Bear Mountain

Something for everyone here! You have the zoo, the inn, picnic tables and hiking trails. You can hike or drive to the top. The state park is clean and well maintained. Some entrances maybe closed and roads are one lane in each direction. My group and I enjoyed strolling around the base of the hike and taking in the view

I've known about Bear Mountain State Park, not too far north of New York City as the crow flies, for a while. On a temperate holiday weekend, I drove up here with a friend who had been here many years ago, but didn't remember much about it. It's really not that far. With the exception of Long Island stretching over 100 miles, everything in the Tri-state New York area seems more compact than out West ... when traffic is flowing well. The state park is on the west side of the Hudson River and we reached it by continuing up the Palisades Parkway from New Jersey. I recommend going midweek if it's summertime. During other times of the year, every day should be okay if it's not a holiday. We were driving along on this landscaped highway, complete with stone arch bridges as if the Merritt Parkway, and it was going fairly smoothly until we got to the base of the mountain. On this holiday weekend, state park employees were preventing or metering how many vehicles could continue on the access road upward. We drove along aimlessly on nearby roads for a short while and then tried again. Luck prevailed in that the roadblocks had just been removed and we were able to drive up Bear Mountain. Other reviewers mention the pool, the lodge, and other recreational facilities in addition to lakes and trails, but we came here for the summit and its view. The road up is a windy one, so proceed cautiously. If anything, the natural environment here reminds you that there's a very different world outside of and not very far from New York City. There will different types of of vegetation and wildlife here and, with its name Bear Mountain, there will indeed be bears, but not of the type that are likely to "meet and greet." Up at the top of Bear Mountain is a rusticated stone tower - the Perkins Memorial Tower - as well as limited parking, trails, and benches. On this holiday weekend, the tower was closed to the public. The views available from the trails were still captivating and made it worth the trip. But I'm sure going up to the top of the tower would just give you a better view over the surrounding vegetation. In addition to the views, the topography, and the natural environment, the diversity of the people here is amazing, and I mean that in a good way. It went without saying that, in addition to people visiting from outside the area, many of those present who do reside in the Tri-state New York City area may not be native to the U.S. Thus, it's always interesting to try to figure out where they're from ... at least it is for me. I'm saving the best for last. After parking the car near the tower, descending on the trails on the slope of Bear Mountain gave a faint view of Manhattan's skyline over the hills and valleys in front of us. I was mesmerized by this. Autumn is most likely my favorite season and this state park could be a fine place to take in autumnal color midweek when there's "coffee weather" - cooler, comfortably overcast, and with fewer people. Picking up the car, having lunch, and driving up here chewed up the lion's share of the day. As such, we later crossed the Hudson on the Bear Mountain Bridge and ended up in Westchester County, thus shortchanging the time dedicated to seeing some of its highlights. I've been to Westchester County before, but for more "official" purposes, and realize more and more that it's worth going back to ... and exploring it slowly as well. Crossing the Hudson River into Westchester County and driving through it heading south made for an interesting way to reenter New York City. You can see that you're presented with what is an interesting loop trip: crossing the Hudson and up through New Jersey toward the state park and back down south, remaining in New York State ... or up through New York State, crossing the Hudson toward the state park, and then back down south through New Jersey. Either way, you can't go wrong with a well planned trip to scenic and verdant Bear Mountain State Park.

THE GOOD ---------------- + LOTS of trails of all levels if you're into hiking. + The Hessian Lake Loop is a super easy walking path for those with families, has a great view of the lake and mountain and has many picnic tables surrounding it. + The Trailside Museums & Zoo is located not too far from the Hessian Lake Loop and is totally, 100% free! And you WILL actually see animals, including a black bear, porcupine and bobcat! + There are vending machines randomly located throughout the park. Yes, they are pricey, but, if you're desperate you'll fork up the $$$ for a beverage or snack. + There are public restrooms every once in awhile by Hessian Lake. + There are multiple parking lots at the park that charge $10. + There is a massive field, perfect for a game of frisbee or any sport requiring a lot of space, between the Carousel and the Bear Mountain Inn. THE NOT SO GOOD ---------------------------- - Nothing! This park has a little bit of everything for everyone.

