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Continental Army’s final winterencampment and celebrates therecipients of the nation’s PurpleHeart awards.

The Palisades parklands trace theirroots to 1900, when the governorsof New York and New Jerseyestablished the Palisades InterstatePark Commission to protect thesheer cliffs that rise 400 to 800 feetalong the west bank of the lowerHudson. At the time quarrymenwere blasting awaythe cliffs andbarging the rock to New YorkCity to construct streets, docks,and foundations.

Palisades Interstate Park CommissionNew York, New Jersey

www.palisadesparksconservancy.org

www.njpalisades.org

www.nysparks.com

Welcome to the Palisades parklands—a collection of enchanting scenicand historic parks along the west side of the Hudson River. From beachesand boat basins to woodlands and mountaintops, Bear Mountain, Harriman,

Rockland Lake, Sterling Forest, Minnewaska Preserve, New Jersey’s Palisades Park,and other parks and recreation areas offer a variety of outdoor activities and adventures

to residents of the New York metropolitan area. Swimming, camping, hiking, biking,picnicking—the possibilities are endless.

Bear Mountain State Park

The scenic desecration alarmedseveral landowners, including J.P.Morgan and John D. Rockefeller,Sr. Under the inspired leadershipof George W. Perkins, Sr., thecommission purchased the quarriesand other lands, and removed theindustrial buildings and residences.

The Commission, with the supportof the Harriman and Perkinsfamilies, was able to assemble BearMountain and Harriman parks andestablish group camps and outdoornature education programs forlocal and inner-city children.

Over the years the Commission ledgrassroots efforts to protect StormKing Mountain, Tallman Mountain,Sterling Forest, Minnewaska, andother sites from development.

Today, the Commission continuesto conserve open space and toprotect natural and historicresources along the Palisades fortheir intrinsic value and enjoymentby the public.

Palisades quarry,1897 

The Palisades today

Palisades State Parks

Palisades Park, Palisades InterstateParkway, U.S. 9W, and HudsonTerrace, N.J., 201-768-1360—NewJersey’s Palisades Park protects 2,419acres along the waterfront and someof the most impressive sections of thePalisades from State Line Lookoutsouth to Fort Lee. The park comprisesseveral recreation areas connected bythe Shore Trail along the waterfrontand the Long Path atop the cliffs east

of Palisades Interstate Parkway. TheHenry Hudson Drive, one of the oldestscenic drives in the nation, passesthrough scenic woodlands below thecliffs from Alpine to Fort Lee. Majorareas within the park include:

State Line Lookout , at 532 feet thehighest point on the Palisades cliffs,offers an autumn hawk watch, someof the best hiking in the New Jerseysection, and over five miles of cross-country ski trails. Facilities include abookshop and refreshment stand.Nearby is the Women’s FederationMonument commemorating the roleof the New Jersey State Federation ofWomen’s Clubs in preserving thePalisades.

Park Headquarters and Allison Park provide access to the Long Path.

 Alpine Area has a boat basin, car-topboat launch, picnic area, and access tohiking trails.

Englewood Boat Basin has a car-topboat launch, picnic area, and trails.

Ross Dock , near the former site of theCarpenter Brothers Quarry, has picnicfacilities, a children’s playground, trailaccess, and a launching ramp for trail-ers carrying boats up to 24 feet longand for jet skis.

Hazard’s Dock has a launching rampfor trailers carrying boats up to 24feet long.

Fort Lee Historic Park and Kearney House: see Historic Sites listings.

Rockland Lake, U.S. 9W, Congers, N.Y.,845-268-3020—The park offers twoOlympic-sized pools, two pools forchildren, picnic tables and grills, acar-top boat launch, boat rentals,hiking trails, six tennis courts, andtwo golf courses. Winter visitors mayenjoy cross-country skiing and sledding.The Nature Center has exhibits aboutflora and fauna and the area’s history,including its ice industry.

