To ensure that the trail system continues to be safe and accessible for the hiking public, New York State Parks has developed a statewide trails program. This program funds staff in each region and provides them with the tools and materials needed to make improvements to trails, repair damage, and more.
In the Palisades Region, two trail crew leaders work with NYS Forest Rangers, regional staff, and seasonal trail staff to assess trail conditions, map problem areas, make repairs to existing trails, and in some cases make major improvements or build new trails.
This summer, the Palisades Trail Crew completed its first major trail construction project: installing stone steps to reopen the Cornell Mine Trail at Bear Mountain State Park.
This trail had been closed for two years after a major storm event dropped 11 inches of rain in a few short hours on Bear Mountain in 2023.
The storm shut the park down for a month, destroyed infrastructure, damaged water treatments and maintenance systems, washed out roads, and decimated the trails in the area known as Doodletown.
During heavy rains, trails can become the path of least resistance for torrents of water rushing downhill. As trails become stream channels, rutting takes place. In some cases, water carves deep channels down the center of the trail.
In Doodletown, the heavy rains also washed away rocks and roots, creating depressions as much as six feet deep and a dozen feet across. Water washed away drainage systems, dumped rocks and debris in pathways, and knocked over trees.
The cost to repair the damage to the trail system was estimated to be in the millions of dollars.
After the storm, the Palisades Trail Crew mapped every foot of the more than 45 miles of hiking trails in Bear Mountain to identify damage and ensure public safety.
They closed hazardous trails, developed maps, and worked with engineering staff to develop plans to reopen. And for 24 months, they have worked to reopen the trails, mile by mile, so that some of the most-loved areas of Bear Mountain can once again be accessed.
The reopening of the Cornell Mine Trail showcases the skills of the Palisades Trail Crew and also their ability to work with partners toward a common goal.
They received training and support from the Jolly Rovers Trail Crew, who specialize in monumental stonework, employed interns from the Rockland Conservation and Service Corps, worked with the NY-NJ Trail Conference, and coordinated with NYS Parks regional staff as they laid down 40 massive stone steps designed to withstand heavy use and major storms.
There is still more to do to get all of Bear Mountain’s trails reopened. A major construction project is underway to repair some of the roadways through Doodletown and to replace washed-out culverts.
Read more about Bear Mountain State Park.
A version of this essay by Palisades Interstate Park Commission Chief of Staff Matthew Shook first appeared in the New York State Parks and Historic Sites Blog.
Illustrations from above: The New York-New Jersey Trail Conference cuts the ribbon on a restored Long Path at Tallman Mountain in the Palisades in 2025 )photo by Len Diamond, NYNJTC volunteer); and the stone steps being installed on the Cornell Mine Trail.
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