Beautiful place to go unwind, swim, bbq and much more. It was my 1st time here and I loved it. I want to definitely come back we got there pretty late around 1-2pm on the weekend. But it was nice still. The area we were in they only had trash cans no bags but we brought our own the staff were cleaning certain areas but the area we decided to pick to bbq they didn't clean. The kids loved the pool. Many access to bathrooms but I just hoped they would clean it a bit more frequently or add tissue at least. There was even someone who came and played on a guitar for entertainment. They had a nice lake that you could paddled in and different hiking trails. Definitely worth a visit.

You can never go wrong with this place! This is a beautiful place with great views from the top and from the bottom. Lots of things to do. A perfect place to spend the day with family. It has pool(affordable fee).. carousel (affordable fee)..pedal boat(affordable fee)...a zoo(free) and for active people it has a lot of trails and is apparently connected to the Appalachian Trail. Parking is $10 per carbut worth every dollar as it is well maintained!

I had a fantastic time at the base of the mountain. Friday nights they have live music and beer! They had a guy singing old tunes and entertaining the crowd really well, as he sung really well. The guy had talent, he sung many popular songs from the 60's, 70's as well as some more current music and played a guitar and did them all well. He had the crowd singing along on many of the songs.

I've been to Bear mountain as a child for school trips. The first time I returned as an adult was during my hiking excursion period and I was working my way from beginner to intermediate hiking. lol. I was with a hiking group and baby I said my azz need to still be in the beginner level after that tough hike. I mean we climbed some huge boulders and i was very proud after the fact but said never again! The views from the top were beautiful. My most recent trip i told my friend no hiking. lol. We visited via the circle line cruise to see the fall foliage. This visit was perfect. We did some very light walking with a little incline nothing too strenuous. We visited the little zoo and aquarium that was cool. We checked out the beautiful lake and saw people on paddleboard enjoying the beautiful weather. We ate lunch at one of the cafes and surprisingly the food was good. There is beautiful green scenery everywhere. The fall foliage was awesome and it felt great being out in nature. Definitely a place to check out for hiking, walking or just relaxing.

I would rate it a one start but don't want to rate this beautiful place that for people's nasty attitude. Staff here is very rude and not helpful at all not sure if we came at the wrong time but there was nothing to do the staff wasn't helpful we drove an hour so we were a little disappointed. But next time we will do further research I guess. But it's beautiful. So foggy when we went and parking is for 10$ but we paid 10$ and did nothing. I guess one day I will be back and try and check it out again. It was also a little wet and rainy when we went.

As a Brooklyn native and someone who is truly bound by city life, I have little in common with the folks who hike in state parks as though it were a totally pedestrian activity. Fortunately I have upstate friends who knew the intricacies of the many different hiking trails of Bear Mountain so well they could help up me choose one that was just a step above beginner level. My friends drove me up, looked at my converse sneakers and warned that I should invest in proper hiking shoes if I ever wanted to do this again. Most of the trail was fine but while climbing some rocks I found myself wishing for more traction than my smooth bottomed converse sneaks could provide. Since I'm a hiking newb I did not pack more than a sandwich bag full of almonds and a bottle of water, and craving a little sugar boost my partner and I ran over to a vending machine. I should say I never in a million years would ever of my own volition would select an M&M ice cream sandwich from anywhere, and definitely not the vending machine in a state park. But he got one. It was not past its expiration date, but I can only describe the texture of the ice cream as looking spongey. It was super gross but also memorable. Just as I was growing weary and wary of endless brush and trail, we were rewarded with a stunning view-- a beautiful vista that would rival a microsoft desktop wallpaper (a site I'm sadly more used to seeing than actual grass, probably lol). I guess this is what people do it for. I'm inspired to touch grass more frequently, and Bear Mountain is not a bad place to do that at.

It's been some time since I visited this area, this most recent visit we took a circle line tour ride which was so easy am surprised I didn't know they did that. Early morning cruise ride to catch the fall foliage so nice , peaceful & relaxing u kind off felt like u were not in NY but more like on vacation in the mountains somewhere. U have the lovely scenery coming in & once u arrive at the park u can go about your leisure , walk the trail take in the views. They have a small Zoo & places to get some food. We had an enjoyable afternoon this was a nice way to spend the day.

