Bear Mountain State Park

Route 9W North, Bear Mountain, NY 10911, USA

Address:	Route 9W North, Bear Mountain, NY 10911, USA
Phone:	+1 845-786-2701
Site:	parks.ny.gov
Rating:	4.6

Location

Photos 100

Reviews 7

Michael Sheehe

Bear Mountain is the place to come if you’re looking for an amazing spot to boat, BBQ, swim, hike, go to a zoo, or just enjoy nature. While Bear Mountain is a large area, this review refers to the area near Bear Mountain Inn and Hessain Lake. Located within minutes of much of Northern New Jersey and New York City, Bear Mountain State Park is a popular place during every season., but especially during the summer. In the summer months this place is packed with family friendly activities. The humongous pool is very popular and typically filled to capacity on hot summer days. Not interested in swimming? Then just walk a few feet from the pool, take a hike, or enjoy the small zoo. In addition to the zoo and pool, closer to the inn are lakes that are surrounded by places to have a BBQ with family and friends. At different times of year, typically during weekends, you can find artisans selling their creations along the paths of the lake. You can also rent boats here too. The activities keep you busy, but one of the best reasons to visit Bear Mountain are the views. Walk a short distance and you can see the classic looking Bear Mountain Bridge spanning the hudson river. Look south and all you see are trees and water. Come here in the fall and you’re greeted by an explosion of color that is just spectacular. Even during the winter months you can bring the family and ice skate on the rink next to the Inn. The view during the winter is breathtaking as well, with the trees bare and snow dotting the landscape, its very picturesque. Bear Mountain is a must visit for anyone looking to get away from the city and enjoy nature at its best.

Shana Manuel

Ive traveled many times to this park with young kids and my spouse. This is a huge state park with tons to explore: hiking, walking on flat paved surfaces, playground, pool, zoo, sports and beaches. Hiking- My husband took 2 young (4 yr olds) and very active boys on a hike up one of the mountains and the path was reasonable with stone steps. You could possibly complete this with flip-flops on. Walking- I enjoy walking the circular path around the lake. There are a few steep areas. Bring the kids with their scooters! Playground- There is a small playground on the premises: monkey bars, slides, climbing etc. There are benches near by so that parents and/or caregivers can keep a close eye on the kids while relaxing. Pool- Ive never used the pool but Ive seen it and its large and a popular place during the summer for kids. Zoo- Ive seen signs around the park indicating there is a zoo and merry go round, but Ive never actually been. Beaches- Okay, so Ive visited some of the beaches. They are a short distance away from the main park area (short distance by car). I dont really like some of the beaches I saw. Overpopulated, loud music and trash. Not what I look for when going to the beach. Sports- There is an open grassy area in the main park area where groups can play sports. Definitely check out this state park at least once to assess what it has to offer. You can barbecue, hike, and have the family together here.

Jeffrey Gouse

This review primarily focuses on the Perkins Memorial Tower and the ONLY road that leads to it. My parents and I made a 2 hour trip from Pennsylvania a few weeks ago so I could show them the scenic view of the Hudson. When we got there (this was a Thursday morning in July, mind you), the gate was locked with no posted hours or reason why. Even a cyclist who arrived right after us was baffled. Since it was 20 minutes before the park was officially opened, I thought maybe that applied to the road. After driving around for 45 minutes (yeah, I gave them an extra 25 minutes past 8:00 a.m. to open the road), we went back. Gate STILL locked! By 8:45, we gave up and left. As for the remainder of the park, we did briefly stop to use the restrooms. The road signage is not very clear. The parking lot and grounds surprisingly looked desolate. I dont mean in the sense of not being crowded. It looked like it was one of those off-the-beaten-path parks that time and the world forgot. The only thing keeping this from 1 star is that incredible mountainside scenic view of the Hudson River--when you can actually access it.

Michael Garner

I went here during the last weekend in August, and it was a cooler day so there were lots of people out grilling, picnicking, playing soccer/frisbee, etc. Plenty of space and easy to get to. Theres also a lake where you can paddle boat and fish, although there are signs saying not to swim. I hiked up the White Trail (Appalachian) to the top of Bear Mountain, it was enjoyable and the path was well marked. The Red trail is very steep, know what youre getting into if you decide to do that. There is also Bear Mountain Inn right next to the park that has dining opportunities , which we took advantage of after the hike. The public bathrooms throughout the park are what youd expect (dirty and a little run down) and there are other things I could nitpick about. Nitpicks notwithstanding, its a great place to go with your family and friends, for both a relaxing afternoon grilling and fishing and an exciting day of hiking.

Glen Fergo

Beautiful any time of year, but especially in October when the leaves began to turn!! Zoo. Bears. Owls. Beaver. Deer. Fox. Hiking trails. Picnic area. Playground for the kids. Oktoberfest. German music with plenty of food: knockwurst, bratwurst, pierogies ... and of course, plenty of beer! Bear Mountain Inn. Overnight accommodations. Lake with fish. Water birds. Ducks. Geese. Paddle boats. Canoes. Clean restrooms. Merry Go Round Trailside Museums. Snack Bar - hot dogs, ice cream (cones, milk shakes), coffee, yogurt, granola bars, & other assorted snacks. They even have little bear-shaped brownies!! :-) And the best part ... you can bring your dog!! "Dogs of all sizes are allowed at no additional fee. Dogs must be on no more than a 6 foot leash and be cleaned up after. Dogs are not allowed in the zoo, in any of the buildings, or at the picnic areas."

Cassandra Varga

Come early on the weekend during the summer to get parking ($8 i believe??), or you will have to park along the road and hike to the main entrance. Very narrow and not optimal when you have young children. Otherwise, a beautiful place! Bring food for a picnic ( tables go fast, so early bird once again) there is a free zoo, although it really is more of a nature walk with the bald eagle, bears and owls being the most exciting features. But hey, it is nice and its free, so no complaints! I like to take the path around Hessian lake, never did the other trails since i have to use a stroller with my youngest. The green lawn is great to let kids run around in and a stop at the merry-go-round is a great way to end the day!! ($2 a pop) Definitely a nice day trip for a family of young kids!

Ali S

If I rated this park a few years ago, it would get four stars out of me. Further back? Five. Im still in love with all that this park has to offer - a beautiful inn, spacious fields for sports, zoos, museums, and scenic hikes. However, when I returned on Labor Day, I was horrified and saddened by what I saw. I expected it to be crowded, but NO ONE respected the park and littered everywhere. The water in the lake was filled with trash and had a nasty film on top. People were banging on the animal cages and glass at the zoo. I think the worst of it all was the fact that the park rangers and staff did NOTHING to improve the condition of the park. I didnt even see anyone patrolling the grounds. I just hope they get their acts together in time for Oktoberfest.