Bear Mountain Day Hike

When and Where

When: March 21, 2026
Timeline: 7:00 am — 6:00 pm

Location: Bear Mountain State Park

On Saturday, March 21, 2026, Troop 23 heads to Bear Mountain State Park for a full-day hike through one of the most scenic stretches of the Hudson Highlands. The trip pairs trail time with a visit to Fort Montgomery State Historic Site, where scouts can walk the grounds of a key Revolutionary War battlefield overlooking the Hudson River.

Bear Mountain sits at the northern edge of the same park system our troop has explored on orienteering trips and backpacking weekends in Harriman. This time we stay on the eastern side — steeper terrain, wider views, and a summit tower that puts the entire valley at your feet.

Bear Mountain State Park

Bear Mountain State Park covers over 5,000 acres on the west bank of the Hudson River, about 50 miles north of Brooklyn. The park's centerpiece is Bear Mountain itself — a 1,283-foot summit connected to the Appalachian Trail and the surrounding network of Harriman trails our scouts know well from previous backpacking trips.

At the top, Perkins Memorial Tower offers 360-degree views of the Hudson Valley, the Manhattan skyline on a clear day, and the Catskill Mountains to the north. The tower was built in 1934 from local stone and is one of the most recognizable landmarks in the Hudson Highlands.

The park was also the birthplace of the modern trail system — the first section of the Appalachian Trail was blazed here in 1923. Scouts hiking these slopes are walking the same ground where long-distance trail culture in America began.

The Trail

We'll be hiking the Perkins Memorial Tower via the Appalachian Trail — a 3.6-mile route with 1,131 feet of elevation gain to the iconic stone tower at the summit. At a steady scout pace of about 45 minutes per mile, expect roughly 3 to 3.5 hours on the trail, including a stop to prepare and eat a trail lunch along the way.

Pack a lunch you can eat on the trail — there are no picnic tables at the top, so plan for something you can manage on a rock or a log. Sandwiches, wraps, and snacks that don't need a table work best.

Fort Montgomery

Fort Montgomery sits on a bluff directly above the Hudson River, just north of the Bear Mountain Bridge. During the American Revolution, this fort and its twin, Fort Clinton, guarded a massive iron chain stretched across the river to block the British fleet. On October 6, 1777, British forces stormed both forts in one of the bloodiest engagements of the war in New York.

Today the site is an open-air archaeological park with interpretive trails, reconstructed earthworks, and views down the Hudson that make the strategic importance of the position immediately clear. It's a place where history comes off the page — scouts can trace the outlines of the original fort and stand where Continental soldiers defended the river passage.

The visit ties directly into requirements for the Citizenship in the Nation merit badge and offers context for discussions on American history, military strategy, and the geography of the Revolution.

Tentative Schedule

Detailed schedule will be posted as the trip date approaches. Please reserve the full day.

Saturday, March 21
7:00 am — Depart from OLA parking lot
~8:15 am — Arrive at Bear Mountain State Park
Morning — Hike the Perkins Memorial Tower trail via the Appalachian Trail (3.6 mi, ~3–3.5 hrs)
Midday — Lunch break (pack a trail-friendly meal)
Afternoon — Descend and visit Fort Montgomery State Historic Site
~4:30 pm — Depart for Brooklyn
~6:00 pm — Return to OLA

What to Bring

This is a day hike, not an overnight. Pack light but prepared:

• Sturdy hiking shoes or boots (broken in — no new shoes on hike day)
• Daypack with rain cover
• Water — at least 2 liters
• Packed lunch and snacks (trail mix, energy bars)
• Layers — March weather in the Highlands can shift quickly; expect 35–55°F at elevation
• Rain jacket or windbreaker
• Hat and gloves (mornings can be cold at the summit)
• Sunscreen
• Compass and trail map (if you have one — orienteering skills from our January trip to Harriman come in handy)
• First aid kit (personal basics)
• Class B uniform
• Executed permission form from ScoutBook

Leave heavy packs at home. If you've been on our Harriman backpacking trips, think of this as the same terrain with a much lighter load.

Parents Welcome

This trip is open to parents and family members who'd like to join us on the trail or help with transportation. Bear Mountain is a great hike for adults too, and extra drivers make the logistics much easier for everyone.

If you're interested in coming along — whether for the hike, the history, or just the drive — please let leadership know so we can plan accordingly.

Troop 23 in the Hudson Highlands

This area is familiar ground for our troop. Over the past few years, we've built up real experience in Harriman and the surrounding parks:

• Orienteering Trip, January 2025 — Navigated a competitive orienteering course in the Surebridge section of Harriman State Park, covering a 2.9 km course with 10 control points plus a 5-mile extended hike.
• Harriman Backpacking, May 2024 — A 15-mile backpacking trip through Silvermine Lake, William Brien Memorial Shelter, and Stockbridge Shelter over the Memorial Day weekend.
• Backpacking Overnighter, May 2023 — An introductory overnight along the Pine Meadow and Suffern Bear Mountain trails in Harriman, building skills for the summer's Adventure Trek.

Bear Mountain is the next piece of the puzzle — same mountain range, new trails, and a perspective on the park that goes beyond camping and navigation into the region's history.