Mohonk Mountain House

Mohonk Mountain House is a Victorian building with 259 rooms set at the edge of a glacial lake on Shawangunk Ridge in New Paltz. Stone walls support towers and balconies that cling to the mountainside and look out over forested valley below.

Albert and Alfred Smiley purchased a ten-room inn in 1869 and expanded it over four decades until 1910 into a sprawling complex. The brothers hosted annual conferences from 1883 to 1916 where government representatives and tribal leaders discussed Native rights.

The name comes from the Lenape term meaning "great sky" and connects to the founding Smiley family's Quaker tradition. Guests walk daily on marked trails around the lake and use the porch for quiet sitting overlooking the water.

Walking trails wind through deciduous forest and across rock ledges with viewpoints along the ridge and require sturdy footwear for uneven sections. The spa and indoor pool sit in separate buildings connected by covered walkways.

The property received recognition from the United Nations Environment Programme in 1994 for maintaining 125 years of continuous land stewardship without interruption. The Smiley family remains owner seven generations later and manages the grounds under the same principles.

Location: New Paltz

Architects: Napoleon LeBrun

Official opening: 1869

Website: https://mohonk.com

GPS coordinates: 41.76861,-74.15556

Latest update: December 12, 2025 21:50