Thanks for being awesome! What do you think of again parking at the Inn , walking the bridge to the tollhouse and the Camp Smith trailhead and instead of retracing our steps we head down the shorter way leaving us close to the bridge ? Bear Mountain Loop is a 5.5 mile moderately trafficked loop trail located near Mission, British Columbia, Canada that features a lake and is rated as moderate. Whatever you choose to do from here, I hope you’re glad you chose to do this hike today! Thanks again, -jims. Thank you! Cha-ching! If you leave the non hikers at the park and head across the bridge up to Anthony’s nose, be sure to arrange a time to wave to each other. Question – why not do up and back on the AT instead of a loop? That Major Welch was no joke. Thanks for the great guide and suggestion! I used this as my reference guide and trail map. How long did you take you to climb those steep rocks? In a couple of minutes, when the road splits, take the right fork, toward Scenic View (not EXIT). It’s really named after George Wallbridge Perkins, the first president of the Palisades Interstate Park Commission. Hi, I did the hike earlier today with a few others and it was absolutely stunning. I was also planning on bringing my six-year-old Shih Tzu but I’m nervous she wouldn’t be able to make it up past those rocks and I’m also nervous about holding her while we climb up in case we slip and fall…. But not by you. As you venture back there, you’ll see picnic areas and Hessian Lake on your right (don’t turn toward the lake). NOTE: During winter months, the parking area may be closed for the season. My son counted the steps until the novelty wore off – he made it to 200. (Took us about 12 minutes to get here from the cul-de-sac.). 22. If you skip climbing Bear Mountain just because of the parking lot, you will be doing yourself a terrible disservice. Users have reported that the trail is not marked well. Hope you’re not disappointed (and I suspect you won’t be) if you give it a whirl! I kept your blog open the whole way up to make sure we were on the right path and read out tidbits to my husband – love your humor. (Then you can volunteer, donate, or shop, depending on your mood.). And vehicularity. and felt like a champ for knowing where to go and what to expect along the way. As the trail continues ascending, you’ll wander through some mountain laurel thickets that must be amazing at the right time of year. #5 - Perkins Memorial Tower via Appalachian Trail. With an elevation of 2,316 feet, it's Connecticut's highest peak and offers spectacular views of 3 states. Thank you for your lovely mistake, Background you can feel free to skip:  For years, Bear Mountain State Park was a notable omission on HiketheHudsonValley.com, serving as arguably the most quintessential Hudson Valley hike not yet documented here. You can park right at the toll house, though, so I’d consider launching your adventure from there, rather than the Bear Mountain Inn. You could that walking on your hands, right? From this junction, your vertical climbing is pretty much done. Bear Mountain is a rocky summit that sits above a pristine beautiful lake named Devils Punchbowl. This is the true money spot. That initial ascent was killer, but luckily for me, there wasn’t a lot of people around to see all the sweat dripping down my face. Thank you so much for such an excellent and detailed guide! There was a NYNJTC booth at the trailhead near Hessian Lake and the guys there told me the new section of the AT is almost done. Turn left here (toward a big boulder, away from the Blue Trail) to continue on the Major Welch Trail. When my family visited Bear Mountain several years ago (we drove to the top that time, because, well, we had little kids and, hey! Did this hike yesterday as part of Hudson Rover Valley Ramble. Thanks again. Major Welch is adequately (but not abundantly) marked through this area – look alive out there, and keep watching for those blazes. We want a longer hike but feel that the hike from camp smith might be too much . fox5659 - Apr 25, 2003 7:56 am - Hasn't voted Untitled Comment. Hi, Joe! I’ll keep on blathering here, just in case anyone finds it useful, but I will not be offended at all if you don’t read any further. Note: The tower is reportedly currently closed as of November 24, 2020. Shorter: To create a short-but-sweet 3-mile loop, follow the directions below to Tripod Rock, then retrace your steps to the lot. There is also a bus from Manhattan to Bear Mountain (which I’ve not yet tried), for those looking for carfree-accessible hike. In just a moment, you can catch a glimpse of Hessian Lake through the trees. I updated the trail guide above with your official count. 23. A fan favorite is the loop hike that starts at the Bear Mountain Inn, takes you up the Major Welch trail towards the famous Perkins Memorial Tower at the Bear Mountain Summit, and then down a portion of the Appalachian Trail back to the Inn. Minivans. Our party had separated just before the tower (one took the road to get there and the other two stayed on the trail) and it took a little while to get back together. 