Day 79. Bear Mountain

Mile 784 – Hemlock Springs To Mile 793 – West Mountain

The rain stopped this morning around 9:00 and we waited until then to get moving in the hopes of staying dry today and possibly having a clear view from Bear Mountain. We did stay dry at least.

After a short hike and relatively long road walk we crossed over the Hudson River and entered the touristy Bear Mountain area. We could just barely catch a glimpse of the mountain from time to time through the fog.

Bridge over the Hudson river

Crossing the Hudson

The trail leads through a zoo and then a huge park with a lake and a swimming pool. We knew there would be no view from the top today, so we settled for lunch at the Bear Mountain Inn and then started the climb.

Following the trail through a zoo

Following the trail through a playground

The AT route up the mountain is obviously designed to accommodate a large number of day hikers and is almost comically well maintained. It is perfectly graded with even stone steps most of the way and even the smallest water crossings have sturdy bridges. We laughed when we thought about the thousands of people that visit this park every year and probably think this is what the AT is like.

Climbing Bear Mountain

Even without the views, it was a fun day with a delicious lunch and a unique urban hike. We especially remember the surreal foggy forrest on the way down the other side. It started to rain late in the day and we did not think we could reach our intended campsite before dark, so we stopped early at a shelter with a view of the city. Hopefully in the morning it will be clear enough to see the skyline.