Perkins Memorial Drive — Bear Mountain

Perkins Memorial Drive is a paved road inside Bear Mountain State Park that winds to the 1,305-foot summit, where Perkins Memorial Tower has stood since 1934. The road and tower were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps between 1932 and 1934, and the tower is named after George Wallbridge Perkins, the first president of the Palisades Interstate Park Commission. At the top, the 40-foot stone tower puts New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania in view on a clear day, along with the Manhattan skyline roughly 40 miles to the south. The drive begins off Seven Lakes Drive near the Bear Mountain Inn and is open from April through late November, weather permitting — plan accordingly, as the gate does close for winter.

Weekends, particularly during fall foliage season, draw heavy traffic, and rangers have been known to shut the gate when the summit lot fills to capacity. Going on a weekday or arriving earlier in the day gives you a better chance of riding straight up without a wait. The road climbs steadily as a two-lane and is manageable, though sections run along open, exposed terrain where drop-offs are visible — keep your attention on the road, not the scenery. The Bear Mountain Bridge and NY-9D are natural bookends for a Hudson Valley loop, and the adjacent Harriman State Park adds further road options for riders who want to extend the day.