Minnewaska Preserve, U.S. 44/N.Y. 55,New Paltz, N.Y., 845-256-0579—Withits sapphire lakes, rugged cliffs, andpanoramic views, Minnewaska is a20,000-acre gem. Carriage roads andtrails lead day-hikers through thediverse landscape of hemlock groves,rocky outcrops, lakes, and waterfallsin the Shawangunk ridge. Otheractivities include swimming, boating(car-top launch), picnicking, horseback

riding, bicycling, mountain biking,rock climbing, cross-country skiing,and hunting.

Nyack Beach, Broadway, Nyack, N.Y.,845-268-3020—The park, one of thebest hawk and raptor viewing areas inthe United States, consists of 76 acresalong the Hudson River at the base ofHook Mountain. Besides birding, activ-ities include riverside hiking, picnick-ing, bicycling, fishing, and boating(car-top launch).

Palisades Interstate Parkway, N.Y. andN.J., 201-768-1360—The landscapedparkway, built between 1947 and1958, extends 42 miles from theGeorge Washington Bridge to BearMountain. Designed and constructedby major engineering and landscapearchitects of the day, the parkway waslisted on the National Register ofHistoric Places in 1998.

High Tor, 415 South Mountain Road,New City, N.Y., 845-634-8074—FromHigh Tor the Long Path provides viewsof the Hudson River, the Highlands,and New York City—vistas that haveinspired countless artists and writers.Facilities include a swimming pool,hiking trails, and picnic groves.

Highland Lakes Park, Tamms Road orInwood Road, Wallkill, N.Y.—Fishing,horseback riding, hiking, and flyingmodel airplanes are popular activitiesat the 3,226-acre Highland Lakes Park.

Hook Mountain, Haverstraw, N.Y., 845-358-1316—From its 730-foot summit,Hook Mountain offers views ofRockland Lake and the Hudson RiverValley. The 676-acre park is a primelocation for watching migratinghawks in the fall. A regional bike trailprovides access to the park fromRockland Lake or Nyack Beach.

Lake Superior, N.Y. 17B, Bethel, N.Y.,845-794-3000—This 1,049-acre park,managed by Sullivan County, has twolarge bodies of water, Lake Superior

and Chestnut Hill Pond. Facilitiesinclude beaches, bathhouse, picnicareas, group picnic pavilion, rowboatand paddleboat rentals, boat launch,volleyball court, and food concession.Deer hunting is permitted.

Bear Mountain, U.S. 9W or PalisadesParkway, Exit 18, N.Y., 845-786-2701—The flagship of the Palisades InterstatePark System, this 5,067-acre park has53 miles of hiking trails, includingthe first constructed section of theAppalachian Trail, a major segmentof the Long Path, and several thatconnect with Harriman trails. Parkfacilities include natural history muse-ums, a swimming pool, rowboats,

ice-skating rink, merry-go-round, inn,restaurant, lodges, conference center,picnic area, and pavilions. PerkinsMemorial Drive and Tower affordsviews of the park, Hudson Highlands,Harriman State Park, and the IonaIsland Estuarine Reserve andBird Refuge.

Blauvelt, East Greenbush Road,Orangetown, N.Y., 845-359-0544—Nature has been allowed to turn thisformer rifle range into a 590-acre parkwith a series of hiking trails.

Bristol Beach, Emerick Road,Saugerties, N.Y., 845-255-0753—Thisformer brickyard became a 53-acrepark in 1967 when the Department ofEnvironmental Conservation trans-ferred it to the Commission. In keep-ing with its efforts to protect thewaterfront, the Commission expandedthe park in the 1990s to 165 acres.Activities include fishing, picnicking,and bird-watching.

Franny Reese Preserve, Mack Lane,Highland, N.Y., 845-255-0753—This250-acre park, named for the “motherof the modern environmental move-ment,” offers hiking trails with scenicviews from the 300-foot bluffs risingabove the Hudson River. FrancesStevens Reese led the battle againstConsolidated Edison’s 1963 proposal tobuild a hydroelectric pump storagefacility in the side of Storm KingMountain and helped form the envi-ronmental organization Scenic Hudson,Inc. The Storm King Supreme Courtdecision prompted the passage of theU.S. Environmental Protection Act.

