Rules & Regulations

The main rules at Bear Mountain State Park: it is open dawn to dusk; every vehicle pays $10 and must park in a lot, never on the roadside; dogs must be on a leash of 6 feet or less and are banned from buildings, picnic areas, bathing areas, walkways and Trailside Museums & Zoo; swimming is allowed only in the pool, not Hessian Lake; and buses and groups of 50 or more need permits in advance.

Hours and Entry

• Open dawn to dusk, year round.
• Vehicle use fee: $10, collected year round (8–5 weekends and holidays, 8–4 weekdays).
• When the park is full, NYS Parks closes it to incoming visitors and traffic.

Parking

• No roadside parking. NYS Parks says vehicles parked on the roadside are ticketed and towed.
• Hotel guests should carry their reservation confirmation in case of a line at the entrance.

See parking & directions.

Dogs and Pets

NYS Parks allows dogs only, on a leash of not more than 6 feet. Dogs are not allowed:

• in buildings,
• in picnic areas,
• in bathing areas (the pool),
• on walkways,
• in Trailside Museums & Zoo (service animals excepted; emotional support and therapy animals are not allowed).

Trailside provides a blue-blazed bypass trail so hikers with dogs can go round the zoo.

Swimming and Boating

• Swim only in the pool, in season. The park map marks Hessian Lake "No Swimming."
• Pedal boats on Hessian Lake are rented from the Bear Mountain Inn.
• Boats docking on the Hudson at Bear Mountain need a permit; call the park office, 845-786-2701.

Groups, Buses and Picnics

• Bus groups must get a bus permit well ahead of the trip (the park map says at least two weeks); call (845) 786-2702 ext. 2 or email bearmountainsp@parks.ny.gov. In 2026 Bear Mountain did not accept buses on weekends or holidays from May through October. Fees in 2026: $60 for a bus group, $150 on-site group fee.
• Groups of 50 or more not arriving by bus need a picnic permit before arrival, requested by letter to the park (group name, date and times, description, number of people, preferred location, contact) at Bear Mountain State Park, C/O Permits, 3006 Seven Lakes Drive, P.O. Box 427, Bear Mountain, NY 10911.

Trailside Museums & Zoo Rules

No pets, no feeding animals or banging on exhibits, no yelling or whistling at animals, no smoking, no picnicking, no bikes, scooters, skateboards or skates, no music or bullhorns, no balloons, no collecting plants, animals or rocks, no abandoning pets, no birthday parties, and no wedding or professional photography. See Trailside.

On the Trails

• Check closures. NYS Parks posts a trail closure map and detours near the Inn through summer 2027.
• Trails are shown as approximate on the official map; be aware of changing conditions.
• Report any accident or incident to park police.
• Across the river near Camp Smith, NYS Parks warns hikers to stay on marked trails to avoid active military training. See Anthony's Nose.
• Finish by dusk, when the park closes.

Fishing

NYS Parks lists lake and river fishing access. New York State fishing licence rules, set by the Department of Environmental Conservation, apply.

Contacts

Park office: (845) 786-2701. Bus permits: (845) 786-2702 ext. 2. Guest Services at the Bear Mountain Inn (merry-go-round, boats): 845-786-2731. See contact.