Skip to main content

Let’s Go to Bear Mountain

A day trip from New York City to Bear Mountain State Park and a walk on the Appalachian Trail

If longing for a nostalgic return to the summer camp days of youth, Bear Mountain State Park will get you there. Located approximately 45 miles north of New York City on the west side of the Hudson River in the Hudson Highlands, the bucolic park features an assortment of natural and man-made wonders in addition to its star feature, Bear Mountain. From the city, it’s relatively easy to get to Bear Mountain via bus from Port Authority.

Bear Mountain. The fields adjoining Bear Mountain Inn were used by New York professional sports teams in the 1930s and 1940s.

Of its many attractions, the 2,189 mile-, 14-state legendary Appalachian Trail winds through Bear Mountain State Park. As a continuation of a long stretch in Harriman State Park, the trail veers up through a high section of the park before a descent into the Trailside Museums and Zoo near the river. In terms of elevation, the zoo area marks the lowest section of the whole Appalachian Trail. The trail then proceeds across Bear Mountain Bridge and over to the area near Anthonys Nose and the town of Peekskill, New York.

Trails in Bear Mountain State Park include the trail-of-all-trails, the Appalachian National Scenic Trail.

According to the thru-hikers I met on the trail (a thru-hiker goes end-to-end of the trail within one hiking season), the stretch of the Appalachian Trail in Bear Mountain State Park is one of the best maintained in the whole system. These hikers should know, as they have already hiked two-thirds of the longest hiking path in the world. Typically, hikers begin their quest in Georgia and end in Maine. Meeting thru-hikers on the A.T. is an especially marvelous feature of a walk here.

While chatting with the hikers about their overall spirit and health, they seemed to have achieved a higher, or at least altered, state of consciousness. All were cheery, or at least at peace after bouts of self-doubt. None were particularly scruffy. After walking the 1403 miles from Georgia, they had 786 miles left to go before the final ascent of Mount Katahdin in Maine.

Bear Mountain Inn is known as a fine example of Adirondacks Great Camps architecture.

If I had spent the last few months hiking on one of longest trails in the world, I would be pretty happy to see the sight of Bear Mountain Inn. On the southern edge of Hessian Lake, the historic lodge of stone and chestnut timber represents an excellent example of Adirondack Great Camps architecture. The second-floor great hall of the lodge features high ceilings, wrap-around windows with views of the mountain scenery, and mounted animals flanking the fireplace.

The room smells of deep woodsy pine, like an extinguished mountain campfire, the sort of fragrance largely absent in New York subways. The adjoining bar with outdoor terrace offers tapas and standard fare. While taking a lunch break between walks, I watched a couple of young thru-hikers delighting in their platters of hamburgers and fries.  

The "Gateway," a section of the Appalachian Trail in Bear Mountain near the base of the mountain, is well-maintained and relatively easy for dilettante hikers from the big city.

A few hours at Bear Mountain may allow only a couple of short hikes for the day tripper or an assortment of wanderings, yet a brief walk on the Appalachian Trail and a jaunt on one of many additional trails can bring many rewards. Within thirty minutes of my arrival, I saw a large cat scurrying across the well-landscaped section of the A.T. known as the “Gateway.” After my post-lunch walk through Bear Mountain Zoo, I realized I had actually seen a bobcat, for the fellow in the zoo labeled as such (the animals here are rescues) bore a close likeness to the big kitty on the trail.

A party of young city women, fellow passengers on the bus trip from the city, expressed a desire to see actual bears on Bear Mountain. As I have seen bears in the wild, a sight that can induce genuine fear, I was not as enthusiastic for such an encounter. In addition to the copious amount of bear merchandise in the inn's gift shop, the park does show off two real bears in an exhibit at the zoo. On my visit, one of them seemed to take delight in lounging on a hammock, surrounded by predatory birds that served as lowly subjects of his court. 

Hessian Lake in Bear Mountain State Park. The trail around the lake is good for beginners.