Goosepond Mountain, N.Y. 17M,Chester, N.Y., 845-786-2701—Thismostly forested 1,558-acre park offershiking trails, horseback riding, picnick-ing, and swimming.

Harriman, Palisades Parkway, Exits 14through 18, Seven Lakes Drive, N.Y.210 and 106, N.Y., 845-786-2701 or845-786-5003—This 474,000-acre parkis home to a wide variety of wildlife.The park offers 31 lakes and reser-voirs, two public camping areas, 32organized group camps, picnic areas,and over 200 miles of trails, includingseveral access points to the Long Pathand Appalachian Trail. Besides hikingand camping, activities include fishing,boating, swimming, bicycling, horse-back riding, sledding, and cross-country skiing. Permits are requiredfor some activities. Major areas withinthe park include:

Lake Tiorati is a popular swimming,boating, fishing, hiking, and road

cycling area. Rustic group campgroundfacilities are offered.

Lake Welch features a 2,850-footbeach that can accommodate 15,000visitors at one time. Winter snowmo-biling is permitted.

Lake Sebago has an extensive beach,picnic groves, playground, playfields,and cabins. Fishing and non-motorizedboating are permitted.

Silvermine offers fishing, boating, pic-nicking, and wintertime sledding.

Lake Kanauwauke provides fishing,boating, and picnicking opportunitiesand a nature museum.

 Anthony Wayne Recreation Area hasthe only mountain biking trail in thepark. The area is host to several spe-cial events each year.

Haverstraw Beach, Short Clove Road,Haverstraw, N.Y., 845-268-3020—The beach, accessible only by foot orbicycle, provides views of HaverstrawBay, the Hudson’s widest point.Activities in the 73-acre park includehiking and fishing. A stone markeridentifies where American Gen.Benedict Arnold gave British spy JohnAndré the plans to West Point duringthe Revolutionary War.

Schunnemunk, Taylor Road, Cornwall,N.Y., 845-351-5907—At an elevation of1,700 feet, Schunnemunk dominatesthe 2,467-acre park and offers hikersviews of the Hudson Highlands. “Skun-uh-munk,” an Algonquian term for“excellent fireplace,” has more than25 miles of trails, including five milesof the Long Path. In the spring andfall, migrating raptors cruise updraftsalong the eight-mile-long mountain.

Sterling Forest, 116 Old Forge Road,Tuxedo, N.Y., 845-351-5907—The park comprises more than 20,000acres of woodlands providing habitatsfor black bears, a variety of hawksand songbirds, and rare invertebratesand plants. Activities include hunting,fishing, hiking, boating, and icefishing. The visitor center featuresexhibits about the local environmentand the iron industry. Boat launchesare available.

Storm King, U.S. 9W, Cornwall, N.Y.,845-786-2701— The park, establishedin 1922 with an 800-acre donation tothe Commission, offers hikers views ofthe Catskills and the Hudson RiverValley. Thanks to subsequent gifts—including several hundred acres donat-ed by Consolidated Edison as part of a1980 legal settlement—Storm King isnow a 1,884-acre park. Deer hunting ispermitted in season.

Tallman Mountain, U.S. 9W, Orange-town, N.Y., 845-359-0544—The park,overlooking the Hudson and PiermontMarsh, offers a swimming pool, bas-ketball courts, running track, tenniscourts, athletic field, hiking and cross-country skiing trails, and picnic areas.

Discover the valley’s richRevolutionary Warheritage at Forts Lee and

Montgomery, Washington’sHeadquarters, Stony PointBattlefield, Knox’s Headquarters,and the Senate House. Tour NewWindsor Cantonment, whichpreserves the site of the

Bear Mountain Inn,built in 1914-15 of local stone and American chestnut trees,set rustic design standards for future park buildings.

Palisades Parklands

For more information about pro-grams and volunteer opportunities,visit these websites:www.palisadesparksconservancy.orgwww.njpalisades.orgwww.nysparks.com

Books and detailed trail maps aboutBear Mountain and Harriman parksand related subjects are available atthe Commission’s Visitor Centerbookstore near Exit 17 of thePalisades Interstate Parkway.

Photo courtesy of Paul Elconin

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