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Voykit pocket guide · United States
Ellenville
Go for one night as a base for Shawangunk Ridge hiking and the Mohonk Preserve; skip if you want a walkable town with a train station.
Ellenville is a village of about 4,100 people in the town of Wawarsing, Ulster County, at the junction of NY 52 and US 209. It is a small, car-dependent base for the Shawangunk Ridge, Minnewaska and Mohonk Preserve, with a handful of restaurants, a 1920s theatre and a historic main street. Most travellers use it for one or two nights while hiking or visiting the Catskills.
- Country
- United States
- Best months
- May–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jan–Feb (cold and snow), Jul–Aug (heat and humidity)
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $90–140 excl. bed · Mid $150–230 excl. bed · High $250+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911 · Ellenville Police (non-emergency) 845-647-4422 · UCAT bus information 845-340-3333
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | $3–5 |
| Deli sandwich or sub | $9–14 |
| Pizza, one large | $18–26 |
| Sit-down dinner, main course | $18–32 |
| Draught beer in a bar | $6–9 |
| Gallon of petrol | $3.30–3.80 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | $10–20 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- SWF · Stewart International, Newburgh
- About 28 mi / 45 km, roughly 50 min by car; UCAT connections via Kingston and Newburgh (check).About 28 mi / 28 mi, roughly 50 min by car; UCAT connections via Kingston and Newburgh (check).
- ALB · Albany International
- About 90 mi / 145 km, roughly 1 h 35 min by car.About 90 mi / 90 mi, roughly 1 h 35 min by car.
Typical fares
- Shortline bus, New York City → Ellenville
- about 2 h 30 min, three trips daily (check)
- Taxi in the village
- metered or flat, phone to book (check)
- Car hire, one day
- from about $70 plus fuel and tolls (check)
Get around
A car is the practical choice: NY 52 and US 209 meet in the village and most sights are 10–30 min away. UCAT routes E and E1 run along US 209 in Ellenville (check the current timetable). Local taxis operate but must be phoned.
See and do
Known for
- Shawangunk Ridge access
- Shadowland Theatre
- Terwilliger House Museum
- Hang gliding at Ellenville Mountain
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Kerhonkson | US 209 north by car, about 10 mi / 16 kmUS 209 north by car, about 10 mi / 9.9 mi | About 20 min |
| New Paltz | US 44/NY 299 by car, about 22 mi / 35 kmUS 44/NY 299 by car, about 22 mi / 22 mi | About 35 min |
| Kingston, New York | US 209 north then NY 28, about 30 mi / 48 kmUS 209 north then NY 28, about 30 mi / 30 mi | About 45 min |
| Woodstock, New York | NY 28 north via Kingston, about 35 mi / 56 kmNY 28 north via Kingston, about 35 mi / 35 mi | About 55 min |
Sleep
- Village centre (Main St / Canal St)
- Walk to restaurants, the theatre and the library; motels and small inns.
- Route 209 corridor
- Resorts and bungalow colonies south of the village; car needed for everything.
- Ulster Heights / Greenfield Park
- Rural cottages and stables; quiet, 10–20 min drive from the village.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Thank you | Thank you |
| Where is the trailhead? | Where is the trailhead? |
| Can I pay by card? | Can I pay by card? |
| Is there a table for two? | Is there a table for two? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- Cell signal is patchy in and around the village; download maps and tickets before you arrive.
- NY 52 and US 209 are two-lane roads used by local traffic and farm vehicles — no high-speed driving.
- Winters bring heavy snow and Nor'easters; check road conditions before any ridge or mountain drive.
- Trailhead parking at Minnewaska and Mohonk fills on fall weekends; arrive before 9am or expect to be turned away.
Ellenville is a small, low-crime village and feels safe day and night. The real risks are rural: unlit two-lane roads, deer at dusk, winter ice, patchy cell signal and hiking terrain on the ridge.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Ellenville yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Shawangunk Ridge access
- Shadowland Theatre
- Terwilliger House Museum
- Hang gliding at Ellenville Mountain
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Ulster County Tourism: ulstercountyalive.com/
- Ulster County Area Transit (UCAT): co.ulster.ny.us/ucat/
- Stewart International Airport: www.swfny.com/
- Wikivoyage: Ellenville, revision 4981469 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4981469
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Ellenville
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
- Ellenville Police (non-emergency)845-647-4422
- UCAT bus information845-340-3333
No embassies in Ellenville; nearest consulates are in New York City.
Cell signal is patchy — save this card offline.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/ellenville). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.