Winter
is a great time to get outside and enjoy the brisk air and what better place
for it than Bear Mountain State
Park in Harriman!?
The
glassy Hessian Lake offers a picturesque backdrop for your seasonal stroll with
nature.
“Because the foliage isn’t on the trees you get a different sense of
the valley here....it’s just a
different experience hiking in the wintertime,” says Christopher O’Sullivan, Bear Mountain State Park environmental educator.
You can also learn more about some of the animals that call
this place home, at the Trailside zoo. “Get a taste of what’s out there up close by coming to the
trailside museum and zoo, and see the species that live around here, the
mammals, the birds, the amphibians and fish,” says O’Sullivan.
Altogether
there are about 40 species of animals that you can meet, including Pal the black bear. “We have two black bears
that I’ve been here since 2005. They
are twins that were rescued,” says O’Sullivan.
Sullivan
says there’s also a reptile, amphibian and fish museum where you can come face
to face with more than a dozen interesting species. “See them up close, we have educational signs that are here
that can tell people a little bit about the animals and their habitats.”
There’s
always something new to discover here at Bear Mountain, in fact, the habitats for a bobcat, fox and porcupine are in
the making to be open later in 2023!
Speaking of plenty to do, how about a spin on the ice?! Just
make sure to check the rink schedule for public session times.
Before
heading home, take a break at the Hiker’s Cafe with some good eats and a cozy
cup of coffee to top off your Road Trip: Close to Home.
For more
information on all the activities at Bear Mountain, click
here.