Avoid at all costs while they are doing construction. It's impossible to actually get to a trail…read morehead. And there is no one in any of the offices to actually offer help. They should have warned us many trails closed or detours when we paid the parking fee. While not much I would have skipped the $10 feet since we actually didn't do anything during our trip as all the trail heads were too far

I've known about Bear Mountain State Park, not too far north of New York City as the crow flies,…read morefor a while. On a temperate holiday weekend, I drove up here with a friend who had been here many years ago, but didn't remember much about it. It's really not that far. With the exception of Long Island stretching over 100 miles, everything in the Tri-state New York area seems more compact than out West ... when traffic is flowing well. The state park is on the west side of the Hudson River and we reached it by continuing up the Palisades Parkway from New Jersey. I recommend going midweek if it's summertime. During other times of the year, every day should be okay if it's not a holiday. We were driving along on this landscaped highway, complete with stone arch bridges as if the Merritt Parkway, and it was going fairly smoothly until we got to the base of the mountain. On this holiday weekend, state park employees were preventing or metering how many vehicles could continue on the access road upward. We drove along aimlessly on nearby roads for a short while and then tried again. Luck prevailed in that the roadblocks had just been removed and we were able to drive up Bear Mountain. Other reviewers mention the pool, the lodge, and other recreational facilities in addition to lakes and trails, but we came here for the summit and its view. The road up is a windy one, so proceed cautiously. If anything, the natural environment here reminds you that there's a very different world outside of and not very far from New York City. There will different types of of vegetation and wildlife here and, with its name Bear Mountain, there will indeed be bears, but not of the type that are likely to "meet and greet." Up at the top of Bear Mountain is a rusticated stone tower - the Perkins Memorial Tower - as well as limited parking, trails, and benches. On this holiday weekend, the tower was closed to the public. The views available from the trails were still captivating and made it worth the trip. But I'm sure going up to the top of the tower would just give you a better view over the surrounding vegetation. In addition to the views, the topography, and the natural environment, the diversity of the people here is amazing, and I mean that in a good way. It went without saying that, in addition to people visiting from outside the area, many of those present who do reside in the Tri-state New York City area may not be native to the U.S. Thus, it's always interesting to try to figure out where they're from ... at least it is for me. I'm saving the best for last. After parking the car near the tower, descending on the trails on the slope of Bear Mountain gave a faint view of Manhattan's skyline over the hills and valleys in front of us. I was mesmerized by this. Autumn is most likely my favorite season and this state park could be a fine place to take in autumnal color midweek when there's "coffee weather" - cooler, comfortably overcast, and with fewer people. Picking up the car, having lunch, and driving up here chewed up the lion's share of the day. As such, we later crossed the Hudson on the Bear Mountain Bridge and ended up in Westchester County, thus shortchanging the time dedicated to seeing some of its highlights. I've been to Westchester County before, but for more "official" purposes, and realize more and more that it's worth going back to ... and exploring it slowly as well. Crossing the Hudson River into Westchester County and driving through it heading south made for an interesting way to reenter New York City. You can see that you're presented with what is an interesting loop trip: crossing the Hudson and up through New Jersey toward the state park and back down south, remaining in New York State ... or up through New York State, crossing the Hudson toward the state park, and then back down south through New Jersey. Either way, you can't go wrong with a well planned trip to scenic and verdant Bear Mountain State Park.

This was our first time here and we came during the right season!! BEAUTIFUL fall foliage…read moreeverywhere! We were here with a group of fairly experienced hikers, so we opted for one of the more difficult trails: the blue trail. However, they have multiple trails, with the red one being one of the easiest routes as it's mostly flat. The red trail rams you to the lake which is absolutely beautiful! We were here on a Sunday for an all-day experience, and we noticed that it was pretty well-trafficked - lots of hikers everywhere! But not enough to be considered crowded. All in all, we had an amazing experience!! Would definitely recommend, especially in the fall season. Heads-up: the visitor center closes at 5pm and therefore the restrooms close at 5pm. We learned this the hard way after returning from our hike!

Varied hikes from easy to difficult and loops or out and back. Whether it's rock scrambling,…read morevistas, lakes or just forest paths, it is pretty accessible to reach from the Palisades Parkway or 17, and provides a nice respite from the bustle of daily life. Parking also differs based on which hikes you choose. Some of the hikes that use a seasonal road are closed after 12/1 for the winter.

Wow what a beautiful place to take the family. This zoo is very well hidden and was near empty when…read morewe visited. You would never know it's there unless you purposely look for it. Free entry but pay to park certain times of the year.

Pros: 1) Great add-on activity pre/post-hike…read more 2) Lots of cute animals that are pretty close-up. 3) Low cost for admission (it's donation based) 4) You can see the staff feeding the animals, if you time it right. Cons: 1) Quite a few of the animal enclosures were closed. 2) The amenities in the zoo and museum look so dated. (Some don't even work) My wife and I gave our donation upon arrival. However, I noticed many, many, many people walk right past the donation box without even care in the world. I get it, money is tight nowadays. However, if we want these sites to look nice we really should pitch in. Just leave a dollar per person, and it will add up. I really enjoyed my time there, and the workers were really friendly. Pro tip: 1) Don't take your pets into the zoo. We saw a lot of these people. 2) Don't blast music on your bluetooth speaker while walking in the park. That's why we invented headphones, papi.

