Bear Mountain State Park NY

[midas777gold]

Went to Bear Mountain NY, Harriman State Park today. 8 hours of lake hunting. Had to get a permit - $20. All 3 lakes - clean as a whistle. No signals except for hairpins and bottlecaps. Ranger informed me that MD'ing competition is brutal at these lakes. Beautiful beaches though, 40 miles from NYC. One beach 1/2 mile long!!!! Other beach 1/4 mile long.
Also, what really sucks is the rules state you can't go deeper in the water than KNEE DEEP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Although I didn't notice that rule until I got out of the water. No wet suits allowed! and they have certain hours for MD'ing!!!! and any items found with a value of $10 or more have to be turned into the Park Ranger!!!!!!!!!!!
WHAT'S THE SENSE!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

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[gold-digger]

I remember going there as a kid during class field trips back in the 70's. Really nice place.

 

[mountainman 2]

Can you detect anywhere else in that park ?What happens after you hand in those ten dollar plus finds.Is there a waiting period to get it back or do you just give them up for good?

 

[midas777gold]

You can detect ONLY on beach areas. Items are to be turned in according to NYState personal property law, Chapter 860, Article 7B. You are given a receipt, but I doubt if you will ever see that item again. But, detecting in the water to KNEE DEEP ONLY is ludicrous!!!! After I came out of the water, the Ranger said they were watching me, and if I come again and go past knee deep, my permit will be revoked. He said the reason for that rule is so you don't DROWN on an unguarded beach. You can't detect when the beach is open and the lifeguards are there. So judging by the lack of finds, there's a lot of detectorists with 5 foot knees.
I went to another of the 3 lakes and the ranger there had no problem with me going to chest deep. In fact he wished me good luck. I told him about the other ranger at the other lake and he said that's what happens when you give some people a little authority, it goes to their head.

 

[rjnail]

hunted this place many of years started back in 1984 , lake welch, tiorati,and seabago, welch was the best of them with the 1/2 mile beach. place was built back in 1915, first time i hunted there u could not hunt til day after labor til may 31. then they change it to every day hunting before and after swimming hour , but no rules on how far out you went, permit where free then. got alot of nice things there over the years,

 

[Captain Trips]

Now that photo takes me back -- about 40 years! I remember our family camped there (Lake Welch) for two weeks in the summer of '68. Based on memories of a 9 year old kid, looks like it hasn't changed much! (No, I can't think of anything I lost that you might find.)