Bear Mountain AT Major Welch Loop

Bear Mountain State Park
Rockland and Orange Co.,
New York

Hiking Trails:
Appalachian Trail: White Blaze
Major Welch Trail: Red Blaze

Total Time: 2:10 hour
Estimated Distance: 3.7 Miles

Pros: Good climb, great views, famous mountain
Cons: Busy area
Hike Type: Loop
Level of Difficulty: Very difficult

Google Maps of Parking:
https://goo.gl/maps/jKiR4FgyBhSEhJ116

It had been raining in the morning, and was still cloudy and damp with more rain predicted during the day. However, I noticed from the radar that it wasn't raining and wouldn't rain during the hike, offering a good opportunity for this very busy hike. The weather scared everyone away, and in fact I didn't meet a single person while ascending the Major Welch Trail. This area is usually very busy on weekends in the summer, so was glad to have much of this mountain to myself on this hike. 

The weather was cooler than usual for June, but was very humid, making the climb up on the Major Welch difficult, especially considering my speed on the ascent. I parked at the end of the lookout dead end at Perkins Memorial Drive, and took the Appalachian Trail down Bear Mountain. At the bottom of the mountain I walked alongside Hessian Lake on the Major Welch Trail, and then ascended back up the Major Welch Trail, along the large bedrock slabs, to the top, and then took the Appalachian Trail from the summit and tower back to my car.

Descending the AT

Mountain Laurels

View of The Timp on the AT Descent

Small Waterfalls on the AT

The Hudson River and Peekskill in the Distance

Bear Mountain Bridge

Informational Trail Signs at the Descent of the AT

Hessian Lake

Beetles Strategically Rolling a Ball

Major Welch Trail Begin of the Rock Scramble

Bear Mountain Tower

Bear Mountain Appalachian Trail/Major Welch Loop

Bear Mountain State Park,
Rockland/Orange Co.,
New York

Hiking Trails:
Appalachian Trail: White blaze
Major Welch Trail: Red blaze

Total Time: 2:45 hour
Estimated Distance: 3.7 Miles

Pros: Good scramble with great views
Cons: Extremely busy on weekends

Hiking Partner:
Rayzi and Joseph Friedman

I had not been here in some time, and the Major Welch Trail up Bear Mountain is one of my favorite trails in the region. We parked at the dead end circle on Perkins Memorial Drive after the scenic area past the tower. We took the Appalachian Trail down the steps portion, past the waterfall (which was dry), the view, and down to Hessian Lake. We then took the Major Welch Trail along the busy path on the western side of the lake, and the then ascending up the Major Welch Trail along the steep rocky portion. We took the trail to the summit, climbed the tower, and then took the Appalachian Trail down to our car.

Map of the Route

Me on a Log on the Appalachian Trail

Flowering Mountain Laurels

Mountain Laurels at the First View

Me at the View on the Appalachian Trail
Facing Southeast towards the Hudson River

Iona Island, the Hudson River, and Peekskill from the View

Hessian Lake, Facing North

Anthony's Nose and Hessian Lake from Bear Mountain Foot

Flowers along the Trail

Ascending the Large Rock on the Major Welch Trail

View Ascending the Major Welch Trail. Facing North.

Mountain Laurels on the Appalachian Trail

View along the Major Welch Trail, Facing North

At the View, Facing North Towards Brooks Lake

Me on the Major Welch Trail

On the Major Welch Trail near the Summit

View of the Hudson from the view where the Trail hits the Road

Bear Mountain Bridge, Zoo, and Hessian Lake

Bear Mountain State Park
Westchester/Rockland/Orange Counties,
New York

Hiking Trails:
Appalachian Trail: White blaze
Major Welch Trail: Red blaze
1777 W Trail: Red blaze

Total Time: 1:40 hour
Estimated Distance: 3.1 Miles

Pros: Great views
Cons: Very busy area

Hiking Partner:
Shimmy Rosenberg

I had really hurt myself earlier in the week while climbing down Bear Mountain. I could not do a big hike or any elevation changes, so I opted for something easy, flat, and paved. We drove over the Bear Mountain Bridge and parked on the eastern side at the end of the bridge, on the corner of Route 9D. We walked along the north path of the bridge, which is concurrent with the Appalachian Trail and the point where this trail crosses the Hudson River. After crossing the bridge from Westchester into Rockland, we went though the Bear Mountain Zoo, which also trails along the Appalachian Trail, combined with the 1777 W Trail. We took the detour to Fort Clinton, and took the spur by the bear den to the view in the zoo. We then took the trail to the end of the zoo, walked to Hessian Lake, and looped around its southern end to the trail on the west side, which is along the Major Welch Trail. We then continued around the north side of Hessian Lake, going into Orange county, and then cut across on the grass to Route 9W, which we crossed. We then went along the southern walkway of Bear Mountain Bridge and went back to our car.

Map of the Route

Approaching Bear Mountain Bridge in Westchester

Plaque at the Bridge

Looking Across the Hudson River a the Popolopen Bridge

Looking North a the Hudson River and Metro North Line

Looking North with a Trail in View

Shimmy Midspan

The Three Popopopen Bridges

Hudson River, Facing North

Me on the Bear Mountain Bridge

On the Bridge, with Anthony's Nose Behind Me

Me on the Bridge

The Historical Toll Booth

Me at an Appalachian Trail Plaque, with a Long Distance Hiker to my Left

Cactus Grove Growing in the Zoo

Swans in the Pond in the Zoo

Fort Clinton, in Bear Mountain Zoo

View from Bear Mountain Zoo of the Notch in the Hudson River

Notch Between Manitou and Dunderberg Mountains

Bear Mountain Bridge and Anthony's Nose

North Shore of Hessian Lake, Facing South Toward Dunderberg

View from the Bridge of the Hudson River, Facing South