Bear Mountain, New York

22 August 2009

Crossed the Hudson River on a rainy morning using the historic Bear Mountain Bridge.

Lots of history here from the Revolutionary War period. There were forts on both sides of the river, and many devices to stop sailing ships from going further upriver. The US Naval Academy, West Point, is nearby to the north.

Many of the buildings and walls in the park were built by the CCC during the Great Depression and often the buildings are in excellent condition. After the bridge the trail passes through the Bear Mountain Zoo which is built in an older style, is in a fully matured forest area, and is perfectly maintained. Here I saw my first bears, two brown and one black. Next the trail goes past the huge Bear Mountain Inn, a Historic Landmark presently under renovation, before climbing to the top of Bear Mountain.

After Bear Mountain, the trail passed through the Seven Lakes Drive area. Hiking here brought back many youthful memories of hikes with my parents, swimming and canoeing in the lakes, and time spent at the YMCA camp. Rock features such as the Lemon Squeeze and picturesque spots like Island Pond and Lake Tiorotti remain much as they were in my childhood.