Bear Mountain State Park

About Bear Mountain State Park

Bear Mountain State Park covers 5,205 acres in the rugged highlands on the west bank of the Hudson River near Stony Point, New York. It opened in 1913 and is operated by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, the state agency that oversees more than 250 parks, historic sites, trails, golf courses, and boat launches across New York. The park drew nearly 1.9 million visitors, making it one of the busier destinations in the state park system.

Within the park, the animal collection lives at the Trailside Museums and Zoo, a complex that pairs a native-animal zoo with a Herpetology House, a Geology Museum, and a Nature Study Museum. The rest of the park is built around outdoor recreation rather than animal exhibits: a large play field, shaded picnic groves, lake and river fishing access, a swimming pool, and a network of hiking, biking, and cross-country ski trails all sit alongside the zoo and museum complex.

History

Bear Mountain State Park contains the archaeological ruins of Fort Clinton, built by American forces in 1776 to protect the Hudson River from British control. On October 6, 1777, British forces led by Sir Henry Clinton attacked Fort Clinton along with the nearby Fort Montgomery. The fort's defenses were unfinished, and its American defenders, including General James Clinton, for whom the fort was named, were overwhelmed by a combined force of British regulars and Loyalists; Clinton was wounded but managed to retreat, while many of his men ended up in New York City's Sugar House prisons. Though the British won the battle, they were unable to link up with General John Burgoyne to complete a planned conquest of New York, and they subsequently destroyed both forts and removed the defensive iron chain that had stretched across the Hudson before returning to New York City. The following year, Americans built more substantial fortifications at West Point and a new chain further upriver.

Some remains of Fort Clinton are still visible today, though most were destroyed during construction projects in the 1920s. The park opened as a state park in 1913, and today the Trailside Museums and Zoo occupy part of the grounds, alongside the recreational facilities that developed around the site over the following century.

Exhibits and habitats

The Trailside Museums and Zoo combine a native animal zoo with a Herpetology House, a Geology Museum, and a Nature Study Museum. Some animals are taken off exhibit 30 to 45 minutes before the zoo's closing time each day, and the museum buildings close 15 minutes before the grounds do.

Elsewhere in the park, the Merry-Go-Round features hand-painted scenes of the park along with 42 hand-carved seats modeled on native animals, including black bear, wild turkey, deer, raccoon, skunk, Canada goose, fox, swan, bobcat, and rabbit. The Perkins Memorial Tower, reached by Perkins Memorial Drive, sits atop Bear Mountain and is open from April through late November, weather permitting, offering views over the park, the Hudson Highlands, and neighboring Harriman State Park. An outdoor ice-skating rink operates from late October through mid-March.

Animal highlights

No species list is published for the Trailside Museums and Zoo. The park's animal-themed offerings extend beyond the zoo itself: the Merry-Go-Round's 42 hand-carved seats depict native species such as black bear, wild turkey, deer, raccoon, skunk, Canada goose, fox, swan, bobcat, and rabbit, giving a sense of the regional wildlife the park highlights, alongside the live animals housed at the zoo and Herpetology House.

Planning your visit

As listed on the park's website, the Trailside Museums and Zoo are open from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. between April 1 and November 30, and from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. from December 1 through March 31. Some animals go off exhibit 30 to 45 minutes before closing, and the museum buildings shut 15 minutes ahead of the grounds. Most New York State Parks, including Bear Mountain, charge a vehicle use fee that varies by location and season; the Empire Pass, priced at $80, covers unlimited day-use entry at most state park and Department of Environmental Conservation facilities for a full season.

Dogs are permitted on a leash no longer than six feet but are not allowed inside buildings, picnic areas, bathing areas, walkways, or the Trailside Museum and Wildlife Center itself. Bus groups visiting the park must obtain a permit well ahead of their trip by calling the park office, and the park does not accept buses on weekends or holidays from May through September. Guest Services at the Bear Mountain Inn can confirm current fees and hours for the pool, tower, and other amenities. Confirm hours, fees, and any closures on the park's official website before your visit.