park, New England's biggest lake, the only state with both saltwater beaches on the Atlantic Ocean and freshwater beaches on the Great Lakes. What state east of the Rocky Mountains has the most public land? New York, and it isn’t even close - more than 37% of the total land in the state. Death Valley is the largest national park in the contiguous United States and Yellowstone is the second-largest. Adirondack Park is larger than both put together - six million acres and 2,000 miles of trails and nearly all tail-friendly. The largest lake in the Adirondacks, Lake George, has been tagged “the Queen of American lakes” with its 170+ islands and many locals won’t even recognize it as the prettiest of lakes in the park. New York also boasts two Great Lake shores for your dog and the 11 pristine glacially-carved Finger Lakes. The highlights of the Finger Lakes are the “gorge-ous” hikes through the gashes in the Central New York terrain. Watkins Glen keeps dogs away from its famous gorge but Letchworth, Robert H. Treman, and Fillmore Glen will all mesmerize canine hikers. Prefer ocean hikes? The South Shore of Long Island has a variety of options although you have to wait until after Labor Day for your dog to enjoy the best beach-walking, at Fire Island National Seashore. Your dog will never see the bottom of the Grand Canyon, never watch Old Faithful erupt and never climb Half Dome but they can hike right to the edge of Niagara Falls, America’s first protected natural wonder. Niagara isn't even the highest waterfall in this state of natural wonders - that honor belongs to 215-foot Taughannock Falls; your dog is welcome here as well. Oh, and New York is home to one of our top recommended Doggie Destinations - the Shawangunk Mountains.

The Best Day Hike You Can Take With Your Dog In New York

Gertrude’s Nose Loop
Minnewaska State Park Preserve • Kerhonkson

If your dog could talk you would hear about this hike for a looooong time. The state park on the dramatic Shawangunk Mountain ridge is where feuding brothers Alfred and Albert Smiley opened competing vacation houses in the 1800s. When they made nice again the Smileys built a network of carriage roads between the hotels. These wide, carefully graded roadbeds are where you will be doing most of your hiking with Seaman.

The early steps lead to a swimming beach at cliff-fringed Lake Minnewaska. If this was as far as your dog went it would probably be a four-star hike. The Millbrook Mountain Carriage Road then moves through mixed forests onto the open cliffs and Patterson’s Pellet, a glacial erratic perched improbably on the edge of a cliff.

The carriage road joins Gertrude’s Nose Trail, a narrow footpath that will eventually spend much of its 2.7 miles poking along flat, open clifftops. There are so many mind-blowing views around Gertrude’s Nose they actually become ho-hum after awhile.

Take heed of the red blazes - when they lead inland they are taking Seaman away from potentially dangerous crevices in the Shawangunk conglomerate. An occasional rock scramble adds interest to your dog’s hiking day, regardless. Pine trees in all shapes and size decorate the clifftops.

Multiple options close the 7.5-mile loop; Seaman will vote for the one that leads back to Lake Minnewaska for awell-earned doggie dip.

HIKING TIME: 4-5 hours

(from the book 300 Day Hikes To Take With Your Dog Before He Tires You Out: Trails where you won’t be able to wipe the wag off your dog’s tail)