BEST MOUNTAIN EVER. Very nice trail up the mountain almost impossible to get lost. They literally have everything I recommend going on a weekday and in the morning it's quite empty at that time!! You can stop anytime while hiking there's a lot of spaces to stop at and giant rocks to sit at, no one's judging ya. Fellow hikers are very friendly remember to greet everyone you pass! PS. You can find some interesting critters here too.

Bear Mountain was our plan B when a trip to Lake welch did not pan out/ close due to Algae bloom. This state park is huge, entrance is free with empire pass. So many things to do... go swim, stroll around the lake , fish for trout, have a picnic, visit the zoo or go hiking. The place is huge, parking is free with empire pass. There are bathrooms too. If you love to be sorrounded by nature, this park is the place to be

The park itself is so beautiful! Especially during the fall season when the leaves are changing colors. Many trails to hike, pedal boating and areas to bbq. If you need to use the bathroom however, I would recommend to hold it in. If the toilet wasn't clogged with toilet paper and poop there was used toilet paper on the floor. One of the stalls even had poop on the walls. Def not maintained on a regular basis. Supposedly the state is responsible for cleaning. If that is true they should be ashamed of themselves. Very disgusting and unsanitary!!!

Do not recommend in fall, park only had a few animals and is very uninteresting. Will get loss if you explore by yourself. Not really interactiv.

Great for walks run hiking. Bring your dog! The trails are marked and the place is peaceful.

Have you been to Bear Mountain State Park? If that answer is no, you're missing out. The view is breathtaking and spacious. There's a lot of great places to take photos and commemorate moments. There's also a lot of thing to do. If you ever just want to get out, this is the place to go. Just keep in mind that you may likely enter some dead zones when it comes to phone service. Then again, that may end up benefiting you so that you can take the time to experience everything away from the lense.

Love this State Park no matter which season it is! All the hiking trails were closed due to storm damage, so we just did the easy loop walking around the lake. The trail was extremely easy, paved and about 1 mile. We then drove up to the Perkins Memorial Tower to view from the top of the bottom. Awesome view! The tower was open and we climbed up to explore. The wall/tiles in the tower indicated lots of interesting information /facts about Bear Mountain and its surrounding areas. My oldest boy enjoyed reading these fun facts a lot. Huge parking lot by the inn and up in Perkins Memorial Tower. There is a $10 parking fee for parking by the parking lot 1 (by the Inn). Great place to spend a day with friends and family.

I don't think I've ever had a bad experience at bear mountain. They've got great hiking trails and great views along the way. Everyone has been pretty respectful as far as I've seen and it's just always an overall good day when I go! There is a $10 parking fee per car when you park at the bottom for the hiking trails but I've recently driven to the top (Perkins memorial tower) and it's free to drive up there! I definitely recommend that option if you are unable to climb to the top so you can still enjoy the great views! You can even see the Manhattan skyline on a nice clear day :)

fallen into disrepair!!! Main Inn paint is peeling,dumpster shed in back of it is collapsed,carosel building boards on dormers loose and metal roof hip blown off or vtwisted,handrail to zoo is missing,concrete onramp poor condition,slates on various roofs missing or gone....beches with rotted boards or entirly missing boards....they are just letting it go downhill!!

Bathroom house near the lake closest to the Bear Mountain gift shop was full of mold all over the walls and the sink was running continuously and wouldn't shut off so water was just pouring over the floor who knows for how long. Told a bear mountain manager I saw in the cafe and he said it was the states responsibility to upkeep these bathrooms but obviously they're not. Filthy, unsanitary and no soap so had to go into the gift shop for sanitizer. If you have to go to the bathroom, I wouldn't suggest going here. Go beforehand elsewhere!

I haven't been to many state parks in my life but this place is beautiful. Definitely not in NYC anymore driving up to this place. I do wish though that I had done just a little more research before we went since we went on a sunny Saturday and it was PACKED. Our plan was to visit the lighthouse and enjoy the views but we didn't really get to enjoy ourselves with that many people around. The area is generally clean and kept well. My advice would be to visit during the week if possible to avoid the mega crowds. Do it!

