Bear Mountain State Park, New York, USA

From Bear Mountain before the Hurricane

Across the Hudson and not too far upriver, the Appalachian Trail passes over Bear Mountain, and many other trails criss-cross the state park. I’ve been hearing about Bear Mountain since I first came to New York City, and all this time I’ve been keeping my eye out for opportunities to get out there and go hiking.

When the Twenties and Thirties Group at First Unitarian Brooklyn announced a hiking day there, I knew it was the right time. UUs are always fun people to spend time with, and I’d decided a few weeks ago that I wanted to get more involved with the young people at the Brooklyn church.

So I put on my sturdy shoes, filled my Camelbak, layered up and grabbed my camera. Not only was it nice to get out of the city, and great to spend time with a group of really wonderful young people, but it was also the peak of fall foliage season on Bear Mountain.

The colors were so brilliant and vibrant, and in a way that I haven’t often had an opportunity to see in recent years. Frequently I found myself lagging behind as I stopped to take photos of vistas, popping yellows and deep reds.

With the first clouds driving ahead of the impending Frankenstorm Sandy, the sky was heavily overcast and the light was uninspiring, but the leaves and the company most definitely were inspiring. It was a great day.

From Bear Mountain before the Hurricane