Bear Mountain State Park in New York, USA - map and visitor information

Research checked: 2026-10-26. Check linked official notices before travel.

Bear Mountain State Park rises above the west bank of New York’s Hudson River. Plan around the Perkins Memorial Tower, mountain trails, or Trailside Museums & Zoo. Trail detours near the inn continue through summer 2027, so check the current route before starting a hike.

Highlights

Perkins Memorial Tower provides a high vantage point over the Hudson Highlands. For an outing focused on nature and interpretation, Trailside Museums & Zoo combines native plants, geology, history, and animals that cannot be released into the wild.

Know before you go

Fees, hours, and seasonal access

Safety information

Follow marked trail detours and closure signs. The park map marks Hessian Lake as closed to swimming; do not treat lakeshore access as a swimming beach.

Visit responsibly

Only dogs are allowed as pets, on leashes no longer than 6 feet. They are excluded from buildings, picnic and bathing areas, walkways, and Trailside Museum and Wildlife Center.

Reservations and group visits

Bus groups need a permit in advance. The 2026–27 bus permit packet states that buses are not accepted on weekends or holidays from May through October 2026. Contact the park before organizing a group arrival.

Maps, location, and access

Use Palisades Parkway or Route 9W North for Bear Mountain, NY 10911. The official state park page carries entrance information, maps, and current notices.

Nearby parks

Harriman State Park lies in the same road-accessible Highlands area, with an entrance on Route 6; check its trail notices, including construction near Lake Sebago. Farther north, Storm King State Park at Cornwall-on-Hudson offers hiking from Mountain Road, with limited parking and no toilets.

Choose an outing

Use the tower drive when its seasonal and weather conditions allow. For a family visit, combine Trailside’s natural-history displays with its native-animal exhibits. Keep a mountain hike flexible while construction detours remain in place.

Facilities and accessibility

The park’s recreation map locates restrooms, picnic areas, a playfield, and the inn around Hessian Lake. For overnight accommodation, contact the Bear Mountain Inn operator; its Stone Cottages can be booked by bedroom or as a whole cottage and are described as ADA-accessible. Ask the park about the access features needed for your day visit.

About Bear Mountain

Hudson River history

Fort Clinton was built here in 1776 to help defend the Hudson. The surviving remains connect a park visit with the river’s Revolutionary War history. The Bear Mountain Inn, built in 1915, adds another historic landmark beside Hessian Lake.

Native animals and forest

Trailside’s native-animal collection consists of injured and orphaned animals that cannot return to the wild. Its forest and native-plant displays offer another way to understand the Hudson Valley landscape.

Contact

Park information: 845-786-2701. Lodging reservations: 1-855-548-1184. Confirm attraction schedules separately when planning the day.