Meetup: Bear Mountain Inn Parking Lot 2 (next to the skating rink)

Trail: Bear Mountain Loop Trail

Length: 3.8 miles

Elevation Gain: ~1150 ft

Type: Loop

Hike Time: 4 hours including 30 minutes for lunch

Difficulty: Moderately challenging

This loop links multiple trails up Bear Mountain, and gives us stunning views of the valley below. We’ll take this trail counter-clockwise, traveling a short distance around the Hessian lake to the trail head until we reach our first incline, which is a steep, rocky scramble. The trail eventually levels off into more gradual inclines up to the top of the mountain.