What a stunning beautiful park , so clean with plenty of parking , picnic table and a beautiful…read morewaterfall-river . It's an amazing place to spend the day on a romantic date or with the family .

I definitely recommend going early and having your own transportation to get there because signal…read morecan be spotty. The croton gorge and its bridge was beautiful. Beautiful views , the sound of the water and trees all around. I saw a deer and many people picnicking in the grass. A lot of lantern flies unfortunately. I wish there was a way to get rid of them in a eco friendly manner because the trees don't deserve this haha! They had portopotties , a playground, and some food trucks. On a beautiful day this is a hidden gem not too far from the city.

Nice park for the beginner or more experienced hiker or just someone who wants to have some peace…read moreand quiet outdoors for a couple of hours. The parking lot is big and there is a bathroom, which is appreciated. I took a look at the trail map before I left to find one of a decent length, so check out options, but the trails are well-marked. Once you get past the main train next to the lake, you can find yourself pretty alone except for another occasional hiker, but you can vibe with nature, see a waterfall, and just breathe in the fresh air. Some of the trails are long, but I paced one that was only a couple of miles and still got some nice scenery and a lot of steps in. It's great this park isn't too far from the urban areas of Northern NJ and there are many trail options so you can visit again and experience something new. There's also a sign for trout fishing if that's your thing. Check it out if you want to get away for the day.

This was my first time and what a blast! What I love about…read morehiking is that there's so many cool and magical places that you can't get to by car. For decades I've driven up 287 and wondered what was in all the hills and mountains and today I finally got to see. I met up with my local plus size hiking group for our last hike of the year and Ramapo was a first for all of us despite being longtime New Jerseyans. We did the Macmillan trail and clocked about 3.5 miles total. We went the long trail around the reservoir and then dipped back down the waterfall trail. Very thankful we did it that way - I think all the stairs on the waterfall trail would have been treacherous given the conditions and a bit demoralizing. Getting the big hills out the way first and enjoying the lake made the waterfall that much sweeter. So many dogs and kind people on the trail. Trash was almost non-existent. Tons of rocks and logs to sit a spell - but at below freezing temps we kept it moving lol. Highlights: -ample parking (bc it was cold) -giant rocks -waterfalls -exposed slabs -gorgeous vistas -the swan!!

If you ever need a timeout and take a break, this is one of the best drives in the state of New…read moreYork. The drive takes you past lakes, the beautiful green scenery etc. If you plan to drive here at night, it is pitch dark, I don't recall seeing a light post. There is a boating dock along the drive. It is close to the Woodbury outlets and bear mountain, so you can make a full day of activities. Restrooms may be hard to come by.

I've been coming here for many many years. Such a wonderful place to hike and bring my dogs to…read more They love swimming!! End up hiking to the top of one of the mountains where we won't be bothered. Need to visit again soon!

FDR park is a spacious 960 acre park. This open park has nice trails for long walks, jogging, and…read morebicycling. There are basketball courts, fields for playing soccer or softball, and a children's playground. I could not believe the many areas for barbecuing with plenty of picnic tables, charcoal grills, and some areas even had volleyball nets,. Perfect for cookouts, and nice pavilions for events. There is also a beautiful scenic lake where you can rent row boats, and fish. It is also home to the largest pool of all New York State parks that can accommodate 3,500 people.

Came here for the pool, really nice when it's not crowded. Clean and friendly staff! Entrance fee…read moreis $3 per person and you can spend a whole day here!

10/10/25 Visit. Riverfront Green Park has a little something for all ages!…read more It's right by the Peekskill train station *Kids- A wonderful and colorful playground area with swings and slides. Decent restroom facilities are nearby. *Adults- Seating areas to view the beautiful waterfront and stunning sculptures. Please see attached sculpture photos. Saw several men out fishing the day we visited. Across from the park, there's several places to eat. Unfortunately, cleanup needs to be done due to the Canadian geese droppings in the children's section.

Peekskill has some great perks, especially Riverfront Green Park, with much to take in. A…read moreplayground is just a short distance from the train tracks, which I've seen numerous times when riding the train. For anyone who's into art sculptures, etc., they have a number of them throughout the park, which seems fairly recent and an additional upgrade I'm assuming. The boardwalk near the Hudson River is beautiful, with plenty of room to fit people. Decent views from that area. Some areas are a bit messy, which could be improved upon. This is a great stop in the Hudson Valley.

Pretty cool park for kids! They have a fun dinosaur trail and fairy trail, which the little ones…read morelove. The garden was being renovated and super sparse, which was a bummer, but we generally had fun.

Wonderful and so peaceful. My mother loved all the variety of flowers and plants. The dino trail is…read moreso cute and great for little kids. We had such an enjoyable time here.

This museum is located in the Bear Mountain. It's free to check out. There is also a hiking trail…read moreinside. Very nice place to take a walk on a nice day.

this is a quaint museum that's located in bear mountain. The size is appropriate for the location…read moreand it's free. Staff is very nice and the place sells souvenirs, refreshments, has a movie, and bathrooms. A lot of the stuff on display is also cool (bones from animals, weapons, everyday soldier items)