How to Visit Bear Mountain

Originally planned as the Hudson Valley’s site of Sing-Sing Prison, Bear Mountain opened in July of 1913 when the prison was demolished and a dock was built for steamboat excursion traffic. The very first section of the Appalachian Trail was laid at Bear Mountain in October 1923, serving as a pattern for the other sections of the trail. This trail can take hikers as far south as the Delaware Water Gap. Welcoming more visitors annually than Yellowstone National Park, Bear Mountain is currently open 365 days a year and offers plenty for singles, couples or families to do.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Decide what season you want to go. No matter which of the four seasons you choose, Bear Mountain has a multitude of activities. To consider activities in each specific season to help aide your decision, follow steps 2 through 4. For information on the Bear Mountain Zoo that can be enjoyed year round, skip down to step 5.

2. Consider a fall getaway. Fall provides visitors with breathtaking views of fall foliage from scenic drives along such paths at Seven Lakes Drive and Perkins Memorial Drive (which was constructed almost entirely by hand). In October 2007, Bear Mountain hosted a Duathlon consisting of a run, then bike and than a second run. The run course was a 5k run around Hessian Lake, while the bike portion boasted two loops at 6.2 miles for each loop. Triathlons are sometimes scheduled as well, with swimming .5 miles in Hessian Lake as the third element. Revolutionary War re-enactments are also not uncommon fall events seen at the lodge at this time.

3. Consider a winter getaway. Winter visitors to the mountain often take advantage of cross-country skiing, sledding, ice-skating and snowmobiling. Enjoying a cup of hot cocoa at the Bear Mountain Lodge after a winter afternoon out on the mountain is a favorite winter-time activity, and visitors often make use of the lodge’s full-service restaurant as well. Around the holidays, the lodge and surrounding grounds are festively decorated with lights that can be appreciated from many different locations throughout the vast mountain area.

4. Know that spring and summer offer a variety of seasonal attractions conveniently located in this single area. Bear Mountain’s outdoor swimming pool is open from Memorial Day through Labor Day, offering a view of the mountains not accessible from other vantage points. Paddle boats as well as rowboats are available to rent at Hessian Lake, with picnic areas, playgrounds and hiking trails are scattered throughout the park. Near the lodge there’s the Merry-Go-Round, featuring hand-painted scenes of the park and 42 hand-carved seats of local animals including black bear, wild turkey and roosters.

5. Go to the Bear Mountain Zoo, open year round. It lets visitors get a real glimpse of many of the Merry-Go-Round animals indigenous to the area, such as the bald eagle, fox, black bear, river otter, owl, hawk, deer, bobcat, turkey and various types of fish. Small trailside museums highlight the area's history and nature. While you’re wandering through the trails leading towards the zoo, make sure to stop and visit the Walt Whitman statue that’s hiding in what seems like the middle of nowhere, yet seems to be in exactly the right spot.

6. Call the Bear Mountain Inn at [phone] for information on overnight stays, dining and special events at the Inn. For information on the park itself, trails, special events, swimming, boat rental or ice skating, call the park office at [phone].

[Rockney]

on 5/26/2009 Great article! 5*!