The popular Cornell Mine Trail at Bear Mountain State Park has reopened. Now reconstructed following severe storm damage in 2023, the trail features a hand-built stone staircase and provides access to Doodletown from the Iona Island area and connects to the Appalachian Trail.
Palisades Interstate Park Commission and New York State Parks teams have been able to reopen 35 out of 50 miles of trails at the park over the past two years.
The next phase of work will focus on repairing approximately five miles of pathways in the Doodletown Trail Area. The $3 million improvement project to reopen the 1777 Trail, restore portions of the Bridle Path, and replace two undersized drainage culverts with a new, more resilient bridge.
When complete in late 2026, the project will allow hikers, trail runners, and birders to access the most popular areas of Doodletown, while also restoring connections to the June and Herbert Cemeteries and access for first responders in the event of an emergency.
The restoration of the Doodletown Trails became necessary after the July 9, 2023, storm swept through the area, dumping more than 10 inches of rain in a few short hours.
The rush of water over the landscape overwhelmed drainage structures, causing mud and rockslides that damaged large areas of Bear Mountain State Park.
In addition to Doodletown, park roads, parking lots, bridges, buildings, and the park’s water treatment plant all received extensive damage. Bear Mountain remained closed for over a month until it was safe to re-open.
Bear Mountain State Park is located on the west bank of the Hudson River in Rockland and Orange counties, New York.
Approximately 35 miles of trails have been restored out of over 50 miles that were damaged during the 2023 storm. This includes repairs to the Appalachian Trail, and an ongoing effort by the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference to repair the Brooks Lake Trail Loop in the Village of Fort Montgomery.
In addition to the State’s investment in storm recovery and improved resiliency, Bear Mountain is benefiting from a recently announced $25 million project to expand Bear Mountain’s picnic grounds, construct a new destination playground, and add additional public restrooms. That work is currently underway.
You can access the Cornell Mine Trail with mass transportation from NYC via the Shortline Bus to Bear Mountain. The bus stops at the Bear Mountain Lodge. From the lodge, hike south to the southern end of the parking areas.
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