History of Bear Mountain State Park

Operated by the Palisades Interstate Park Commission, Bear Mountain State Park played an important role in early conservation efforts in the United States and in the beginning of the Appalachian Trail.

The quick version: Early in the 20th century, the State of New York had advanced plans to relocate Sing Sing prison from the east side of the Hudson to Bear Mountain on the west. Mary Averell Harriman, the newly widowed wife of the Union Pacific Railroad titan, offered a million dollars and 10,000 acres to halt the prison relocation. She joined forces with Progressive Era politician George Waldridge Perkins, John D. Rockefeller, and J.P. Morgan to secure the land for a public park. 

The park opened in 1913, with the Bear Mountain Inn soon following in 1915. In October 1923, the first section of the Appalachian Trail was opened, a path from Bear Mountain westward through Harriman State Park to Arden, New York. From the 1920s to the late 1940s, a couple of steamboats ferried visitors from New York City to the park.

During the 1930s and the 1940s, the inn and its wide-open field served as training headquarters for the Brooklyn Dodgers, the New York Giants, and the New York Knickerbockers. The property is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  (Source: Wikipedia entry, Bear Mountain State Park).

The signage in the Trailside Museums and Zoo nicely preserves the look of early nature exhibits.

If visiting the park, do consider taking the trail to the Trailside Museum and Zoo via the underpass. On the way to the zoo, check out the splendid statue of Walt Whitman by sculptor Jo Davidson, or take a quick detour to see the park’s public swimming pool (you’ll want to jump in).

The pool at Bear Mountain State Park. Refreshing just to see.

The exhibits at the museums and zoo preserve the look and feel of the earliest nature trails from the 1920s. The nature trail and museums were the first of its kind in the United States. In addition, a quick jaunt from the zoo to Geology Point opens up great views of Bear Mountain Bridge and Anthonys Nose. In addition to its natural beauty, Bear Mountain was the site of several battles during the American Revolution.

View of Bear Mountain Bridge and Anthonys Nose

The Bear Mountain day trip (daily service) via Coach USA/ShortLine Bus departs Port Authority in New York City at 8:45 a.m. and also at 11:15 a.m. on the weekdays, depositing passengers at Bear Mountain Inn about 1.5 hours later. The return trip leaves the inn at 3:19 p.m., with an expected arrival time in New York at 5 p.m. Considering the hour of arrival at 5 p.m., i.e. rush hour, expect a delay. Check website for weekend schedule.
 
Bear Mountain is also popular in the golden colors of autumn and in the snows of winter.

Images by Walking Off the Big Apple from Thursday, June 15, 2017.

Actual bears
* On the weekend, day hikers may want to consider taking the Metro-North Hudson Line to the Manitou station (limited service) and walk over to Bear Mountain via the bridge. This may be a little tricky to navigate. In addition, the Metro-North Harlem Line makes weekend stops at the Appalachian Trail station.

• Be sure to bring a hat, sunglasses, bug spray, and sunscreen. Wear sturdy shoes. 

Resources:

Bear Mountain State Park Trail Map, pdf (New York State Park, Recreation, and Historic Preservation)

Bear Mountain Inn (website with many resources about the park)

Palisades Park Conservancy (Bear Park pool hours, etc.)

Trailside Museums and Zoos and Bear Mountain

Getting there by bus from Port Authority: Coach USA/ShortLine Bear Mountain State Park Day Trip

 
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A New York Spring Calendar: Blooming Times and Seasonal Events

See the UPDATED 2018 CALENDAR HERE . Updated for 2017 . At this time of year, thoughts turn to spring. Let's spring forward to blooming times, the best locations for witnessing spring's beginnings, and springtime events in the big city. While the occasional snow could blow through the city, we're just weeks now from callery pears in bloom and opening day at the ballpark. In The Ramble, Central Park. mid-April Blooming Times •  Central Park Conservancy's website  lists blooming times within the park. During the month of March we begin to see crocus, daffodils, forsythia, snowdrops, witch-hazel, and hellebores. Species tulips will emerge in several places, but the Shakespeare Garden and Conservatory Garden are particularly good places to catch the beginning of Spring blooms. Central Park near E. 72nd St., saucer magnolia, typically end of March. •  Citywide Blooming Calendar from New York City Department of Parks & Recreation April is u
Read more

