Looking for a short hike near Fort Montgomery, New York with views of the surrounding mountains in the Hudson Valley? Look no further than the Bear Mountain Vistas via Appalachian Trail at Bear Mountain State Park.
This short and easy 0.8-mile out-and-back hike leads visitors down to the "West Mountain" side of Bear Mountain and out to a rocky ledge that provides sweeping views of the surrounding mountains.
The trail winds down the mountain, following exposed bedrock, before passing a long, mossy rock ledge. Follow the switchbacks down the mountain until they reach a wide-open, rocky outcropping viewpoint with a bench. Here, near mile 0.25, the views begin to open up with sweeping 180-degree vistas of the surrounding mountains. As you walk around the exposed bedrock, you might notice small dips in rock's surface--after rainfall, these small dips fill in with water and create a unique view with the lush green mountains sitting in the background.
After exploring the views near the bench, this route leads hikers south to reach another vista point located near mile 0.3. This view faces NYC and Manhattan, however, it sits just a bit too low on the mountainside to view the city. For folks who'd like to get a view of NYC from Bear Mountain, try the Bear Mountain Accessible Overlook instead which provides stunning views of Manhattan on clear days.
The last vista point along this hike is located down the discrete blue blazed trail that follows the bedrock. To reach it, simply hike back toward the bench and look for a small path that leads through the low-growing pine trees just downhill from the bench. Follow the blue blazes as they traverse up and down the exposed bedrock, passing through small patches of pine trees, before the trail eventually ends with a dead-end. At the end of the blue blazed trail sits another breathtaking view of the surrounding mountains of the Hudson Valley. This last view faces north and includes several ponds in-view below your feet, which simply adds to the scenery.
When you're done exploring the views along the west side of Bear Mountain, the hike back up to the car is relatively easy. Follow the same blue blazes and white blazes (of the Appalachian Trail) to reach the trailhead for an easy 0.8-mile out-and-back hike atop Bear Mountain.
This short and easy 0.8-mile out-and-back hike leads visitors down to the "West Mountain" side of Bear Mountain and out to a rocky ledge that provides sweeping views of the surrounding mountains.
Hiking to Bear Mountain's West Vistas
This hike begins at the very top of Bear Mountain on the northwest side of the main parking lot where hikers will find a trailhead that provides two ways to hike along the slopes of the mountain. This route heads into the forest by keeping left at the trailhead's fork where you'll follow signs for "West Mountain", following an Appalachian Trail shortcut path.The trail winds down the mountain, following exposed bedrock, before passing a long, mossy rock ledge. Follow the switchbacks down the mountain until they reach a wide-open, rocky outcropping viewpoint with a bench. Here, near mile 0.25, the views begin to open up with sweeping 180-degree vistas of the surrounding mountains. As you walk around the exposed bedrock, you might notice small dips in rock's surface--after rainfall, these small dips fill in with water and create a unique view with the lush green mountains sitting in the background.
After exploring the views near the bench, this route leads hikers south to reach another vista point located near mile 0.3. This view faces NYC and Manhattan, however, it sits just a bit too low on the mountainside to view the city. For folks who'd like to get a view of NYC from Bear Mountain, try the Bear Mountain Accessible Overlook instead which provides stunning views of Manhattan on clear days.
The last vista point along this hike is located down the discrete blue blazed trail that follows the bedrock. To reach it, simply hike back toward the bench and look for a small path that leads through the low-growing pine trees just downhill from the bench. Follow the blue blazes as they traverse up and down the exposed bedrock, passing through small patches of pine trees, before the trail eventually ends with a dead-end. At the end of the blue blazed trail sits another breathtaking view of the surrounding mountains of the Hudson Valley. This last view faces north and includes several ponds in-view below your feet, which simply adds to the scenery.
When you're done exploring the views along the west side of Bear Mountain, the hike back up to the car is relatively easy. Follow the same blue blazes and white blazes (of the Appalachian Trail) to reach the trailhead for an easy 0.8-mile out-and-back hike atop Bear Mountain.
Appalachian Trail Hikes
