New York State Park

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13 Things to Do at Bear Mountain State Park

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Bear Mountain State Park is one of the most popular state parks in the lower Hudson Valley. In fact, according to NY State Parks, in 2022, it was THE most visited park in the Palisades region. While there are 23 state parks located in the Palisades region, Bear Mountain State Park is one of the few that can be considered a year-round destination. Encompassing over 5,200 acres, the park offers a variety of fun activities for all of the seasons. Please note that a $10 vehicle use fee is collected year-round.  

1. Ride the Merry-Go-Round – For only $3 per person, visitors can take a ride on one of the 42 seats of the Merry-Go-Round. The carousel was built in 2001 and is housed in a stone building built especially for the carousel. The seats are hand carved and feature animals native to the area including black bear, wild turkey, deer, raccoon, skunk, Canada goose, fox, swan, bobcat and rabbit. Painted historical scenes of the park and the Palisades region like the Stony Point Lighthouse and the Stony Point Battle Museum are featured along the interior of the carousel. The carousel is only open on weekends from 10 AM – 5 PM. 

2. Take a hike – Bear Mountain State Park has has a variety of hiking trails for all ability levels. For a leisurely hike, try the Hessian Lake loop. This is an easy 1.5 mile loop around Hessian Lake. More challenging hikes include the Popolopen Torne trail (1.1 miles), Silver Mine Lake Loop (3.8 miles) and Bald Mountain loop (8.6 miles).

3. Ride a pedal boat –  Between April and October (depending on the weather) visitors to Bear Mountain Park can rent a pedal boat around Hessian Lake. This is a great way to get out on the water, since swimming is prohibited in this lake. Each pedal boat seats up to four people. The rental are $10 per person for 30 minutes or $15 per person for an hour rental. A $20 cash-only deposit is required per boat rental, which is quickly returned to you when you’re back on shore. There is a minimum age of 16, with an ID, to rent a boat.   

4. Swim in the pool – Nestled between the trees lies The Bear Mountain State Park pool, which opens in mid-June. It’s open daily from 10 AM to 5:30 PM through Labor Day. The pool varies in depth from 1 feet up to 11 feet by the diving boards. There is a $5 admission per person. 

5. Enjoy a picnic in the park – There are many picnic tables and grills throughout the park for visitors to enjoy a BBQ. If you don’t bring your own food and get hungry, there is a concession stand. The grill serves burgers, grilled chicken sandwiches, hot dogs, fries, pizza and hero sandwiches. They also have a variety of snacks and beverages available for purchase.

6. Visit the Trailside Zoo and Museums – Founded in 1927, the Trailside Museums and Zoo are the country’s first self-guided nature-trail. There are four museums including the Herpetology Museum, Geology Museum, Nature Study Museum and Historical Museum. These attractions are open 10 AM – 4 PM from December 1 through March 31 and from 10 AM – 4:30 PM April through November. Although there is no admission fee, a $1 per person donation fee is suggested.

The Trailside zoo is home to a variety of wildlife that are either injured or cannot live independently in the wild. The zoo is currently building new animal habitats for some of the residents and these should be open for summer 2023. One of the biggest attractions are the two black bears, Pal and Sadie. Other animals on exhibit include a porcupine, bald eagle, and eastern coyote.

The Historical Museum, housed in a small stone building, has both archaeological and military exhibits.

7. Drive or hike up to Perkins Memorial Tower – You can hike the 1.5 miles to Perkins Memorial Tower, climbing the 1,000 stone steps to the top. However, the tower is also accessible by car, April through November, weather permitting,  if you want to take in the views without the hike. 

8. Ice Skate at the rink – From November to the beginning of March, guests can ice skate at Bear Mountain’s outdoor skating rink. It is open for skating Friday through Sunday, with additional days and sessions for holidays. Skate sessions are 1.5 hours and tickets must be purchased at the rink. Admission is currently $5 per skater, over the age of 4 and skate rentals are available for $10. The ticket window opens for sales an hour prior to each session. 

9. Stay overnight at the Bear Mountain Inn – You can spend the night at Bear Mountain State Park. They have three different types of accommodations: The Bear Mountain Inn, the Overlook Lodge and Stone Cottages. Built in 1915, the Bear Mountain Inn is a member of the Historic Hotels of America. It has 15 deluxe guest rooms and suites and has an onsite restaurant, Restaurant 1915. 

The Overlook Lodge has 24 guest rooms that have either a king bed or two double beds. The Lodge has a select number of pet-friendly rooms.

There are four Stone Cottages that houses six individual guest rooms, connected by one common room. Each guest room has a queen bed and a private bathroom. Visitors can book individual rooms or the entire cottage can be reserved for a large party. 

10. Visit the Spa – The Spa at Bear Mountain is an independently owned and operated spa that opened in 2013 on the third floor of the Bear Mountain Inn. The spa is full service and offers massages and other body treatments, as well as facials, hair removal, and hair, nail and makeup services. Due to lack of space, there is not a sauna, steam rooms or showers. 

