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The official southern end of Sec. 9 is at the tollgate on the western side of Bear Mt. Bridge across the Hudson River. The marker on the attached map indicates the location of the toll booths. There is no parking here, but there is ample parking at Bear Mountain Inn (See Mile 0.8 of Section 10). There is also roadside parking at points along NY 9D going north on the east side of the bridge. (See miles 5.1 and 5.3).
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The northbound AT (to Section 9) goes across the bridge, then goes left along NY 9D for about 0.2 miles. The southbound trail (to Section 10) soon goes left and enters the Trailside Zoo via a back entrance. If the zoo is closed, detour west along the highway to the traffic circle then go south (right) along US 202/NY9W to the main entrance to the zoo. The southbound trail crosses to the west side of the highway and continues as a paved path towards Bear Mt. Inn. 4/30/20
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0 here but see directions
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David Cullen
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From the Palisades Interstate Parkway (north or south), Get off at exit 19 (Bear Mtn. Park) and take Seven Lakes Drive for 3.5 miles to the Bear mountain Circle. At the circle, take the second right. Follow the signs to Parking Lots. If you miss exit 19, take the Parkway to the Bear Mountain Bridge Circle. At this circle, make the first right onto 9W south and go to the traffic light. Bear right and go up the hill.
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Parking is available in the Bear Mountain State Park parking lot. A fee is charged in the summer, $6.00 in 2007. This is a huge paved parking lot and is frequently patrolled by the state police stationed at the park. One time I arrived early, before the fee collector, and I did not have to pay; arriving late might work too. I have left my car over night with no problems. 07/10/07
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200 plus
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froto
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When I was hiking this area, only the lot at the southwest corner in the satellite view of the attached map was open in winter. This is indicated by the green arrow on the attached map. I don't know if this is still the case or not. Note the large parking lot to the north and east.
08/15/09
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David Cullen
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Update: The parking fee is now $8.00. However we were there on a weekday in June and there was nobody at the toll booth. I'm not sure when it is manned during the summer season. It may only be on weekends.
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The green arrow on the map attached here indicates the point where the southbound trail leaves the Bear Mountain Inn Green and starts up a paved service road to begin the climb to Bear Mountain on a newly relocated section of trail. The northbound trail goes left
and crosses by the playground in the center of the satellite view. It then follows the east shore of Hessian Lake towards the Trailside Zoo. and Bear Mt. Bridge.
06/16/11
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David Cullen
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Take Seven Lakes Drive into Bear Mountain State Park. On the north side of the road you will eventually find the gate to Perkins Memorial Drive, which will take you 2 miles to Bear Mountain’s summit. You may see signs for Perkins Memorial Drive while on US 6 (from the West) or US 9 (from the East), indicating the correct exit to take.
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Parking is free at the summit. However, inclement weather such as heavy fog, snow or ice will close the summit parking lot. So, winter parking is not always reliable. You can also visit the impressive Perkins Memorial Tower while at the summit. Enjoy spectacular views of the park, the Hudson Highlands and Harriman State Park. 1/26/19 (revalidated May 2023)
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30
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froto
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Road is gated and closed in winter. Tower is also closed. Trails are open, but can be icy. 01/27/19 (revalidated May 2023)
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30
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Rbrahmase @ hotmail.com
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This is strictly an access point where one could possibly be dropped off. There are some pull-offs just south of the crossing. However, there is no parking along park roads as numerous signs remind you. Perkins Drive is the road which goes to the summit of Bear Mt. (See Mile 2.8). This intersection of the AT and Perkins Drive is 0.5 miles from Seven Lakes Drive. The markers on the attached map indicate the approximate location of the crossing. I do not have exact coordinates.
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The southbound trail leaves the road and descends toward Seven Lakes Drive. The northbound trail has been recently relocated. It goes east from the crossing on a long closed section of Perkins Drive which apparently once made a loop. If you continue on old road you will find a much easier access to tower. However, you will miss out on fine views, long flat rock slabs and a strategically placed bench. 1/26/19
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0
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ATEditors @ rohland.org
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Road to tower is gated and closed in winter. 01/27/19
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0
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Rbrahmase @ hotmail.com
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There is a hikers parking lot a few hundred feet west of this crossing. From the west take Exit 19 off the Palisades Parkway onto eastbound Seven Lakes Drive. In approximately 0.7-0.8 miles look for a paved (albeit badly) driveway on the right. There is a sign for Hiker Parking but this is not easily visible while driving. The dirt parking lot is on the right about a hundred feet down this driiveway. From the east the driveway is to the left off Seven Lakes Drive, 0.6 miles west of the intersection with Perkins Memorial Drive to the summit of Bear Mt. On the satellite view of the attached map, the marker indicates the approximate location of the entrance to the parking area.