Different types of trails and levels depending on what kind of hike you want to go on. Be prepared to climb on some rocks if you're going on the steep trail. There's a parking lot. It's $10 on weekends. The views are beautiful. Dogs are allowed. Can get crowded on weekends.

This is a nice park, but the close proximity to NYC means it can get quite crowded on weekends when the weather is nice. Expect to hit traffic when you are still a good distance from the park if you are visiting under these conditions. There is also a $10 parking fee, although subsequent to paying that, I did discover a possible way to visit the park and avoid it. More about that later. A friend and I met at the park for the purpose of walking over the Hudson River on the Bear Mountain Bridge. I had previously walked over the Hudson with this same friend at the officially named "Walkway Over the Hudson" State Park (rated 5). That walkway goes over the Mid-Hudson Bridge between Highland and Poughkeepsie. The two river crossings are very different. The WOTH is designed to be highly amenable to people crossing the river, either on foot or by bike, skating, etc. It is amply wide, has several rest areas with benches, historic markers, and info graphs describing the scenic views. The BMB crossing is part of the Appalachian trail, and perhaps in adherence to the notion of being sparse and rugged in the midst of wilderness, it is notably less amenable. It is narrow enough so that, if you pass people coming in the other direction, will you need to squeeze past each other. There are benches on either side of the bridge, but none on the bridge itself. The narrowness of the trail makes them unfeasible. The other kinds of tourist enhancements found on WOTH are also lacking. The scenery around BMB is more natural wilderness, and the walk is also shorter. This is a particularly narrow part of the lower Hudson, so it will take less time to make a full crossing and return. Regarding the potential free parking: Both going over the bridge and coming back, we saw what appeared to be free public parking spaces in a pullover area just before the bridge on the south side of Route 202. There were no signs indicating limitations or restrictions; it appeared that anyone could park there. There aren't a lot of these spaces, but there were some available both times we went by. If you are coming to the park specifically to walk across the river, definitely see if you can park here before going into the park. These spots would also be fine for anyone who wanted to do other things in the park--it's an easy walk from there, which does make one wonder why more people weren't using them. Although the 3 rating I give the park is strictly based on my objective experience with it, there was something else happening that day that was a hindrance to any sort of pleasure: It was the last day that radio station WCBS news radio 880 was broadcasting. My friend and I both felt a sense of loss, and we talked about it during our time together. The station had been a touchstone in both of our lives for a long time (starting in 1970 for me), and while listening to the station driving both to and from the park, I had several powerfully emotional moments. After arriving home I listened on the livestream for the last several hours, up until the final sign-off just after midnight. I will always associate that event with my visit here, but it definitely did not "spoil" the visit. I suggest going at an off-peak time for a more enjoyable experience, and do see if you can park in one of those free spots before entering.

I've been to Bear Mountain a few times to walk around the lake, check out the zoo and eat at the inn. The inn's food wasn't very memorable, I think I probably got a burger or chicken fingers or something. It was cool to walk around the zoo but I feel bad for the animals being kept in solitude for our amusement. I went back the Monday after the 4th of July. I usually take the parkway, but the directions said "recommended route" and I followed it. I was happy I did. Seven lakes road was beautiful the whole way. It went through Harriman's state park and past a few other areas I'd like to check out as well. This place was busy! It's a great place to picnic or BBQ because of all the scenery and activities. You can rent a paddleboat and go out on the lake. The one time I tried one of these boats, I thought I did way too much pedaling and wasn't going anywhere. There was a skating rink, basketball court, jungle gym and a merry go round for the kids. There were 2 different trails up the mountain. I think I did the shorter one before, and I was ready to try the longer trail to the tip of the mountain. I started following blue but then switched to white markers. Wow, they basically used rocks and made a stairway up the entire mountain. This was definitely one of if not the best trail I have ever taken. There was a lot of people on the trail and a few lookouts along the way up. All the dogs seemed to be happy but the kids who were dragged on the trail looked miserable. I was happy there was a recycling bin and garbage bag for me to get rid of all the trash I picked up along the way. There was a lot of people on top of mountain taking pictures so it was hard to get a good photo or enjoy my reward for climbing up the mountain. Of course the lookout tower was closed, I did see a sign somewhere that said it would be. I didn't want to go down the mountain the same way I came and some of the reviews said that it was a loop. So I located a white marker on the other side of the mountain and started going down. This trail had a completely different vibe as there were much less rock steps and the trail had a lot of gravel. There were a few secluded areas and a lot of great views along the way. I saw the blue markings which I think went back to the inn, but kept going. I didn't realize that the white markers I was following said 1777. I had no service and very little power on my phone. I came along a display which explained this trails historical significance and then to the road. I had service and saw that I could get back by walking 3 miles up the Parkway. I did that because I had no idea where this trail was going. When I got back, the zoo was closed. I saw a other trail close to where I parked and it bright me to a sign for Doodletown. It looks like the trail for 1777 would have brought me back and I would have gotten to see some ruins and a waterfall song the way. I went to drive up the mountain but the scenic ride up was closed. There's tons of stuff to do in this area. I'm going to go back another time to check out the zoo, the doodletown path and drive to the mountain. I recommend you check it out as well. I suggest planning what you're going to do so you don't miss out.

