Day Trip to Bear Mountain

Spring, summer, fall, winter.  It’s not always easy to find a destination that makes a great day trip at any time of year. In fact, it can be a bear!  Or in this case – Bear Mountain State Park. Less than two hours away and nestled in the beautiful Hudson Highlands area of New York, it is considered the jewel of the Palisades Interstate Park System and includes the first segment of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail. Its extensive facilities include picnic groves, playing fields, basketball courts, and nature trails, a swimming pool and bathhouse in summer and an ice skating rink in winter, rowboat docks on picturesque Hessian Lake, a museum and zoo, a bird refuge, an historic tower, and even an iconic carousel ride. There’s plenty of parking, for $8 per car. When hunger hits in the midst of what is sure to be a fun-filled day, there are refreshment stands and a restaurant. 

Although primarily a daytime destination, the property is also home to the Bear Mountain Inn, a rustic, historic building built in 1915 that recently underwent extensive renovations to return it to its original splendor.  With a listing on the National Register of Historic Places, the inn provides overnight accommodations, fine dining, banquet facilities, and a gift shop.  Guests staying at any of the onsite lodges will have the chance to take in breathtaking views of the lake and the Hudson River Valley.  If you’re planning to visit on a Sunday, you may want to sample the Champagne Sunday Brunch at the Overlook Lodge for a delicious buffet meal in a gorgeous setting.

From May through September, Bear Mountain hosts weekly Cruise Night car shows on the expansive grounds, held on Wednesday evenings (weather permitting) and featuring music, vendors, raffles, prizes, giveaways, and delicious food for the whole family to enjoy. Later in the fall, crowds come out for the annual Oktoberfest celebration. And for those steamy dog days of summer that remain, the busy public pool is open daily. Lockers are available (bring your own lock) and the fee is just $2 for adults, $1 for children ages six to 12, and free for kids age five and under. During the winter months, glide across the ice at the outdoor Bear Mountain Skating Rink. Open from November through March, weather permitting, the rink offers various public and private skate sessions, as well as special holiday schedules; be sure to check online for dates, hours, and pricing. 

The Trailside Museums and Zoo, located on 40 acres on a bluff overlooking the Hudson River, is a home for rehabilitated wild animals, many of which have permanent injuries that limit their ability to survive in the wild, and some that were raised in captivity and never learned to fend for themselves. The animals are given excellent medical attention and daily care by dedicated zookeepers. These “animal ambassadors” include mammals such as bears, coyotes, opossums, porcupines, otters, beavers, and deer; birds such as eagles, owls, woodpeckers, hawks, turkeys, and vultures; amphibians like toads, frogs, newts, and salamanders; and reptiles like snakes and turtles. Animal lovers are invited to “adopt an animal” and donate to the museums and zoo, with funds used for food, medical care, supplies, and upkeep. The facilities are open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with a suggested donation of $1 per visitor.

Another special place for wildlife is Iona Island, a 129-acre parcel that was used as a military post during the Revolutionary War, a Navy ordnance plant in World War I, and an expanded naval ammunition area during World War II. Of the nearly 150 buildings that were there when it was decommissioned by the Navy in 1947, now only six remain and Iona Island has returned to its natural state. Migratory birds visit there in the summer and bald eagles call it home in the winter. Now designated by the National Park Service as a National Natural Landmark, the island is one of four wetlands that make up the Hudson River Estuarine Reserve.

Want to go for a special spin? Then be sure to check out the Bear Mountain Merry-Go-Round, which features hand-painted scenes of the park and hand-carved seats of native animals. The carousel is open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday, and rides cost just $1 per person. It sits in an inviting 8,000-square-foot pavilion with a viewing area, fireplace, snack stand, and cozy catering space.

And if you want to take your visit to new heights, make your way up the steep, winding route to the Perkins Memorial Tower, which stands 1,305 feet above the Hudson River. Inaugurated in 1934, it served as a weather station and fire lookout until the 1950s and offers amazing 360-degree panoramic views of the nearby Hudson River, the Bear Mountain Bridge, the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Storm King, and Fort Montgomery. Visitors can take in distant visas of four states – New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania – with several mountain ranges and the Manhattan skyline. A visit to the Perkins Memorial Tower is considered one of the great highlights of time spent at Bear Mountain.

Of course, for many guests, the best way to immerse themselves in the spectacular surroundings of Bear Mountain State Park is to hike the trails. With picturesque views and varying levels of difficulty from moderate to strenuous, the area is a hiker’s paradise. Trail maps are available to help plan your journey.

At any time of year and whatever your interests, if you can barely wait to make this terrific day trip to Bear Mountain State Park, look for more information at www.visitbearmountain.com or www.palisadesparksconservancy.