Museums in New York Open on Mondays

Please see this post for current announcements of reopenings . Please consult the museum websites for changes in days and hours. UPDATED September 23, 2020 Advance tickets required for many museum reopenings. Please check museum websites for details. • The  Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)  reopened to the public on  August 27 , with new hours for the first month, through September 27: from 10:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday to the public; and from 10:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m.  on Mondays for MoMA members on ly. Admission will be free to all visitors Tuesday through Sunday, through September 27, made possible by UNIQLO. See this  new post on WOTBA for a sense of the experience attending the museum . •  New-York Historical Society  reopened on  August 14  with an outdoor exhibition, "Hope Wanted: New York City Under Quarantine,” in the rear courtyard. The exhibit by activist Kevin Powell and photographer Kay Hickman will highlight how New Yorkers weathered the quarantine
Read more

25 Things To Do Near the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)

(updated 2016) The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) at 11 W. 53rd Street is near many other New York City attractions, so before or after a trip to the museum, a short walk in any direction could easily take in additional experiences. Drawing a square on a map with the museum at the center, a shape bounded by 58th Street to the north and 48th Street to the south, with 7th Avenue to the west and Park Avenue to the east, proves the point of the area's cultural richness. (A map follows the list below.) While well-known sightseeing stops fall with these boundaries, most notably Rockefeller Center, St. Patrick's Cathedral, and the great swath of famous Fifth Avenue stores, cultural visitors may also want to check out places such as the Austrian Cultural Forum, the 57th Street galleries, the Onassis Cultural Center, and the Municipal Art Society. The image above shows an intriguing glimpse of the tops of two Beaux-Arts buildings through an opening of the wall inside MoMA's scu
Read more

25 Things to Do Near the American Museum of Natural History

After visiting the American Museum of Natural History, explore attractions on the Upper West Side or in Central Park. Visitors to New York often run around from one major tourist site to the next, sometimes from one side of the city to the other, and in the process, exhaust themselves thoroughly. Ambitious itineraries often include something like coffee in the Village in the morning, lunch near MoMA, a couple of hours in the museum, a ride on the Staten Island Ferry in the afternoon, cocktails at the midtown hotel, a quick dinner, and then a Broadway show. It's a wonder people don't pass out at the theater. While sitting on the steps of the American Museum of History, consider exploring the Upper West Side and nearby sites of interest in Central Park. There's a better way to plan a New York trip. Consider grouping attractions together geographically. Several posts on this site address this recommended approach. The Wild West of the Tecumseh Playground Groupin
Read more

The High Line and Chelsea Market: A Good Pairing for a Walk

(revised 2017) The advent of spring, with its signs of growth and rebirth, is apparent both on the High Line , where volunteers are cutting away the old growth to reveal fresh blooms, and inside the Chelsea Market, where new tenants are revitalizing the space. A walk to take in both can become an exploration of bounty and surprise, a sensual walk of adventure and sustenance. A good pairing for a walk: The High Line and Chelsea Market Walking the High Line for a round trip from Gansevoort to W. 30th and then back again adds up to a healthy 2-mile walk. Regular walkers of the elevated park look for an excuse to go there. Especially delightful is showing off the park, a model of its kind, to visitors from out of town. A stroll through Chelsea Market. Time check. If you haven't stopped into Chelsea Market lately, you may want to take a detour from the High Line at the stairs on W. 16th St. and walk through the market for a quick assessment or a sampling. Among the sampli
Read more

