Mohonk Mountain House is located within the Shawangunk Mountains, which many consider to be among the most tranquil destinations in all New York. When Albert K. Smiley first purchased the land surrounding the Mohonk Mountain House, he set about developing an intricate system of hiking trails and carriage roads that many others could enjoy. Now extending for some 85 miles, these scenic pathways are still in use today. They guide guests throughout the grounds to such renowned locations as Copes Lookout and Eagle Cliff Road. But Smiley and his talented teams of landscape architects also set about crafting a series of brilliant English-style gardens that were popular throughout the industrialized world during the mid-19th century. Albert K. Smiley and his family maintained a diligent belief in the splendor of nature, which led to the acquisition of thousands of acres of the surrounding countryside. Ardent conservationists, the Smileys yearned to preserve the area for many future generations to appreciate. The Smileys had acquired so much land that they established the Mohonk Trust during the 1960s, later evolving into the current Mohonk Preserve. Because of the Smileys, Mohonk Mountain House now has access to over 8,000 acres of preserved land, of which 1,200 is directly affiliated with the hotel. The Mohonk Preserve features several breathtaking outdoor attractions, such as the Labyrinth and its famous Lemon Squeeze. The Labyrinth is one of many popular rock scrambles that visitors have adored since the hotel’s earliest days. For over a century, guests have scaled the faces of these geological formations, creating a rich heritage that persists well into the present. The local countryside is home to Lake Mohonk, too, which is a glacier lake that has been fed directly by rainwater for millennia. It extends for nearly a half-mile in length and measures 61 feet at its deepest point. All sorts of trout reside within this majestic body of water, like perch, bass, and pickerel. More than 125 luxurious summerhouses even line the shoreline, with most featuring rich connections to the region’s greater Gilded Age history.

Robert D. Pryde: The architect behind the creation of Mohonk Mountain House’s pristine golf course was Robert D. Pryde. A Scotsman, Pryde had first trained as an apprentice in the historic Scotscraig Golf Club’s pro shop. After spending a few years learning how to manufacture golf clubs and conduct greenskeeping, Pryde eventually immigrated to Connecticut during the 1890s. While his passion for golf never dissipated, Pryde nonetheless became a cabinetmaker for a New Haven-based manufacturer named David H. Clark. Among the clients who Pryde eventually served was retired businessman Justus S. Hotchkiss. Coincidentally, Hotchkiss and his colleague, Yale University law professor Theodore S. Woodley, had been tasked with constructing New Haven’s first golf course. The two had struggled to find an architect capable of creating their prospective nine-hole golf course, especially within the crowded landscape that surrounded the city. But one day, Hotchkiss realized that Pryde—still working as his cabinetmaker—hailed from Scotland. He subsequently asked Pryde if he had any experience with golf, to which the latter eagerly responded “yes.” Hotchkiss and Woodley then hired Pryde to spearhead the golf course’s development. Pryde proceeded to build a magnificent collection of fairways on land leased a few blocks north of Yale University. When the golf course finally opened as the “New Haven Golf Club” in 1895, it quickly became one of the most attractive destinations for golf in all Connecticut. The work accomplished at the New Haven Golf Club elevated Pryde’s reputation to the point where other people asked him to work on their own courses frequently, including Albert H. Smiley of the Mohonk Mountain House. But Pryde primarily stayed around New Haven, serving as the New Haven Golf Club’s head professional for many years. (He also filed in as the trainer for the Yale University collegiate golf team, as well.) He even created a second course—the Race Brook Country Club—at the behest of some other club members in 1912. Pryde has since been remembered fondly within the history of Connecticut golf, particularly among the faculty, students, and alumni that continue to play a round at the New Haven Golf Club.