I love Bear Mountain park. It is a really special park, and because I live close, I go there a lot. So I decided to go there on Saturday since it was such a beautiful day. Remembering that there was a small parking lot on Route 9w that had free parking, I decided to head that way and walk the short trail over to Bear Mountain. Parking here makes you pass by the Fort Montgomery State Historic Site. On a whim, I decided to walk through since I never had before. If you have been like me in the past and ignored this small historical site in lieu of the larger Bear Mountain park right beside it, then you are missing a special treat!
Being the spot where a fierce battle took place during the Revolutionary War, this 14-acre historical site today is a unique collection of fort ruins, amazing Hudson River scenery, and interesting historical facts. Oh yeah, and cannons! According to the parks department, they even have costumed interpreters along with group and guided tours.
There was none of that the day I was there, in fact, my friend and I were the only ones in the park. We had a great time checking out the cannons, wandering among the ruins of the buildings, taking some awesome photos, and exploring the museum with all its Revolutionary artifacts. It was a really pleasant surprise.
Also, if you don’t know about it, there is a great little trail that connects you from the museum property, across a small bridge to Bear Mountain State Park. This trail puts you right into the zoo area of the park. It is a really pretty walk over the bridge and one not to miss!