The state was much younger and kinder a place to live and an hour trip north might as well have been a trip to Maine's Northern wood, or the outstretches of the Midwest prarie - for you see, this was many years ago. And to a seven year old, I watched with tremendous anticipation until the date on the calendar reached the square with BEAR MT penned in. My evil sister (affectionately refers to as Sister Sledge - as in Hammer) told me that The Bear was imprisoned under the ski jump and had no hope for release. So now I really couldn't wait, for it was to be my job to free The Bear, no matter the cost. The ice skating rink -- where all your troubles just seem to fade away into the atmosphere, into the stars that shine a little light down upon you on a clear night. As gregarious as a family as I was born into - we all (Dad, sis and I) all had our own ice skates. I loved the feeling of lacing up, the steel blades first contact with the cool shiny ice, the scarf fluttering behind your shoulder. And what a special treat it would be if a little snow vegan to fall, music lightly cascading in the back, floating across the sky. Sleigh riding on my Arrow, belly down and turning mechanisms well oiled and no brakes to prevent a forward plunge into the parking lot of thethree early teens stacked up upon each other. There were hay bails, very cold and therefore with little to no give and I face planted once, like a ram rod (the bottom layer always gets more impact it seems) and the hay swiped bloody scars across my cheeks, it was awesome! There was cider in the lodge and I recall sipping on one by the hearth of the fire. Feeling my cheeks warm, the cinnamon swizzle sticks aroma and the woolen sweater holding me like a blanket. Yes, those were some of the best days.

During the last 5 months given the pandemic, we've been doing a lot of hiking since otherwise, we be sitting at home doing nothing. We went to many different nearby trails and its generally the same. Our friends invited us to Bear Mountain and we had the best hiking experience ever. A quick tip, you can also download the trail map and use the Avenza Map (from your app store) which gives you real time GPS tracking of your movement on the map. The hike was 4 miles long and took us 4 hours, we did take plenty of break, ate lunch and generally took our time. The rock scramble was the most interesting part and we went early enough, we feel like there weren't really a large crowd. According to our friends, it was much busier the last time they went. There are bathrooms at the main parking lot along with vending machine that sells snacks, soft drinks and ice cream! There are vending machines at the top but they were out of order when we last went. Overall we had a good time and will most likely go back again.

Escaped the city for the day to get some fresh air. During these crazy times of covid I have to say this was needed. This state park is so beautiful and the Hudson valley is one of the most beautiful places on the east. Close enough from the city to get to. Packed with bugs. Like the second we came out of the car we were attacked. There's picnic benches and playgrounds and beautiful scenery. They have tons of fishing spots. Please remember to keep your area clean and pick up after yourself. What you bring in bring it out. No litter bugs allowed!