11. Dine at Restaurant 1915 – Enjoy dinner at the onsite restaurant, named for the year the Bear Mountain Inn was built. The restaurant is open for dinner Wednesday through Sunday and for Sunday brunch on the second Sunday of each month. 

12. Pick up a souvenir at the gift shop – Bear Mountain State Park is one of the few state parts that I am aware of that has a gift shop. You can find everything from branded apparel and gifts (candles, dishware, jewelry) to toiletries and snacks and beverages.

13. Walk to Bear Mountain Dock – After you pass the pool, make a right on the paved path to walk down to Bear Mountain Dock. You’ll pass the Elk’s Head Statue and a small waterfall. At the dock you can take in beautiful views of the Bear Mountain Bridge, picnic at the nearby gazebo or fish off the dock.

Snowshoeing at Fahnestock Winter Park

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Over the past couple of years, my husband and I have become hiking fans. I personally prefer hikes that lead to a waterfall or a scenic view. But when winter comes, I usually become a homebody since I dislike the cold. For several years snowshoeing has been on my winter bucket list. I figured it was like hiking, but in the snow. And it’s a good activity to get me outside in the winter. Unfortunately, there hasn’t been much snow this winter. I also didn’t want to invest in a pair of snowshoes to potentially discover that I don’t enjoy it. After the most recent snow storm, my husband and I finally went snowshoeing at Fahnestock Winter Park.

Fahnestock Winter Park is located on part of a New York State Park (Clarence Fahnestock Park) in Carmel, NY. It is open only in the winter and has approximately 12 miles of groomed cross country skiing trails, three snowshoeing trails and a small sledding hill. With a small café onsite as well, it makes a perfect place for a winter weekend visit.

We arrived at 11 AM and had to wait to park. If you have your own skis or snowshoes you pay the trail fee at the parking booth. If you are renting equipment you pay the rental fee and trail fee at the rental office. While the parking lot is large, the park gets a lot of visitors. Especially the day after a decent snowfall! Once we parked we put on our snow pants and hats and headed to the rental lodge.

Although the rental office is busy, they have a process in place that moves the line quickly. There is a rental form that you can complete with the available pens while you wait on the line. Once you make it to the register you pay and get your day pass. Then another employee grabs your rental equipment. There are several benches in the room and most people leave their boots or shoes under the benches while they ski.

The snowshoes easily attach to your own boots or footwear. The heel swivels from the snowshoe frame, making it easy to walk. This was our first time using snowshoes and we found them fairly easy to walk in.

Fahnestock Winter Park has three snowshoe trails: an easy, moderate (Ojugwan Path – orange) and more difficult (Appalachian Way -blue). We opted to try Ojuwan Path, since it was close to the rental office.

This snowshoe trail is marked for easy navigating. It only got a little confusing when we discovered we had to climb the stairs adjacent to the sledding hill to continue the trail. This section of the trail was the most challenging, since it was uphill. Overall, there were no “wow” sights to be seen on this snowshoe trail, but everything looked beautiful covered in snow.

Although the Ojuwan Path crosses Route 301 and then proceeds around the campground, we opted to end our hike early. We stopped at Route 301 and walked through the park entrance back to the rental lodge.

If you are hungry, there is a cafe onsite that sells a few lunch items, plus muffins and baked goods, chips and beverages. There are tables outside the cafe where you can sit and eat.

Snowshoeing takes a little getting used to but has a quick learning curve. If you’ve never been snowshoeing, Fahnestock Winter Park is a great place to go since they offer rentals at a reasonable price. Our next adventure will be trying cross country skiing at the park, since they have rentals and several trails.

The Details:
Fahnestock Winter Park
1570 Route 301
Carmel, NY 1050
website

Open: Operating schedule is weather dependent.
When there is snow the park is open daily 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM

Rates: **The Empire Pass and Golden Park Pass are not accepted at this park
Trail Pass for skiing and snowshoeing: $12/adults, $10/seniors (62+ and kids under 17)
Sledding Pass: $3/person
Ski Rentals: $18/adult, $15/junior (under 17)
Snowshoe Rentals: adults – $15/day or $7/hour, juniors (under 17) $14/day or $7/hour
Sledding Tube Rentals: $4/hour
Baby Sled Rental: $20/day or $7/hour

Tips:

*Arrive early! The park gets busy, especially after fresh snow fall.
*There are bathrooms and changing areas.
*There is a café onsite that sells snacks, hot cocoa and chili.

Walking Tour of Bannerman Island

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(Thank you Dutchess Tourism and Bannerman Castle Trust for hosting NY Foodie Family.  As always, all opinions are our own.)

