Bear Mountain Bridge

The Bear Mountain Bridge carries US 6 and US 202 across the Hudson River between Bear Mountain State Park and Westchester County. It opened on Thanksgiving Day, November 27, 1924, as the longest suspension bridge in the world. Drivers pay a toll only eastbound: $1.65 for a car with E-ZPass or $2.15 by Tolls by Mail. Walkers cross free on the sidewalk, which carries the Appalachian Trail.

Tolls

The New York State Bridge Authority (NYSBA) collects tolls only in the eastbound direction, toward Westchester and Putnam. Driving west into Bear Mountain State Park is free. 2026 rates:

• Cars, pick-ups and motorcycles (Class 1): $1.65 with E-ZPass, $2.15 by Tolls by Mail.
• Commuter plan: $1.40 with E-ZPass, for at least 17 trips a month.
• Larger vehicles: from $6.10 with E-ZPass.

The same rates apply on all five NYSBA bridges. Search interest in the toll peaks in October, with the fall traffic to the park.

History

NYSBA calls the Bear Mountain Bridge the first vehicular river crossing between New York City and Albany. When it opened it was the longest suspension bridge in the world and the first suspended bridge with a concrete deck, and its methods paved the way for later spans such as the George Washington and Golden Gate bridges.

It was built because Bear Mountain State Park, which opened in the 1910s, drew crowds the Hudson ferries could no longer carry. In 1922 the state legislature created the privately financed Bear Mountain Hudson River Bridge Company to build it. Construction took 20 months and four days from the contract signing, without the loss of a single life. Mary Harriman, mother of the company's president, E. Roland Harriman, helped preside over the opening ceremony, and the bridge opened to traffic on Thanksgiving Day 1924.

The Bridge Authority bought it on September 26, 1940, and cut the car toll from 80 cents to 50 cents. In 2018 the state gave it the ceremonial name Purple Heart Veterans Memorial Bear Mountain Bridge. Traffic grew from about 483,000 crossings at the end of World War II to more than 7.8 million in 2019.

The Road Cut Into Anthony's Nose

The bridge's east approach is carved into the south face of Anthony's Nose, 410 feet above the river. NYSBA says about 70% of the granite had to be drilled and blasted, with the railroad running directly below.

Walking Across: the Appalachian Trail

NYS Parks notes that the Appalachian Trail runs through Trailside Museums & Zoo and over the Bear Mountain Bridge. On the east side it climbs toward Anthony's Nose in Hudson Highlands State Park Preserve. The bridge is also how walkers without a car reach the park from Metro-North: the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference describes a 2.5-mile road walk from Manitou station, along Route 9D and across the bridge. See getting here without a car.

Best Views of the Bridge

• From the top of Bear Mountain: Perkins Memorial Tower looks down on the bridge and the river.
• From Anthony's Nose: the classic view back across the bridge to Bear Mountain.
• From Fort Montgomery: the Grand Battery overlooks the river near the bridge. See Fort Montgomery.

Getting to the Bridge

The west end is at the Bear Mountain Bridge Circle, where Route 9W, the Palisades Interstate Parkway and Route 6 meet, just north of the park's main area. Directions to the park lots are on our parking page. For bridge questions, NYSBA's Bear Mountain office is at (845) 446-4721.

Good For / Maybe Skip If

• Good for: a free walk with river views, Appalachian Trail hikers, history and engineering fans.
• Maybe skip if: you are uneasy with heights or traffic noise; enjoy the bridge from Perkins Memorial Tower instead.