Absolutely loved the hike in the park. I had such a good time hiking the white trail . If there was more signage I'd be able to tell you the name of the trail I did but unfortunately I have no idea. My only negative comment would be to add signs to each trail and even add distances indicators because a lot of people including my boyfriend and I were not sure how far we were tot he too nor did know what trail we were even on. It was the only trail that looked popular so we did it. It would be nice to know what trail is what and I don't mean just by looking at a map in a piece of paper. The trail was definitely well maintained and in good condition. The park alone itself was huge , had a lot of options between trials , picnic tables , ice skating in the winter, a carousel, information office. Plenty of space for family's to play sports/games. I did like that the staff went around and have our trash bags to guests making food shows that they care and ensures people clean up after themselves . The bathrooms were fair but unfortunately the women's bathroom did not have any soap to wash your hands thank god I had sanitizer. They did have vending machines including snacks , drinks and even an ice cream vending machine all of them which you don't need cash for and you can use your credit card. The park had about two huge parking lot which did seem to fill up quickly. Parking was free which was nice.

Bear Mountain State Park has a lake for boating, hiking trails, a carousel, a swimming pool, and an inn. I liked the view of the bridge from the pier.

Bear Mountain is a really nice State Park with a cute rehab zoo. You really can't go on the weekends in the summer; mobbed is an understatement! But during a non summer weekday, it's really nice to walk around

Great spot to come visit and just get out of the city. It's near West Point. I live in NYC and it takes about an hour and ~20min to get here. If there is no traffic it is abt an hour. I've been here a few times and brought my dogs to walk around. There are great spots to hike or you can walk around the lake). It is pretty peaceful. I usually bring my own lunch but there is an Inn where you can get food. We usually spend a few hours here walking around so gotta bring some foo and snacks! There are plenty of picnic tables and I saw a few groups cooking bbq with stuff that they brought. There are real bathrooms, they can get a bit dirty but that is because there are actually a lot of people who come to visit here. There is an ice rink and I saw online that there is a pool during the summer. I've been here in the fall and winter so i didn't see the pool. I also saw signs for the zoo but I dont think it was open when we went.

Beautiful place to escape the city for a day! I will say though that the hike up to Bear Mountain was a bit intense for me, but the view was well worth it! I recommend going during the week to avoid the large crowds. Parking is also free during the week!

Just completed a mommy & me hike here. The lake trail is paved and navigable by stroller. For the adventurous there is also a nice path with lots of stairs that leads upwards a nice elevation gain. Def felt tired and hungry by the end. Was such a beautiful day and perfect socially distanced outdoor activity near NYC

Hiked at Bear Mountain State Park on Friday morning. A busy park due in part to its proximity to the City and its different trails ranging in difficulty. Worth a visit, but choose a quieter weekday. Quality: Bear Mountain State Park is a large recreation area in the Hudson Valley. The park has numerous different activities that can be done throughout the year including boating, ice skating, and even a carousel, but on a lovely fall day most folks were hiking or picnicking. The Appalachian Trail runs through the park, and it is a fairly easy hike to the top of the mountain via the structured pathway. For the more adventurous, the Major Welch Trail offers a more challenging trek with some rock scrambling involved. Quantity: Bear Mountain State Park is over 5,000 acres, and has miles of hiking trails. The loop we took was a 3.8 miles and required a little over 2 hours. Value: $10 for parking on the weekend, free during the week. Ambiance: Bear Mountain State Park is located in Hudson Valley, situated between the Harriman State Park and the Hudson River. The massive park has forest terrain that provides a great setting for an autumn adventure. We were just a tad early for the peak leave change, but still saw a significant amount of color on our way to the top. And there are plenty of spots along the way up to gaze out at the beautiful region. Crowd: Even on a weekday the trails were pretty packed. The milder Appalachian Trail portion is significantly busier than the Major Welch Trail. Service: The trails are well marked and extremely clean, especially considering the large number of visitors. Parking: Massive paved parking lot at the base of the trail.

Such a fun place to go! Was there for the first time the weekend before Memorial Day weekend. Was hot but walked over 2 hours here! There's a zoo, a lake, a pool, and plenty of space to grill! Definitely planning on going back!

Must visit. Beautiful park, lot of activities to do. Nice place for a picnic. Busy on a weekend.

I try to avoid any form of strenuous activities. I only visit hiking places for the scenery and views that afford beauty and tranquility. A transient commune with nature. Then go back to my usual humdrum existence. Since we were a group of clueless non hikers, we ended up trekking unintentionally, the Major Welch Trail. With our pups! I'm sure this is a piece of cake to experienced hikers, but I had to combat a potential body cramps after triumphantly completing the unwelcomed challenge. I would say, that the view on top is worth it. If there were less people, we would stay longer. The descent was as hard to my knees and lumbar spine as the ascent was to my heart and lungs. Not sure whether my organs were cheering me on, or cursing me. Will I ever do it again? No way! But am I glad I did it? Hell, yeah!

