The One Loop Trail In New York That's Perfect For A Short Day Hike, No Matter What Time Of Year
By Lisa Sammons|Published February 17, 2022
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Lisa Sammons
Author
Lisa loves animals and has dogs, rats, cats, guinea pigs, and snakes. She is passionate about animal rescue and live music - traveling across the country to see a favorite band is a pretty regular occurrence! Being out hiking in the woods enjoying the scenery with her beloved dogs is another favorite hobby, and also checking out the Pokemon Go scene in whatever city she happens to be in at any given time (coffee and dog leash in hand). You can reach Lisa at lsammons@onlyinyourstate.com
Hikers in the Empire State have it easy in some ways: after all, there are so many trails all over the state that are just waiting to be explored. But on the other hand, that makes it difficult to narrow down where to go. There are so many scenic trails in New York that you could spend your whole life checking them out and still not see all there is to see. Some are best in certain seasons: maybe they’re particularly grand decked out in fall foliage, or maybe they’re great for snow shoeing. But it’s a rare trail in New York that’s accessible and just as enjoyable no matter what the season is. One such trail is the Popolopen Torne Loop Trail at beautiful Bear Mountain State Park. This spectacular hike has gorgeous views in winter, summer, spring, and fall!
This 4.6-mile hike is a loop trail of moderate difficulty. There are some rocky scrambles, so it's not recommended for inexperienced hikers or those with mobility issues.
If you don't feel safe hiking in icy conditions, there is a connector trail that will allow you to skip over the Torne area, which tends to be the iciest.
The magnificent views are worth any difficulty in the terrain.