Trail Alerts for Harriman-Bear Mountain Parks

January 11, 2017: Bridges are out on the Kakiat and Stony Brook/Pine Meadow trails at Reeves Meadow in Harriman State Park. Solutions for these stream crossings are currently being sought. In the interim, please use alternative trails.

May 27, 2016: There is pipeline construction in progress in Mt. Ivy, which may affect the Long Path in Section 5 (mile 3.4).

January 4, 2016: The bridge over the New York State Thruway on Arden Valley Road in Harriman State Park is now open to traffic. Bridge repairs are complete; access to the Elk Pen trailhead parking is restored.

December 15, 2015: The Fawn Trail in Harriman-Bear Mountain State Parks has been extended to continue from its former terminus at the Appalachian Trail. It now connects with and follows a section of the Doodletown Bridle Path, continuing eastward to the Suffern-Bear Mountain Trail. The Fawn Trail, now 1.5 miles in length, provides a direct connection from the Anthony Wayne north parking lot to the Suffern-Bear Mountain Trail, and thereby also provides more choices for loop hikes in the area. The Fawn Trail includes some hills, though without excessively steep inclines or rock climbing, and is thus less severe and provides a less challenging hike than most other trails in the vicinity.

December 1, 2015: Seasonal road closures in Harriman-Bear Mountain State Parks are now in effect. These roads are expected to reopen April 1, conditions permitting. Full list of seasonal road closures.

July 9, 2015: Fort Montgomery Trail access. Major construction work is being done on the Popolopen Gorge Bridge on U.S. Route 9W that connects Bear Mountain with the Fort Montgomery Historic Site. The bridge remains open to vehicular traffic (one narrow lane in each direction), but it is closed to pedestrians for the duration of the construction. The trailheads for the 1777W/1779/Timp-Torne and the Popolopen Gorge Trails on Route 9W remain open during construction, but hikers cannot cross the Popolopen Gorge Bridge on Route 9W to complete a loop hike. Hikers who wish to proceed back to Fort Montgomery from the Popolopen Gorge trailhead should follow the road to the northern end of the Bear Mountain Bridge tollgate, from where a red-blazed trail leads downhill to the blue-blazed Twin Forts Trail. Turn left onto the Twin Forts Trail and follow it across the pedestrian suspension bridge over Popolopen Creek and up to the Fort Montgomery Historic Site.

January 6, 2015: Suffern-Bear Mountain Trail at 7 Lakes Drive. Hikers should expect to find the trail in this area impacted by construction as the park moves utility lines. The trail is open with the possibility of occasional short delays when the work is in progress. The trail will be rehabilitated by joint efforts of the park and the Trail Conference upon completion of the project. Timetable is unknown.

December 19, 2014: NYS Parks has recently overseen habitat restoration along the first half-mile of the Arden-Surebridge Trail in Harriman State Park, beginning at the Lake Skannatati parking area (the Trail Conference was not involved in this project).  The trail has been relocated to alleviate erosion and ongoing impacts to sensitive habitats, in keeping with the NYS Parks' mission to provide for public enjoyment of parklands while maintaining sound environmental stewardship. The new section of trail follows a more gradual route around the side of the mountain, offering limited views of Lake Askoti and nearby rock ledges, before connecting to the existing trail route at the northern end of the mountain.  The new route also results in a change in the western terminus of the Red Cross Trail, which has been shortened by about 0.2 mile. Please respect the natural resource stewardship efforts of the Parks and keep to the new route when hiking this section of trail. Continued unauthorized use of the former trail will only prolong the time required for habitat restoration. Questions about the trail changes here should be directed to Ed McGowan, PIPC Science Director, at 845-786-2701, ext 263.

The trail changes in this area that affect the Arden-Surebridge Trail and Red Cross Trail are shown on the new 2015 edition of the Harriman-Bear Mountain Trails map set.

November 17, 2014: Harriman-Bear Mountain Trails Access Committee Posts Its Fall Report

November 17, 2014 Suffern-Bear Mountain trail head. The Park is replacing utility lines located at the trail head near Hessian Lake. 

