New York Parking Info

Section: Bear Mountain Bridge to Arden Valley Road
Mile Marker	Directions, Comments, Source, Map Link, and Year Last Reviewed	Number of Vehicles
0.00 miles Bear Mountain Bridge (West End)	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). --- 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 --- David Cullen --- http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=41.3200%20-73.98870… --- 2020	0 here but see directions
0.80 miles Bear Mountain Inn	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. --- 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 --- froto --- 2007	200 plus
0.80 miles Bear Mountain Inn	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 --- David Cullen --- http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=41.3099%20-73.9906&… --- 2010
0.80 miles Bear Mountain Inn	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. --- 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 --- David Cullen --- http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=41.3123%20-73.99155… --- 2011
2.80 miles Bear Mountain summit parking lot	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. --- 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) --- froto --- http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=41.3111%20-74.00695&ie=UTF8&ll… --- 2023	30
2.80 miles Bear Mountain summit parking lot	Road is gated and closed in winter. Tower is also closed. Trails are open, but can be icy. 01/27/19 (revalidated May 2023) --- Richard Brahm --- 2023	30
4.70 miles Perkins Drive (south junction)	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. --- 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 --- David Cullen --- http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=41.3088%20-74.0106&… --- 2019	0
4.70 miles Perkins Drive (south junction)	Road to tower is gated and closed in winter. 01/27/19 --- Richard Brahm --- 2019	0
5.20 miles Seven Lakes Drive in Bear Mountain State Park	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 --- Dana Perry --- 2019
5.20 miles Seven Lakes Drive in Bear Mountain State Park	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. --- 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 --- David Cullen --- http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=41.30452%20-74.01523&g=41.3041… --- 2020	8-10