Town of Highlands and Town of Stony Point Bear Mountain State Park Back Country Trails Reconstruction

Negative Declaration

Orange and Rockland Counties - The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (NYS OPRHP), as lead agency, has determined that the proposed Bear Mountain State Park - Back Country Trails Reconstruction will not have a significant adverse environmental impact. On July 9, 2023, an unprecedented amount of rain fell at Bear Mountain State Park. This resulted in widespread damage to Park facilities and infrastructure, including miles of washed out and severely damaged trails. While the picnic grounds, Hessian Lake Loop Trail, and Trailside Museum and Zoo have reopened and several major trails such has the Appalachian Trail and previously closed sections of the Major Welch and Suffern-Bear Mountain trails have reopened, many other trail closures remain in effect. These closures present a challenge to Park patrons wishing to explore the celebrated hiking trail network as well as the Park Staff and Rangers who are unable to navigate portions of the network for maintenance, patrol, and emergency rescue operations. This project proposes various construction activities including trail maintenance to repair eroded and washed out trails, reconstructing bridges, and replacing culverts along segments of the 1777, Fawn, Suffern Bear Mountain, Ski South, Ski North, Dunderberg Turnpike, Cornell Mine, Unlisted, Anthony Wayne, and Beechy Bottom Road Trails. Work is proposed to be phased per the Schematic Design Report into a Phase 1 proposal for trail work followed by work to trails identified as Priority 1 and Priority 2 Trails as funding becomes available. Approximately 11 total miles of trails are proposed to be repaired. The project is located on various trails within Bear Mountain State Park at 3006 Seven Lakes Drive in the Town of Highlands and Town of Stony Point, New York.