NY > Suffern-Bear Mountain Trail

**xnktx** · 09-23-2019, 08:07

I'm considering my first solo overnight backpacking/hanging and i selected the Suffern-Bear Mountain trail in Harriman State Park. Does anyone have experience or advice about doing this trail as an overnight? It seems a lot of the info online is about a long single day hike/trail run. Thoughts?

**Muddy Creek** · 09-23-2019, 14:31

There are a couple of lean-tos along that trail so camping is always an option. I don't know if Harriman has the same regulations that NY State forests do re: primitive camping but camping 150' from trails, roads, shelters & water is always OK (until someone in uniform tells you it isn't, I guess.)

I grew up in the area and spent countless hours on the trails there (40 something years ago) but never did hike the length of that trail. Water sources were always iffy, as I recall. Climbs were often short and very steep.

Wayne

**georgecarr** · 09-23-2019, 14:43

This is on my list for a 3 day hike, but it is doable as an overnight. Water is tough to come by on the ridge and the regs require you to sleep in the vicinity of the lean toss.

**Bobonli** · 09-23-2019, 18:02

The NY-NJ Trail Conference maps are your friend, as is the no-longer kept up to date but excellent MYHarriman.com for hike ideas. I'm getting back into backpacking myself and honestly any trail up there will be fine. Pick your distance and there is something for everyone. There's nothing wrong with taking a day hike and taking your time to get to the campsite. I just did a sub-24 hour hike from Silver Mine up to the Stockbridge Shelter. I left the lot in late afternoon, hiked the two or three miles up hill, took my time setting up and eating, slept and came back down the next morning and was back home with my family in time for brunch. A peaceful, easy trip to get back into it.

General rule in Harriman is: camp in a shelter or within 200 yards of the shelter plus all the usual LNT rules about avoiding trails and water. In my experience there are flat campsites within a short walk of the shelters. Here's some ideas: http://www.myharriman.com/five-overn...g-new-shuttle/

If you haven't been to Harriman be prepared for ups and downs and lots of rocks. Pick a route that will take you near a water supply or carry what you need. When I was up there two weekends ago, there was very little to no flowing water in the streams. Good luck.

**cmoulder** · 09-23-2019, 18:54

Agreed, the only reliable water sources now are the lakes. I wouldn't trust any of those streams shown on the map to have flowing water. Pine Meadow Lake is about 1km off the S-BM trail, and if you make Big Hill your halfway point, you could also get water at Third Reservoir.

The south end of S-BM isn't too difficult after the climb out of Suffern (where the trail head is a bit difficult to find), although it still features a ton of little ups and downs that can wear on you. The north end is harder and there's a pretty good butt-whooper right across the Palisades Parkway at Pingyp Mtn and a few more if you go all the way to Hessian Lake. I made it up it once with my dog and there was definitely some pucker factor involved. Without the dog it is a worthy scramble.

If possible, you might want to piece together a few different trails to make a route that meanders around a bit and puts you near the occasional lake.

**xnktx** · 09-24-2019, 07:17

Originally Posted by cmoulder

If possible, you might want to piece together a few different trails to make a route that meanders around a bit and puts you near the occasional lake.

Yeah i've been thinking about that. I'm a forest-valley person myself, not one that needs to walk along a ridge or see every vista. Might start with the Ramapo-Dunderburg trail then hook up with S-BM later. I just need to end at Bear Mountain to catch the train back home.

**cmoulder** · 09-24-2019, 09:01

Very good, and there are of course plenty of options.

It is pretty cool to camp at Stone or Big Hill or West Mtn and see the Manhattan skyline at night! Oodles and gobs of hanging options almost everywhere in Harriman.

**Skorch1340** · 09-24-2019, 21:33

I just hiked the suffern/ bear mountain trail this past weekend for a 4 day/3 night solo excursion. it’s a nice hike but there is only 2 places to get water. The first one is pine meadow lake near stone memorial shelter, the other being the 3rd reservoir near big hill shelter. All the brooks/streams along the trail are bone dry this time of year. The first day I hiked to stone memorial shelter and it’s not too strenuous of a hike to get there, the second day however was a bit more rough but well worth the sweat. I camped at big hill shelter on the second night and the site I got was awesome with a nice view of the city. From there I took the NY long path north... the 2 days I was on the suffern/bear mountain trail I only ran into 3 people, a far cry from most of the other trails in Harriman park. It’s definitely worth taking the hike in my opinion

**cmoulder** · 09-25-2019, 05:05

Originally Posted by xnktx

Yeah i've been thinking about that. I'm a forest-valley person myself, not one that needs to walk along a ridge or see every vista. Might start with the Ramapo-Dunderburg trail then hook up with S-BM later. I just need to end at Bear Mountain to catch the train back home.

Also, I've not done the train routine since I live right across the river in Westchester, but there are also stations for Tuxedo and Harriman, which I suppose you already know about. I've seen many meetup/AMC listings that feature Tuxedo as a popular access point.

**xnktx** · 09-25-2019, 07:42

@cmoulder yeah, my research says that there is/was a weekend shuttle bus from Tuxedo station that drops off at various points throughout the park. There are so many options, it's hard for me to decide, but i _think_ i'm going to stick with S-BM trail. I don't have a bear cannister yet, though, so that worries me a little. Also, the mileage is a little long with all the ups and downs, but i think i'm spry enough to handle it. Should be a good challenge!