25 Things to Do Near the Metropolitan Museum of Art

(updated) Sitting on the steps in front of the Metropolitan Museum of Art is one of those iconic things to do in New York City. On a sunny day, the wide steps can become crowded with the young and old, the tourist and the resident. It's tempting to stay awhile and soak in the sun and the sights. Everyone has reasons for lingering there, with one being the shared pleasure of people watching along this expansive stretch of Fifth Avenue, a painting come to life. Certainly, just getting off one's feet for a moment is welcome, especially if the previous hours involved walking through the entirety of art history from prehistoric to the contemporary. The entrance to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Fifth Avenue The Metropolitan Museum of Art should be a singular pilgrimage, uninterrupted by feeble attempts to take in more exhibitions along Museum Mile. Pity the poor visitor who tries "to do" multiple museum exhibitions in one day, albeit ambitious, noble, and uplift
Read more

Taking a Constitutional Walk

A long time ago individuals going out for a walk, especially to get fresh air and exercise, often referred to the activity as "taking a constitutional walk." The word "constitutional" refers to one's constitution or physical makeup, so a constitutional walk was considered beneficial to one's overall wellbeing. (Or, as some would prefer to call it, "wellness.") The phrase is more common in British literature than in American letters. As early as the mid-nineteenth century, many American commentators expressed concern that their countrymen were falling into lazy and unhealthy habits. Newspaper columnists and editorial writers urged their readers to take up the practice of the "constitutional" walk. One such essay, " Walking as an Exercise," originally printed in the Philadelphia Gazette and reprinted in New England Farmer , Volume 11, 1859, urges the people of farm areas to take up walking. City dwellers seemed to have the
5 comments
Read more

Visiting New York on a Monday

Mondays are OK. Let's have a look at some of the museums open Mondays - • American Museum of Natural History • Jewish Museum • Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) • National Museum of the American Indian • Neue Galerie • Guggenheim Museum • South Street Seaport Museum Any of these museums could be paired with a nearby restaurant or bar, making a complete full afternoon or day in New York. Monday is especially good for a museum visit, because the crowds tend to be thinner, and restaurants, too, tend to be less busy than on a weekend. A fun museum and bistro walk on the Upper West Side would be a combination of the American Museum of Natural History and the nearby Cafe Lalo on W. 83rd St. I also would suggest a pairing of the Neue Galerie with a nearby cafe, but the two cafes inside the musuem are so good, why go anywhere else? Image above: The Guggenheim on left and Beaux-Arts townhouse on right. View from E. 88th St. by Walking Off the Big Apple.
Post a Comment
Read more

Introducing Birds of Inwood

Introducing a New Website It's been a moment since I posted last. Please forgive me. I have been in the forest down the street. After spending many of my leisure hours taking photographs of birds in my local neighborhood of Inwood, I am introducing to you a new website featuring these beautiful and often enigmatic creatures. It's called  Birds of Inwood . As I write there, "Inwood is my Amherst." With time, my advancing age, and the pandemic, I have learned to find depth and beauty in places close to home.  I have also found to my delight that designing a new website presents great opportunities. Birds of Inwood is pretty flashy! The birds are even larger than life on these new pages! Please visit. You'll be glad I didn't call it "Flying Off the Big Apple." Check out my forest home. - Teri
Post a Comment
Read more

14 Useful Mobile Apps for Walking New York City

Texting and walking at the same time is wrong. Talking on the phone while strolling down the street is wrong. Leaving the sidewalk to stop and consult the information on a cellphone, preferably while alone, is OK. What's on Walking Off the Big Apple's iPhone: A List Walkmeter GPS Walking Stopwatch for Fitness and Weight Loss . While out walking, Walkmeter tracks routes, time, speed, and elevation. This is an excellent app for recording improvised or impromptu strolls, especially with many unplanned detours. The GPS function maps out the actual route. The app keeps a running tally of calories burned while walking, useful for weight loss goals. Another welcome feature is the ability to switch over to other modes of activity, including cycling. An indispensable app for city walkers. $4.99  New York City Compass , designed by Francesco Bertelli, is an elegant compass calibrated for Manhattan, with indications for Uptown, East Side, Downtown, and West Side. While facing a cert
2 comments
Read more