Updated September 6, 2025
Read on for the complete guide to the Bear Mountain Loop Trail!
I always tell myself I’m going to escape the city for the weekend.. and, I finally did it.
This hike is just an hour train away from Grand Central.
Here’s a 1 min overview:
With rock slabs and views of the Hudson, it’s the perfect way to (actively) rest your soul.
Here’s everything you need to know before hiking the Bear Mountain Loop Trail.
FAQs
⬇️ Skip to Trail ⬇️
🐻 What’s the Bear Mountain Loop Trail route?
The Bear Mountain Loop Trail is a short but steep hike an hour from NYC.
It takes under 3 hours to complete, and includes views of the Hudson River and steep rocky portions.
Part 1 (Moderate): Walk along the Hessian Lake → Hike up Major Welch trail
Part 2 (Hard): Steep rocky portion with Hudson River views → Summit at Perkins Memorial Tower with Queensboro Lake views
Part 3 (Easy): Descend along Appalachian Trail.
🥵 How hard is the Bear Mountain Loop Trail?
This hike is moderately hard. I would rate it a 6.5 out of 10 in difficulty.
While it’s only 3.7 miles, it’s pretty steep with 1,145 ft in elevation gain.
⏰ How long does the Bear Mountain Loop Trail take?
The hike took me under 2.5 hours to complete, including a few breaks and a snack break up top.
🚊 How do I get to the Bear Mountain Loop Trail?
Take the Metro North Hudson Line from Grand Central for an hour to Peekskill Station.
From there, it’s a 10 min Uber to Bear Mountain Inn (3020 Seven Lakes Drive, Tomkins Cove, NY 10986).
The trail begins from behind the inn (there’s signs and it will be obvious).
I would highly recommend you hike the trail counterclockwise, so that you hike up the steep rocks (and descend down the stairs). This will be more enjoyable and safer.
🔎 Is the Bear Mountain Loop Trail well marked?
Yes, this trail is very well marked, so you don’t have to worry about getting lost.
I would bookmark this AllTrails map on the app so that you can do sanity checks along the way (I had signal the whole route).
But simply put, while you go uphill, look out for the ⭕️ red circle markers (Major Welch trail).
As you descend, look for the ◽️ white paint markers (Appalachian Trail).
(It’s the white paint stroke below “North to Maine” in the photo below.)
👯♀️ Is the Bear Mountain Loop Trail busy?
Yes… This trail gets busy af especially on the weekends and on public holidays.
🥾 What should I pack for this hike?
I would highly recommend hiking boots if you have them. (I saw plenty of people in running shoes so don’t let that stop you!)
This is mainly because there’s steep rocky portions where you’ll want to wedge your feet in between rocks and want ankle protection.
I don’t think you need trekking poles, especially if you do the loop counterclockwise and descend down the stairs (instead of the steep rocks).
I would probably recommend wearing leggings for general protection, but there’s no bushy areas and I didn’t get bit by mosquitoes (in early September).
💵 How much is the transportation to Bear Mountain?
If you’re going alone, you’ll spend about $80.
For two people, it costs about $50 per head (splitting the Ubers).
- Metro North Hudson Line ($27.25): You’ll probably take a peak train ($18.25) to Peekskill and return to Grand Central on an off-peak train ($9).
- Ubers ($40-60 round trip): One way costs about $20-30.
Bear Mountain Loop Trail
Part 1: Major Welch Trail with Hudson River Views
📍 Finding the trailhead
The trailhead is behind the Bear Mountain Inn (you’ll see Hessian Lake).
Follow the red circle sign to keep on the Major Welch Trail until you hit Perkins Memorial Tower.
🔄 Go Counterclockwise
Important: AllTrails tells you to go clockwise.
BUT, I think it’s almost a must to go counterclockwise in order to be safe and enjoy the hike.
This is because you want to do the steep rocky portion uphill and leisurely come down using the stone steps.
Otherwise, you’ll have a boring stairs start to your hike (and struggle slipping down the steep rocky part).
🛶 Walk along Hessian Lake
The hike starts with a short walk along Hessian Lake, before ascending.
Part 2: Steep Rocks to Perkins Memorial Tower
🪨 The Rocky Part
You’ll hit a series of rock portions with long stone slabs.
There’s often an easier side trail next to the large stone slabs, so there’s no need for special gear.
While you’ll sometimes use your hands to keep balance or to hoist yourself up, you’ll mostly be on your feet (no ropes or anything).
About half way in this rocky portion, you’ll hit a car road.
Cross the street and there’s a few more rocky portions, before you hit the summit.
🧱 Reaching Perkins Memorial Tower
Once you see the tower, the hard part is over!
Walk past the tower for mountain and lake views.
This is a great place to snap a few pics and take a snack break.
Part 3: Descend along the Appalachian Trail
From the lake view point, you’ll see a descent path.
Look out for the vertical white paint signs to follow the Appalachian Trail back to Bear Mountain Inn.
This downhill portion is pretty much all stone stairs.
There’s some loose gravel, but the steps are an easy height and aren’t too hard on the knees.
It should take 30-45 min to descend back to the starting point near Bear Mountain Inn.
Bear Mountain Loop Trail (Conclusion)
In this Bear Mountain Loop Trail guide, we went over everything you need to know to plan the perfect day trip from NYC.
Thank you for checking out my complete guide to the Bear Mountain Loop Trail!
For more ideas on NYC day trip ideas…
Let’s keep in touch! Follow me @rhaimekim on Instagram.
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