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 Reporter |
Summary: The Appalachian Trail, which goes over the summit of Bear Mtn is a very well traveled route. For a more scenic and secluded trek, I followed Major Welch Trail from the Bear Mtn Inn along Hessian Lake. It goes around the mtn to the north side and assaults it fiercely, climbing 900 feet in less than 1 mile. The views along the way were breath taking. The Hudson River stretched endlessly to the north and nothing but green surrounded it. By contrast, if you followed the AT you could see the NYC skyline in the distance. The MW reaches the summit and Perkin's Tower, and heads over the other side. It eventually meets, and ends at the AT. I followed it off the mth and across Seven Lakes Drive. This lead me to the Suffern Bear Mtn Trail, which bisects the entice 52,000 park. I followed the SBM over the shoulder of Bear Mtn. Here are incredible views of the Bear Mtn Inn and Anthony's Nose, the mtn across the Hudson. The SBM eventually led back to the inn. Trailhead: Took the Shortline Bus from the Port Authority Bus Terminal in NYC to the Bear Mtn Inn. Roundtrip ticket is $25.00 but the first bus out is 8 am and the last back is 5 pm (Lat:41.21629 Lon:-73.59058) Trail Guides for Major Welch Trail: Harriman Trails: A Guide & History by William J Myles (NY/NJ Trail Confrence) Best Seasons: Fall, Spring, Summer, User Groups: Hikers, Dogs, Ranger Contact: Park Police - 845-786-2781 Localhikes Reporter: This hike was submitted by Brian Walter, who has posted 10 other hikes on this site Trail Reviews Page 1 of 2 Submit your own review 
Reviewed by Angelo on 9/24/2009 Very Steep incline and awesome views but very easy to get lost if your new. Loops run into each other and drive you nuts to find a simple way back without backtracking. It was intense yet complex. 
Reviewed by Francesca on 9/6/2009 I have hiked this trail at least 40 times over the past 10 years. It always calls me back. Heart pounding and invigorating. Be proud if you can make it to the top.
Reviewed by Tacti21 on 4/6/2009 Hiked on 4/5/09..60 Degrees & Not a cloud in the sky. WELL MARKED TRAIL. Slightly strenuous & steep at points. There are 2 great points at which to break on the way up. -Gil 
Reviewed by Greg B on 3/20/2009 Hiked it last week. Blazings were clearly visible everywhere and all ice/snow gone. Great workout/hike love the views!
Reviewed by KimM-M on 2/20/2009 Tried this last week. It's still winter, and even though it didn't snow for a while, there was still snow in the mountain. The tricky part was that there was ice on the trails. making it dangerous because of the huge smooth slabs of rock that is your other option. We made it out to the Perkins Drive but then stuck to the road because it was pretty scary. I've done this hike in summer and it's a really good workout, but winter is tricky
Reviewed by rich on 11/3/2008 Most of the elevation gain is within a half mile or so. You don't need a rope but it's a good scramble over exposed rock- likely to need your hands at some point. Bring good footwear and be wary of wet/icy conditions. On the main ascent the trail is mostly straight but rocky path provides limited opportunities to hang a trail marker, so be alert. Spectacular views of the Bear Mtn. Bridge and looking north that are not available from the other routes. Late autumn affords great views of the fall foliage with less leaf obstruction.
Reviewed by Ted Shevlin on 8/21/2008 I disagree that the trail is poorly maintained. I hike this about every other week, and several times per season I notice tiny variations in the trail as they move rocks or reroute the trail for one reason or another. This is very fun for people who love to hike but don't have a lot of time. The trail takes 90 minutes if you're a regular hiker, and about 3 hours if you aren't. The Major Welch trail has some steep, exposed rock areas that are best done with boots, but are totally doable with sneakers. The Major Welch is much more interesting and strenuous than the Appalachian trail, which completes the loop. For the hardest hike, skip the AT and take the Major Welch up and down. The steepness of the trail makes for an interesting trip
Reviewed by CMumma on 7/28/2008 This is a nice challenging hike. I'm not in top shape, so it took some steam to grind up the first mile on the mountain, but it was definitely worth the effort. There are vending machines at the top with rewarding cold bottles of water. There are also plenty of trails and roads to cut the trip short if you don't want to do the whole loop. I did the loop the original poster did in about 4 hours. This area is in NYNJ Trail Conference map #119 where you can see all the surrounding trails. There were several scenic views and blueberries everywhere. Notice: Traveling in the backcountry can be hazardous. You are responsible for informing yourself about these hazards and taking necessary precautions. Information on this web site comes from volunteer reporters and may contain errors or omissions. A current guidebook and proper equipment are essential for safe enjoyment of the hikes posted on this site. Keys: New York Hiking, New York Trails, New York Hikes, Orange County Hiking, Orange County Trails, Orange County Hikes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||