Hiking Gertrude's Nose Gertrude's Nose Shawangunks Combining the Millbrook Mountain and Gertrude's Nose hikes makes for a long, sometimes steep hike of about 11 miles over rough terrain, taking 5 to 6 hours. Wear sturdy shoes and take water. From the top of Millbrook Mountain. After about a mile and a half, the Red Trail leads out onto Gertrude's Nose. At times, the trail is very close to the cliff edge.
Pitch pines disappear to be replaced by mosses and stunted shrubs.
The rocks are covered with lichens. At the very edge of the precipice, there is only bare rock. The large boulders scattered about are glacial erratics. Look into rocky crevices along the cliffs for the mountain sandwort. On the southwest side of the point is a steep ravine, the Palmaghatt Kill, caused by a large fracture and cut by a stream.