Bear Mountain State Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bear Mountain State Park |
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View of the Hudson River from Bear Mountain
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 Bear Mountain State Park
Location in New York
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| Location | Rockland and Orange Counties, New York, United States |
| Nearest city | Fort Montgomery, NY (2 miles) New York City (50 miles) |
| Area | 5,205 acres (21.06 km2) |
| Established | 1913 |
| Visitors | 1,894,373 (in 2014) |
| Governing body | Palisades Interstate Park Commission State of New York |
Bear Mountain State Park is a huge park in New York. It covers about 5,205-acre (21.06 km2) (21 square kilometers). You can find it on the west side of the Hudson River. The park is a great place for outdoor fun! You can go biking, hiking, boating, or have a picnic. In winter, you can try cross-country skiing, sledding, and ice skating.
The park has many cool spots to visit. These include the Perkins Memorial Tower and the Trailside Museum and Zoo. There's also the Bear Mountain Inn, a fun merry-go-round, a swimming pool, and a skating rink. Bear Mountain is also where the historic Palisades Interstate Parkway and Bear Mountain Bridge meet. The Palisades Interstate Park Commission manages the park.
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Exploring Bear Mountain's Landscape
Bear Mountain State Park is home to several mountains. These include Bear Mountain itself, which is actually a large hill. You'll also find Dunderberg Mountain and West Mountain here.
Neighboring Natural Areas
Right next to the park's northern edge is Fort Montgomery. On the eastern side, in the Hudson River, is the Iona Island Bird Sanctuary. The park is separate from Harriman State Park. Harriman State Park runs along Bear Mountain's western side. This whole area is part of the Northeastern coastal forests region.
A Look Back at Bear Mountain's History
The area around Bear Mountain has a rich history. During the American Revolution, the British wanted to control the Hudson River. This led to important battles here. In 1777, British soldiers defeated American Patriots at Fort Montgomery. Later, Anthony Wayne's attack on the British fort at Stony Point moved colonial troops west of Bear Mountain.
Saving Bear Mountain from a Prison
In 1908, New York State planned to move Sing Sing Prison to Bear Mountain. Work even started near Highland Lake, which was later renamed Hessian Lake. In 1909, the state bought the 740-acre (3.0 km2) Bear Mountain area. But people who cared about nature, called conservationists, worked hard to stop this. They succeeded in creating the Highlands of the Hudson Forest Preserve. This stopped the prison from being built.
How the Park Was Created
A woman named Mary Averell Harriman played a big role. Her husband, E. H. Harriman, had recently passed away. She offered the state 10,000 acres (40 km2) of land and one million dollars. This money and land would help create a state park. George W. Perkins, who worked with her, raised even more money. He got $1.5 million from wealthy people like John D. Rockefeller and J. Pierpont Morgan.
New York State added another $2.5 million. New Jersey also gave $500,000 to build the Henry Hudson Drive. This road later became the Palisades Interstate Parkway in 1947.
Opening the Park to Visitors
Bear Mountain-Harriman State Park officially opened the next year. The old prison was torn down. A dock was built for steamboat trips. In 1912, a copy of Henry Hudson's ship, the Half Moon, was docked there. Major William A. Welch became the Chief Engineer. His work helped him become known as the "father of the state park movement."
The park opened in June 1913. More than 22,000 people came by steamboat that year. Camping at Hessian Lake was very popular. Many Boy Scouts loved to stay there for about eight days. By 1914, it was thought that over a million people visited the park each year.
Building During the Great Depression
In the 1930s, the government under Franklin D. Roosevelt started projects to help the environment. These were part of programs during the Great Depression. The Civil Works Administration and the Works Progress Administration worked for five years at the park. They built Pump houses, reservoirs, sewer systems, and vacation lodges. They also built bathrooms, homes for park staff, storage buildings, and an administration building.
The park kept growing over time. The Palisades Interstate Park Commission bought land in nearby Doodletown. This process started in the 1920s and finished in the 1960s.
Fun Things to Do and See
The Bear Mountain Inn
The Bear Mountain Inn was finished in 1915. It's a great example of a rustic lodge style building. This style was later used in many National Park System buildings. The Inn closed in 2005 for big renovations. It reopened in 2011, looking better than ever.
Perkins Memorial Drive and Tower
The Perkins Memorial Drive is a beautiful road. It takes you to the very top of Bear Mountain. At the summit, there's a 40 feet (12 m) tall Perkins Memorial Tower. From the top, you can see four different states! You can even see the skyline of Manhattan, which is about 40 miles (64 km) away. The road and tower were built between 1932 and 1934. They are named after George Wallbridge Perkins. He was the first president of the Palisades Interstate Park Commission.
Trailside Museums and Zoo
The Trailside Museums and Zoo are located where Fort Clinton used to be. The Appalachian Trail actually runs right through this area! The zoo started as a bear den in 1926. Today, it's home to many local animals that are injured or getting better. You can see bears, otters, deer, bald eagles, and owls. The zoo's popular otter passed away in June 2013 at 19 years old.
The Reptile and Amphibian House has many kinds of fish, turtles, snakes, and frogs. The Nature Study Museum began in 1921 for the Boy Scouts. It has exhibits from the American Museum of Natural History. The Geology Museum teaches about the Hudson Highlands and other local rocks. The History Museum shows exhibits about colonial times and Native American culture.
Bear Mountain was also famous for ski jumping. On February 11, 1962, over 35,000 people watched the New York State Junior Ski Jumping Championship. More ski jump competitions happened at Bear Mountain than anywhere else in the United States. However, the ski jumps haven't been used since 1990.
Hiking Adventures
There are over 50 official trails in the park. They cover about 235 miles (378 km) and have different levels of difficulty. You can find trails for easy walks or challenging climbs.
The first part of the Appalachian Trail opened here on October 7, 1923. This section goes from Bear Mountain south to the Delaware Water Gap. It helped set the pattern for other parts of the trail across the country. The Bear Mountain Zoo is the lowest point on the entire 2,100-mile (3,400 km) Appalachian Trail. About six miles (9.7 km) of the AT are inside the park. In 2010, parts of the AT in the park were rebuilt. Stone steps were added to handle the 500,000 hikers who use it every year. From the top of Bear Mountain, you can see the Manhattan skyline. It's about 55–60 miles (89–97 km) away!
Cross Country Running
Bear Mountain is also a popular spot for cross country running. High school teams often compete here in the fall. They run on a 3.0-mile (4.8 km) course that is mostly paved. Bear Mountain hosts the County's Championship race. It's also the location for the Rockland County Alumni Race, which has been held every year since 1983.
Images for kids
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Fall foliage in Bear Mountain State Park
