Appalachian Trail #2 (West Mombasha Road to Bear Mountain Bridge)
Appalachian Trail Conservancy
799 West Washington Street
Harpers Ferry, WV 25425
(304) 535-6331
The hike from West Mombasha Road to Bear Mountain Bridge crosses the Orange Turnpike, NY 17, and enters Harriman State Park heading northbound. The park is one of New York’s largest, covering nearly 50,000 acres and it was here that the first section of the Appalachian Trail was completed and officially opened on October 7, 1923. The Lemon Squeezer is located in the park and it is a narrow slot between boulders that requires some effort to get through. Arden Valley road is just north of it, and the road leads to Tiorati Circle which has restrooms, a bathhouse, a beach, a picnic area, and a snack stand.
The A.T. continues northbound and eventually reaches Bear Mountain (1,305 feet) at Bear Mountain State Park. The park has a Trailside Museum and Zoo, and the Appalachian Trail travels right through it. It is here that the Trail reaches its lowest point at 124 feet. An exit to the Bear Mountain Bridge is just past the Nature and Geology museums where a gate provides access to the bridge.
- click for photos from this backpacking trip to the Bear Mountain Bridge: April 20-21, 1996
- click for a detailed trip report of this hike on the Appalachian Trail: April 20-21, 1996 (password required)
- click to read a Daytimer report from this hike in Southeastern New York: April 20, 1996 (password required)
- click for a map of the A.T. from New York to New Hampshire (password required)
- click for a trail map of our first and second day on this section of the Appalachian Trail (password required)
- click for a park and trail map of more hikes in Bear Mountain State Park
- click to see a video slideshow of my 1994 hike on the A.T. (short film produced 2019 ~ 5 min)
- click to watch a movie with commentary on BirdShooter’s 1994 Appalachian Trail thru-hike (long film produced 1996 ~39 min)
- click to see some of my favorite photos from the Appalachian Trail
- click to view a day-by-day summary of BirdShooter’s 1994 Appalachian Trail thru-hike
- click for specific sections of the Appalachian Trail (with photos from each state)
- click for more hikes at Bear Mountain State Park in March 2005, November 2022 and April 2023
- click for a map of the entire Appalachian Trail
- click for a summary of the 2000+ mile Appalachian Trail
- click for recommended books, videos and games about the Appalachian Trail