The 5,000-acre Bear Mountain State Park is situated in rugged mountains rising from the west bank of the Hudson River. Several campgrounds are available in Harriman State Park. Also available is the historic Bear Mountain Inn overlooking Hessian Lake in Bear Mountain Park. Many attractions are available at Bear Mountain State Park including: large play field, shaded picnic groves, a dock on the Hudson for mooring small craft, fishing, a zoo and nature park, hiking, biking, cross-country ski trails and more. An outdoor rink is open to ice skaters from late October through mid-March. A wonderful attraction for the kids, and their parents, is the Merry-Go-Round Pavilion. The Merry-Go-Round features hand painted scenes of the park and 42 hand carved seats of native animals including black bear, wild turkey, deer, raccoon, skunk, Canada goose, fox, swan, bobcat, rabbit and more. Food is also available at the Bear Mountain Inn and at several vendors in the park.

Park attractions include: playing field(s), shaded picnic groves, a dock on the Hudson for mooring small craft, lake and river fishing, pool, zoo and nature park, hiking, biking, cross-country ski trails and ski-jumps, Merry-Go-Round Pavilion, outdoor rink is open to ice skaters from late October through mid-March, and Museum & Visitor Center.

More Attractions at Bear Mountain

Bear Mountain Inn
The Bear Mountain Inn is located in the heart of Bear Mountain State Park. The historic Bear Mountain Inn & Conference Center is a cozy retreat whose grace and charm have drawn discriminating guests since the early part of this century. The Inn overlooks Hessian Lake and provides food and overnight accommodations.

Mountain Merry-Go-Round Pavilion
A wonderful attraction for kids and parents of all ages is the Bear Mountain Merry-Go-Round Pavilion. The Merry-Go-Round features hand painted scenes of Bear Mountain Park. When it comes to selecting the animal you want to ride; instead of horses you can select one of the native animals of Bear Mountain. Choose a black bear, wild turkey, fox, or even a rabbit or Canadian goose, and enjoy.

Perkins Memorial Tower
Hike, bike, or drive up Perkins Drive to Perkins Memorial Tower at the summit of Bear Mountain State Park. Experience breathtaking views as you make your way to the top to Perkins Point. Upon reaching Perkins Point you will be rewarded by one of the most beautiful views imaginable. The steep drive leading to Perkins Memorial Tower is 1,305 feet above the Hudson River. With its 360-degree view you can see the Hudson River, the Bear Mountain Bridge, U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Storm King, and Fort Montgomery. The observation floor of the tower offers displays describing the distant views, including the mountain ranges of the: Taconics, Ramapo, Shawangunk, and Catskill Mountains.

Trailside Museum and Wildlife Center - Zoo
The Trailside Museums & Zoo is located in Bear Mountain State Park. See pictures of Bear Mountain's 32 acres overlooking the scenic Hudson River. Read about the two-mile paved interpretive nature trail, resident native, non-releasable wildlife, and four museum buildings which house exhibits that interpret the geology, and natural history of the area and tell the story of the people who lived here. Visit the Local Reptiles, Amphiians, and Fish Museum. Learn about the 17 species of snakes indiginous to New York State. Visit the Geology Museum, History Museum and Nature Study Museum; all available at the Zoo in Bear Mountain State Park.

At the zoo, visitors get a glimpse of many of the animals indigenous to the area. See the bald eagle, fox, black bear, river otter, owl, hawk, deer, bobcat, turkey and various types of fish. The Trailside museums highlight the area's history, especially its importance in the Revolutionary War. Also learn about local geology and nature, live fish, reptiles and amphibians. Find out more about the Zoo.

The Appalachian Trail
In 1921, the idea for the Appalachian Trail originated with a volunteer forester Benton MacKaye. Benton conceived the Trail as a refuge from modern stresses, stretching along the spine of the Appalachian mountains, where hikers could re-connect with the natural world.

On October 7, 1923 the first section of the Appalachian Trail was finished at Bear Mountain. This part of the trail took hikers south to the Delaware Water Gap and served as a model for the many trails that followed. Trails were later joined to comprise the now famous Appalachian Trail. Today, the Appalachian trail spans 2,167 miles, and is the first National Scenic trail in the United States. Click for more about The Appalachian Trail.

Pumphouses, reservoirs, sewer systems, vacation lodges, bathrooms, homes for park staff, storage buildings and an administration building were all created through these programs. A scenic drive to the top of the mountain, called Perkins Memorial Drive, was also constructed, almost totally by hand. And although construction equipment and newer easier-to-work-with building materials were available for use at the time, planners wanted these new buildings constructed with the same principles and designs used to build the lodge in 1915. Workers used stone, boulders and timber to construct the new buildings, a process which took them five years."