This is not my favorite hike in the NY area. Still, it's a fun day out. Be warned, some of the hikes are a little challenging for beginners with steep rocks to climb. Also half of the hike is nothing but stairs. Great workout, but make sure to wear appropriate shoes.

A must visit place for hiking, mushrooms, view and falling autumn leaves !!! Autumn is the season to appreciate its beauty to the fullest!

It's always so crowded by people who are not Interested in hiking.... they take out the grill, blast annoying music and sit there all day making the parking quite difficult on week ends... the trail is nice and short but super crowded by inexperienced hikers who would rather block you and not let you pass which is the most annoying thing when you hike. Definitely not the best option in the area!

Went there as a kitten d to ice skate and watch the ski jumping. Now go to walk the lake and Zoo. They still have the ice skating and now a carousel that is lovely. The Inn is wonderful. Order a drink and watch the roaring fire in the spectacular fireplace. They also have a restaurant and hotel, cabins you can rent and you can also walk down the the dock on the Hudson River, where steamboats used to dock.

We love this park but it's not our first choice. We have an empire pass - so we don't pay extra for parking but they do charge. Walking around the lake, kayaking, ice skating, the merry-go-round and the zoo make it a bit over populated (very kid friendly). Today was the first nice day in a while and my 11:00am the parking lot was already full so there were cars parked everywhere a spot could be found. We find the events like Octoberfest not the best quality with too few providers for too many people. We thought of trying the restaurants "but while waiting f to be seated thought against it and left.

Beautiful park . Hiking . boating . ice skating , spectacular views of the Hudson RIver , ample parking , nice dining areas . Close to New York city. Close to Harriman State Park which has camping sites . As with other areas with many deer , protect yourself against Lyme tics with a good insect repellent sprayed liberally over your whole body . Have another person help you check from head to toe after hiking in these areas . I caught Lyme twice in upstate New York and luckily I caught it early so that I was able to treat it with antibiotics .

Excellent park, really amazing views of the mountains and the lake. Appalachian trail climb was also wonderful and fun. The trail is really long but most people were going to the first scenic spot- but go just beyond to the falls area which was really beautiful with the foliage. Download Avenza app which is really great for the climb when your signal disappears. It marks your position on GPS. The colors of fall trees was great esp on the climb. Parking management is excellent- for $10 you can park the car and there are rangers to guide you which was great.

"Holy Rattlesnake Batman!!" I freaking love Bear Mountain State Park because it offers something for everyone from recreational activities right there near the Bear Mountain Inn to hiking adventures from novice up to expert levels. I've only ever done very few of the recreational activities at the main center of the Bear Mountain park. My love for this area really is the hiking trails it offers. There are short trails near the main area of the Inn with trails that span from the Inn parking lot all the way to Suffern, NY. I haven't hiked all the trails this massive park has because it does merge with Harriman State Park but I have hiked the entire span of both Bear Mountain and Harriman which is about 27 miles from North to South. Bear Mountain offers the hardest sections of hiking trails with the Harriman section offering easier trails (in my opinion). I'm an avid hiker so my review really is from the perspective of such. I never really visit Bear Mountain with the intent of enjoying the recreational activities. Pro Tips: Arrive before 8am and parking at the Inn is free (no attendant to charge you) and if you love hiking like I do be cautious of rattlesnakes.

I love biking and hiking here. On weekends it gets pretty crowded. But during the week it's less crowded. The trails are well maintained and well marked. I've raced here as well and it's really easy to train on the trails here- I would also suggest getting a map, just to be safe. There are some spots that are a little confusing, but with a map it's easier to find your way. The views from the fire tower are pretty amazing as well! I'd definitely suggest stopping there on your way out.