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Quite frankly, the easiest access to the AT is to walk east along Seven Lakes Drive for a few hundred feet to the crossing. A wood road comes in from the right. This is the southbound AT. The northbound AT trailhead is across the road (left). There are trails which lead to the AT. When I first hiked this section, there was a red blazed "1777 W" trail which passed this lot. Those blazes have now been blacked out. Best trail route is to take the trail which goes east from near the the south end of the lot. The route is infrequently blazed with white disks nailed to trees. There are several unblazed trails all of which probably eventually lead to the AT. 1/26/19 N 41.30452 W 74.01523
GPS for trailhead: N 41.30384 W 74.01331
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8-10
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ATEditors @ rohland.org
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Parked at the hikers parking lot just west of the intersection of Perkins Memorial Drive and Seven Lakes Drive for two nights during a hike this October without issue. I did contact the park police to let them know that I was parking there for a few nights as well as gave them my vehicle information so that they knew it would be there for a couple of nights. The lot is now paved and while not well marked off of Seven Lakes Drive, is not hard to find and a safe place to park based on my experience 1/26/19
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dperry3568 @ gmail.com
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Parking is always packed. Even in winter. Cars park on entrance road very eclectically and there always seem to be cars parked on shoulder. Not sure if this is legal. 01/27/19
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6-8
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Rbrahmase @ hotmail.com
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ALERT: This parking access is due to the 2023 longterm reroute of the AT in this area to avoid the dangerous Palisades Interstate Parkway crossing. Visit associated website for reroute map and updates: https://www.nynjtc.org/trail-alerts/AT-PIPDetour
Parking: 41.297954, -74.027584
Trail Access: 41.299092, -74.027705
(SOBO goes NW along the road towards the ramp/NOBO goes northerly and enters the woods. Blazes/Signage is very clearly marked).
From the New York Thruway (I-87, I-287), take Exit 13 north towards Palisades Interstate Parkway. Go north on the parkway about 15 miles. Take Exit 17 to the Anthony Wayne Recreation Area. Park in the huge north lot
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Note: Section photos are impacted due to this reroute. Trail photos past the West Mountain Shelter MM 6.8-ish thru to around 8.1-ish are impacted until intersection with 1779 trail where they resume reflection of AT.
Walk to trailhead as noted on map link as the endpoint. There were no signs indicating we could not cross the grassy area, so that is how we accessed the trailhead.
The Anthony Wayne Recreation Area of Harriman State Park lies in a wooded valley. Facilities include picnic areas with fireplaces, playing fields and cross-country ski and hiking trails. Historically there has been an in-season parking fee on the weekends, however in 2023 there is no mention of said fees on the website. The entrance kiosk remains, but appeared closed up tight. (May 2023 update)
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100s
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WardandDA @ gmail.com
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The trailhead for the Menomine Trail is at the Silvermine Lake Picnic area. Take Exit 18 off Palisades Parkway towards west US 6. In a short distance there is large traffic circle (Long Mt. Circle). Go onto westbound Seven Lake Drive. The Silvermine area is 1.7 miles down this road on the left. There is large parking lot here. There was an entrance station. It was closed in mid-September, but there may be a parking fee charged here in the summer. The attached map shows the parking area near Silvermine Lake.
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To go south towards the AT on the Menomine Trail, cross the small bridge on the east side of the parking area. Bear left and follow along the lake shore, crossing a grassy area. The first blazes I saw were just as the trail entered the woods by two ramshackle buildings. The yellow-blazed Menomine trail goes 1.4 miles, coming out just north of the William Brien Shelter. In its southern part, it follows old roads, but this is more obvious in some places than others. The intersection with the AT is just south of the shelter. The southbound AT goes right, the northbound trail goes left and starts to climb a rock outcrop. 09/17/07
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Very ample parking
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David Cullen
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Parking is not allowed here. This area is frequently patrolled. 07/14/07
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0
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froto
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Take Exit 18 off Palisades Parkway towards west US 6. In a short distance there is large traffic circle (Long Mt. Circle). Go onto westbound Seven Lake Drive. The trail crossing is 2.8 miles down this road, 1.1 miles after Silvermine Lake. Tiorati Circle is 1.1 miles further south on Seven Lakes Drive.
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I suppose this point could be used s a drop-off point, but as can be seen from the street view, there is really no parking available even if it was allowed. Rotate the street view to the west to see the southbound trail towards Arden Valley Road. 07/29/10
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0
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David Cullen
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From Tiorati Circle go west on Arden Valley Road 0,3 miles to the trail crossing at the top of the ridge. No parking here, but ample parking available at Tiorati Circle. Fee charged in summer. See Mile 0.1 of Section11.
The trail crossing is 4.7 miles east of the intersection with NY 17 and Arden Valley Road (See Mile 5.5)
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This is the the northern end of Section 11 and the southern end of Section 10. The northbound trail to Section 10 goes north while the southbound AT to Section 11 goes south. This point can be reached on foot by walking up Arden Valley Road from the parking area or by taking the blue-blazed access trail from the parking area and then following the AT north for about 0.1 miles to the road. (See Mile 0.1 of Section11) The marker on the attached map indicates the approximate location of the trail crossing. There is a picture of the crossing in the pictures for this section. GPS: N41.2751 W74.0940 07/25/10 Updated12/1/20
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0 here, but ample at Tiorati Circle.
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