716. Length 5.5 miElevation gain 1391 ftRoute type Loop It was the main path used by boat travelers from NYC and other local ports during the 1920s to 1950s. There’s plenty to do here, so whenever you visit, expect to have some company. Thank you. What an amazing place. Bonus: the road was closed due to the weather, so there were no cheaters (or cars) up top or anywhere but down by the inn! Between April 1 and October 31, all food items and garbage must be secured inside a hard sided commercially-made carry in/carry out bear-resistant food storage container. Thank you. My pack and pockets were full of other people’s trash by the end of the day, and I only scratched the surface. Thanks so much! You guys are tough, Steve! …. Please note that the entrance closes periodically due to the storms. Despite its spectacular looks and proximity to a major road, Bear Mountain does not have a … The park has over 800 miles of trails offering hikers a wide range of scenery including spectacular mountain vistas, rushing streams and waterfalls, historic structures, and quiet groves of old-growth forest. Temporary step: If the Appalachian Trail is still under construction during your visit, just follow the road (and the plentiful temporary signs) downhill. What do you think will be the distance from the trailhead at Camp Smith to the bottom of the trail by the bridge ? Located just an hour from New York City, Bear Mountain State Park provides a much-needed reprieve from the hustle and bustle of city life. Before heading out for your next adventure, please check my Hudson Valley trail closures and parking restrictions due to COVID-19 page to make sure that your intended destination is open. I hiked this today as my first solo hike! today and was very grateful for this post! Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The trail is primarily used for hiking and nature trips. Look to your left to pick up the trail again. 1. It’s just .4 smooth-sailing miles to the tower from here! Hopefully, they made it out OK. Total time for our trip was about 4.5 hours. But even with the sea of humanity that you may find elsewhere at Bear Mountain, and the all-too-frequent litter, the trails and scenery here are truly beautiful, are quite secluded in many spots, and should be on every local hiker’s to-do list. An hour's drive from New York City, the rugged hills of Bear Mountain rise up from the Hudson River. Enjoy the views and watch your step! (And here’s a quick primer on Leave No Trace, too, to help us keep the trails nice and fresh for each other.). We got a bit of a late start and didn’t get to the top until about 8pm. AllTrails has 31 great hiking trails, trail running trails, forest trails and more, with hand-curated trail maps and driving directions as well as detailed reviews and photos from hikers, campers, and nature lovers like you. You can skip to Step 21 now (where the Appalachian Trail crosses the road in just a minute). After crossing Cheaters’ Highway, you’ll pass another beautiful section of trail that the cheaters will never get to see. One last thing I like to do while cavorting with the cheaters. Dudes were dragging coolers across three lanes of traffic. We were in the Hudson Valley for a vacation this past week and used your blog every day to identify hikes to take. 27. Thank you for the very detailed guide! Even better – straight ahead, Perkins Memorial Tower, named after the place that served pancakes this morning to all the people who drove up here. ), 26. Took Memorial Day off work with my husband and decided to hike up using your guide. When the trails split, turn right with the Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail, which continues up Dunderberg, with several spots where there are fine views of the Hudson River. Cross the road to the right to head back into the woods – make sure to look for those white blazes on the boulders lining the road, too. (According to this Bear Mountain Trails Project page, it was the always-awesome New York-New Jersey Trail Conference, in cooperation with several other super-cool groups, that made all this awesomeness happen.) If completing the trail as pictured on AllTrails, bear right at the first trail intersection and loop around (heading East) to get to the West side of Route 9W bridge and start the Torne hike at the Red and White Blaze trailhead. concerned that I would be disappointed. If you're living in CT and you're not sure what to do during a free day, I suggest taking a hike along the Appalachian Trail. North face of Bear Mountain from Route 550 Bear Mountain is visible as an impressive peak from Route 550 south of Red Mountain Pass in the San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado. In another minute, stroll straight past a turnoff on your left for a picnic area. Bare Mountain, the site of a former fire lookout, is a superb viewpoint with mountains in every direction and lakes close by. Flip-flops. Hope that helps – happy adventuring out there! Imagination and wonder can fill one's mind when walking this historic route. Say goodbye to the easy livin’! 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