Hours & Fees

Bear Mountain State Park is open from dawn to dusk every day of the year. The vehicle fee is $10, collected from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends and holidays and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays. Trailside Museums & Zoo is open daily (except Thanksgiving and Christmas) for a $1 suggested donation, Perkins Memorial Drive is open April 1 to November 30, and the pool and ice rink charge $5 each.

Park Hours

NYS Parks lists Bear Mountain as open dawn to dusk, year round. The Palisades Parks Conservancy describes Bear Mountain as a day-use park; the place to stay overnight is the Bear Mountain Inn and its lodges.

Fees at a Glance

• Vehicle use fee: $10 per vehicle, year round. The Empire Pass ($80) covers it.
• Pool: $5 per person, cash only.
• Trailside Museums & Zoo: no charge; $1 per person suggested donation, cash.
• Ice rink: $5 admission, free for children 4 and under, skate rental $10 a pair, sharpening $10.
• Pedal boats on Hessian Lake: $10 a person for 30 minutes or $15 for 60 minutes, two to four people per boat (Bear Mountain Inn).
• Merry-go-round: NYS Parks asks visitors to confirm the fare with Guest Services at the Bear Mountain Inn, 845-786-2731. The park's printed map lists $2 a ride.
• Bus groups: a bus permit is required in advance ($60 for a bus group in 2026).

Trailside Museums & Zoo

Open every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas: 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. from April 1 to November 30, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. from December 1 to March 31. Some animals go off exhibit 30 to 45 minutes before closing, and the museums shut 15 minutes before the zoo. See Trailside Museums & Zoo.

Perkins Memorial Drive and Tower

The road to the summit and the tower are open from April 1 to November 30, weather permitting. In winter the summit is reached only on foot. See Perkins Memorial Tower.

Pool

In 2026 construction delayed the opening, and NYS Parks set the season at July 4 to September 7. Hours: weekdays 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., weekends 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., holidays 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Last entry is 30 minutes before closing. See the pool.

Ice Rink

NYS Parks describes the outdoor rink as open from late October through mid-March; the rink's own site lists the 2026–27 opening as Saturday, November 7. Public session times change through the season and the rink can close for weather or maintenance, so check its website on the day. See ice skating.

Merry-Go-Round

The Bear Mountain Inn runs the merry-go-round on a seasonal schedule. In the 2026 schedule it ran 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays all year, with Friday hours (11 a.m. to 5 p.m.) most of the year and extra weekday days in summer and school breaks. See the merry-go-round.

Boats on Hessian Lake

Pedal boats are seasonal and weather dependent. The Inn's 2026 schedule: weekends noon to 5 p.m. from March to May, daily from the last week of June to Labor Day (weekdays noon to 6, weekends noon to 7), and weekends noon to 5 after Labor Day through October.

Food

The Bear Mountain Inn's Hiker's Café serves breakfast from 7 to 11 a.m. and lunch from 11 a.m. (to 2 p.m. January to March, to 5 p.m. April to December). Restaurant 1915 serves lunch and dinner. A seasonal stand by the lake, Stand 10, opens on weekends from March to October.

Before You Go

Hours and prices change. On busy days the park closes to cars once the lots are full, and trails near the Inn are detoured for construction through summer 2027. Check the NYS Parks page or call the park office at (845) 786-2701 for the latest. See parking and plan your visit.