As life-long residents of the Hudson Valley, my husband and I both heard of Bannerman Island, but only recently got to visit the castle ruins and hear the history of the infamous site.  While many, like myself, refer to it as Bannerman Island, Bannerman Castle actually resides on Pollepel Island.  This 6.5 acre piece of land sits amidst the Hudson River.  Over 100 years old, the island and castle are only accessible via tours by the Bannerman Castle Trust and the New York State Parks.

Tours depart from either Beacon or Newburgh.  We took a tour from Beacon, which departs right near the Beacon train station.  Visitors board the Estuary Steward for an approximately thirty-minute boat ride to Bannerman Castle.  Once you arrive on the island, your tour guide greets you for a seven stop, 1.5 hour walking tour of the island.

The story of Bannerman Castle is an interesting one.  On your tour you will hear the story of how and why Francis, “Frank” Bannerman VI had the Castle built.  I’m not posting many photos of the island or writing about the history of the Castle in this post.  It is more fun to hear and see the story in person.  Although Bannerman Castle is part of the Hudson Highlands State Park, the repairs and upkeep of the Island and structures all come from the Bannerman Trust. They really appreciate visitors coming to take the tour and see the Island.

You get to walking inside the family’s summer residence, which acts as a Visitor Center and also houses a small gift shop.  This is a renovation that was recently completed, though the second floor, pictured above, still remains off-limits to visitors.

As you tour the island you will see breathtaking views of the Hudson River and surrounding Hudson Valley.

You will also see beautiful gardens and flowers throughout the island.  These gardens are maintained by a team of volunteers who weed, plant and water them.

Unfortunately, you do not get to walk inside the Castle.  As you can see, support beams are attached to help protect the remaining structure of the Castle.  While this experience is family-friendly and recommended for children ages 11 and up, there were no children on our tour.  My husband and I purposely chose to do this tour on a summer day when our children were with their grandparents.  However, there are plenty of family-friendly events hosted on Bannerman Island throughout the season including Broadway and Theatre shows, movie nights, musical performances and more.  Be sure to check out the calendar of events!

The Details:

Bannerman Island Walking Tours

From Beacon: Saturdays at 11 AM and 12:30 PM, Sundays at 12:30 PM
From Newburgh:  Sundays at 11 AM

Admission:  $35/adults, $30/children under 11

Parking:  Free parking is available on weekends at the Beacon Train Station

Tips:
*Make sure to wear sneakers or comfortable walking shoes.  You will climb 70 steps from the dock up to the beginning of the tour.

*You can bring your own beverages.  Water and drinks are also sold on the boat and at the Visitor’s Center.

*The tour is not wheelchair or stroller-friendly.

 

Rockefeller State Park Preserve {Westchester County}

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Recently, our family visited Rockefeller State Park Preserve in Westchester County.  The park’s main entrance is located off of Route 117 in Pleasantville. Since that first visit several weeks ago, we’ve already been back.  The park includes over 1600 acres that were deeded to New York State as a generous gift from the Rockefeller Family.  Much of the park was designed by John D. Rockefeller Jr. beginning in 1910 and reflects his passions of conserving nature and carriage driving.  Today, over 350,000 people visit this park every year.

The Visitor Center is open from 9 to 4:30 PM with a person inside available to answer questions.  Outside the visitor center are maps of the trails.

Rockefeller Park also has an art gallery on premise, which is open from 9 AM – 4: 30 PM.

The current exhibit, “Winged Jewels of the Forest” is on display until August 13.  All of the artwork is available for purchase and proceeds that the Preserve receives directly support the gallery.

The park has four main areas, Swan Lake, Eagle Hill, Rockwood Hall and Buttermilk Hill. Each area consists of several different trails that you can walk, jog, or in winter, cross-country ski on.  You can even get a permit to horseback ride or carriage drive on the trails.

Our family enjoys visiting parks to hike and geocache.  However, during trout and bass season, fishing is permitted with a state license and in winter cross-country skiing is allowed.  On this trip we started out on Deer Run and then walked Brothers’ Path which circles around Swan Lake.  The path is 1.1. miles and a perfect, short hike.   It was a beautiful day and we saw many other hikers and joggers along the trails. Using the geocache app, we found four caches on our first trip.

On our second trip we walked a little bit of Overlook Trail.  Then we went back to the parking lot and walked Glacier Erratic, where you can find this amazing rock formation.

With  almost 40 trails, this is a local park that you can visit and hike many times without getting bored.

Friends of the Rockefeller State Park Preserve work with New York State to, “promote the conservation and operation of the Preserve.”  Donations to the Friends go directly into preserving and maintaining the park, as well as supporting educational programs.  Upcoming events include Rocky’s 5K.

The Details:

Rockefeller State Park Preserve
125 Phelps Way
Pleasantville, NY 10570
(914) 631-1470

Parking:  $6 or free with an Empire Pass

Tips to know:

There are bathrooms in the art gallery and in the main parking area.

There are a couple of picnic tables near the park entrance.

Be sure to pack bug spray and sun screen.

We like to carry water with us as we hike.