This place is gorgeous!!! I am an outdoorsy girl but winter is so hard to be stuck inside. I dragged my kids out on a foggy, wet day and we finally went to this place. We parked by the hotel and walked to the zoo. You guys, the zoo and museum are about a mile walk. I had no idea and I had a toddler with me I ended up carrying so- just letting others know w kids, bring a stroller for littles. The zoo is just a $1 per person donation. They have fox, bears, coyotes, snakes, beavers, ducks and swans! I had so much fun reading all the random facts and information. Did you know they think Bear mountain got its name from the top of the mountain being too icy to grow plants or trees and calling it "bare mountain"??? Great trip to get outside with anyone and enjoy!!! Also let's the kids learn. There was a bald eagle! He was so much bigger in person. In the summer there is a pool you can swim in, right now they had ice skating but it was raining so we just went to the carousel. Wonderful, beautifully scenic place that I can't wait to go b

Please note this review is based on 1 visit. Disappointed. Drove an hour from lower westchester. I arrived at Bear Mountain around 4:30pm. The drive was stunning. Picturesque scenery. I have an Empire Pass so no charge for parking. Upon arrival I asked the traffic officer if parking in the Bear Mountain Inn lot would gain me access to the trails...yes! Perfect I was pumped. As an avid runner this would be my first time exploring the trails/BM. At the parking attendant booth the kid point to the white "trail steward" tent. He explains that the stewards would advise me on which trail is best to run. This must be heaven. I arrive at the tent and greeted by the trail stewards. Using an oversized map, we carve out a simple 6 mile run. My last question...do these trails get crowded. He replied "yes" but not this late in the day. Fabulous! Up the stairs behind the tent...I'm off. I'll spare the running details because only a runner would care. The trail itself was PACKED. Hard to enjoy the serenity of nature when you're among throngs of people. It doesn't attract the best element of people either. I was surprised. Every scenic point had at least a small crowd of people congregating to look at a valley. Why? PEOPLE CAN DRIVE TO THE TOP?! Cars, motorcycles, motor scooters...you name it and it's zooming up the paved road leading to the tower. Ridiculous. Once reaching the summit it's like an outdoor concert. People smoking, drinking, hanging off of dangerous rocks, garbage all over, music blasting...what a nightmare. This crowd is a combination of tourists and locals. Really bad. I ran back down as there's NOTHING peaceful about this place. Awful. Headed home. Granted this was a limited experience in a giant place. You can catch the AT trail which runs 2000+ miles between Georgia and Maine, that's cool. Overall, not for me. Sorry to go against the grain with this review but if you're looking for an escape...this is not the place. This is the local bar, with a beautiful view. People wore workout clothes and DROVE up. Hysterical. Maybe it's the air around Indian Point...

For yearrrrs (and I really do mean years) Hubby and I have driven past the exits for Bear Mountain and said "we should go hiking some time!" And then on a random (and very warm) Sunday in June we decided enough talk - lets go! I started off in really good spirits. Even the 90 minute drive from Brooklyn didn't get me down. I had my workout (/hiking) gear on. Nike's laced up. Camera charged and bottles of water at the ready. I tried my best to stay in good spirits, but that mountain kicked my ass, you guys. I work out occasionally but nothing could have prepared my little legs for the incline of the Appalachian Trail and all of those steps. Ah! Quads were burning allll the way up and down that mountain. Don't let my cries discourage you though! The view from the top is nothing short of amazing an sooo worth the pain and sweat. Reaching the top was an awesome moment of accomplishment especially when you look out and see nothing but blue skies and puffy white clouds. A few random things of note: - Parking is $10 for the day. - We arrived around 10:30 on a Sunday morning and the parking lot was already getting filled up. Most people were picnicking by the lake though, as opposed to hiking. - Could not for the life of us find a legit map. The front desk to the Lodge had one but it was poor. There was a half map inside the gift shop but really only highlighted the lake. AND there's basically no service up on the mountain. So finding the initial trail was a bit tricky. Luckily the Appalachian was clearly marked so it was easy enough to follow. - There are not, however, mile markers of any kind. It's a bit disheartening when you don't know how far you've gone and how far you have left. Although some folks may like the idea of not knowing. - Need a bathroom? Try the Lodge. Relatively clean restrooms behind the front desk. And the place is air conditioned. - There are several lookout points along the trail - all of them offering up fantastic views.