October 28, 2014: The parking area at the Sebago Lake boat launch has been reopened.  The downed power line has been repaired..

August 27, 2014: Bald Rocks Shelter is reopened after repairs by park staff. 

January 1, 2014: Route 106 is now a park road subject to winter closures. 

 

For more information, contact the park: 845-786-2701. 


 

Bridge conditions in Harriman-Bear Mountain: Updated August 18, 2014

Many bridges in Harriman-Bear Mountain Parks were destroyed by Hurricane Irene and subsequent flooding. Following is a listing of locations considered impassable or with significant risk in crossing if bridges are missing, with comments on current status.

Bridges Still to be Fixed

 

Kakiat Trail Bridge over Stony Brook:  This bridge was destroyed during Hurricane Irene and has not yet been replaced.  Crossing the stream without a bridge is very difficult (even under low water conditions) and is not advised.  The park seeks to relocate this crossing to a more suitable location, with a shorter span and higher banks to reduce the likelihood of future washouts, but it has not yet identified such a location.

 

Bridge/Crossings Replaced or Repaired and Open

Fixed in 2014

1779 Trail bridge over outlet of Turkey Hill Lake:  Significant repairs to this bridge, destroyed by a falling tree,  were completed in July 2014 by Trail Conference volunteers and contributions from AMC

Hillburn-Torne-Sebago Trail over Pine Meadow Brook (just above Cascade of Slid): Replaced by Trail Conference volunteers in late December 2014.

Red Cross Trail: This bridge was rebuilt by Trail Conference volunteers in July 2014.

 

Previously Fixed

New Popolopen Bridge installed and open:  The fiberglass truss bridge carrying the Timp-Torne, 1777E & 1779 Trails over Popolopen Creek has been rebuilt.  The new bridge, a joint project of the Trail Conference and the Palisades Interstate Park Commission, is in place and can be crossed by hikers.

Long Path over Horsechock Creek, just north of Call Hollow Road:  A new, sturdy bridge has been installed by the the Long Path Committee.

Nurian Trail

  • The park has repaired the steel beam bridge over Ramapo River at Southfields between Route 17 and the NYS Thruway Pedestrian Bridge.  Temporary log steps have been placed to aid the formerly difficult 34" high vertical step to attain the bridge on its western end.  
  • Stahahe Brook crossing about 0.4 mile west of the Valley of The Boulders - formerly two bridges in close proximity: these bridges will not be replaced.  Our trail construction crew has built stone-step crossings which will be adequate in conditions of normal water levels (spring-time high water flow as expected in most years would likely make crossing here seasonally impractical).

Pine Meadow, Kakiat, and 7-Hills Trails bridge over Pine Meadow Brook: A newly built bridge is now in place.

Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail: Stream crossing south of Anthony Wayne Recreation Area, just south of the junction of the R-D Trail with the Appalachian Trail.  A newly-built bridge by an Eagle Scout has been completed and is place.

Stahahe Brook Trail: This major bridge on the Old Arden Road over Stahahe Brook, formerly adequate for park trucks, was totally washed out, including the stone structure and embankments. There is no plan to replace it.  Although crossing upstream is possible with care in moderate water conditions, the Stahahe Brook Trail has been totally relocated to now follow the opposite (east) side of the stream, beginning just north of the former bridge site, and connecting with the Nurian Trail, eliminating need to cross the brook.  

The Arden Road leading from the Elk Pen to this bridge site was severely eroded.  The park has greatly improved the road, though it remains somewhat rough with cobbles.

 

Comment: Please be relevant, civil, non-commercial.

walkwoman's picture

This page was last updated December 2012.  Haven't there been more recent updates? I'm specifically concerned about bridge that's out along The Red Cross Trail.  The one described on the Alert page as: "the low bridge about 0.3 mile south of Hasenclever Mine was washd out.  Crossing is possible by somewhat difficult hop over stones.  It will be difficult in times of high water.  Replacement is not yet planned."   Thanks for any updates on this and anything else mentioned on this alerrt page.   Linda