Bear Mountain State Park, NY - Hessian Lake, Trailside Zoo and Hudson River Dock

 

ABOUT THE PARK:
Bear Mountain State Park - Palisades Park Conservancy
($10 parking fee in season)

DIRECTIONS:

GPS Coordinates 41.310489, -73.990662

Bear Mountain Inn Parking Lot

TRAIL MAP:
Northern Harriman Bear Mountain Trails Map #119 - NYNJ Trail Conference

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HIKE DISTANCE: 4.5 miles

THE HIKE:

Packing up the grandkids and heading out for an adventure on Veterans Day.

At Bear Mountain Inn ready to roll.

First, the merry-go-round for Ellie.

She LOVED it and it was only $2 for a ride.

Those adult beverages sounded good...

We wanted coffee with Baileys and a hot chocolate straight up for Ellie but they were out of Baileys.  They were out of Kahlua.  Would we consider Frangelico?  Fine.

But it was not very good and the coffee was full of grounds so we ended up tossing our drinks (in a garbage can, of course) after giving it a good try.  So disappointing.  Don't waste your money there.

Heading back towards Bear Mountain Inn ...

... and Hessian Lake to go around clockwise.

Ellie's first time on the Appalachian Trail!

Hessian Lake

Some of these hills were steep with strollers.  The adults got quite the workout.

Anthony's Nose

After looping about 3/4 of the way around the lake, left towards the zoo.

It's a huge flight of steps down but with an alternative of stroller-friendly ramps that switchback back and forth across the steps.

An AT blaze smack in the middle of all of it.

No pets allowed in the zoo, which is why I had never been and why no dogs came along today. (Not to mention they would bit gave fit in the car.)

The Appalachian Trail goes right through the zoo.

The wildlife in the zoo are rehabilitated animals that could no longer be returned to the wild due to permanent injuries.

The foxes were napping.

Inside the reptile house.

Heading to ...

... the bears.

The Geology Trail ...

... goes to an overlook of the Hudson River.

Zooming in to lots of people up on Anthony's Nose.

Now on to the coyotes.  It took forever to see them.  They camouflage very well.

A pond with waterfowl residents.  Many of them suffer from angel wing which, which can by caused from eating bread.

So much more to see at the zoo and so neat to see wildlife up close.

As we were leaving the zoo, the children went down for their naps.

We left the strollers parked up higher and took turns going down to the Hudson River Dock.  We would have never made it back up the steep, potholed switchbacks with the strollers.

Bear Mountain Bridge from the Hudson River Dock.

Heading back up.

Almost there for child watch duty while Caitie went to the dock.

We happened to have parked the strollers right next to this elk's head overlooking the Hudson.

Heading back to Hessian Lake.

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