Bear Mountain – Major Welch
6.4 miles. Like Harriman, a very pretty park and any trail you pick seems not to disapoint, but see notes below.
Parking: at the Tower on Perkins Dr. (exit 18 off Palisades to Seven Lakes to Perkins.) Facilities building closed for renovations, two very clean portajohns provided. On NYNJTC map#4 for Harriman, section E2.
ROUTE: RED (Major Welch) down to Hessian Lake, to W/Y then kept left on Y (SBM) at the split. Crossed over RED (1777) around Doodletown then down into a nice little area with a stream crossing. Picked up an unmarked ski trail west to W (AT) followed up a bit north to cross RED (1777) again, then still on W, cross Seven Lakes Drive. Opted for the abanoned road instead of following the AT up Perkins Drive (to avoid walking with traffic). The road ended at the terminus of Perkins Drive. Walked up that a bit (nice views to the east of the river) then picked up W on the right. Up a bit and crossed Perkins twice, to the parking lot.
NOTES: This was on a nice warm sunny Friday and there were quite a few people on the trail so this is a probably a very busy area on weekends. but this route nears highways and traffic noise was an issue. Also, the initial part of this hike from the lot down RED Major Welch to the lake was VERY steep, and VERY rocky with large spans of rock to carefully walk down. It was a steady downhill and not really that much fun, esp with wet leaves.
