Located in Ulster County, NY Minnewaska State Park Preserve is situated on the dramatic Shawangunk Mountain ridge, which rises more than 2,000 feet above sea level and is surrounded by rugged, rocky terrain. Arguably the most picturesque vista in the Shawangunks, Gertrude's Nose is a geologic snapshot of the destructive natural forces that are slowly ripping apart the Shawangunk conglomerate and leaving behind some of its most intriguing features. The cliff's name stems from a 1682 deed giving land to Gertrude Bruyn, a settler of Dutch descent. Unique communities such as Ice Cave Talus, Pitch Pine-Oak-Heath Rocky Summit, and extensive Chestnut Oak Forest comprise Minnewaska State Park Preserve. These ecosystems host a variety of plants and animals that are uncommon in New York State. Wildlife such as the Timber Rattlesnake , Bobcat and New York State's only documented occurrence of the noctuid moth Zale curema reside within Minnewaska State Park Preserve.