Harriman State Park – Summer Hotspot

Harriman is blessed with some of the nicest roads in the State, for a leisurely drive.  Granite cliffs, mountain lakes, and well maintained twisty roads sing a siren song to the enthusiast driver.  For the record, my personal ‘calibration road’ is Route 210, from the Circle to Route 17.  Don’t tell anyone.

In the winter, this park is left to the deer, squirrels and trees.  From the top of Bear Mountain, to Seven Lakes Drive, all is empty.

This changes when the temperature rises, and seemingly the entire world descends upon Harriman State park.  Parking lots fill, roads jam up, and if you have a police scanner, it is the busiest Vehicle and Traffic enforcement zone in the State.

On a hot summer day, this attracts everyone in a 200 mile radius, many of whom give in to the lure of the roads.  The Park Police hire extra staff for these weekends.  From lost children, to groups of bikers, to press days with automotive writers beating up press demonstrator cars, they see it all.  Harriman Speeding Tickets are very common, and keep the surrounding Towns busy.

Most people stop for the police.  The few that don’t find that the Park Police are very good at calling out and finding other officers ahead of those who don’t.  I can tell who you are by the number of Summonses you receive and which types.

The result is my office sees a lot of summonses in the surrounding Courts.  The  towns of Highland Falls (West Point), Sloatsburg, Tuxedo, Stony Point, and Woodbury all benefit from this confluence of warm weather and internal combustion.

Wednesday at 6 in the summer has one of the best Car Shows in the area, and with a $4 parking fee everyone can afford to go.  Classic Detroit iron to spun sugar Italian fantasy, it’s all there.

If you have had a nice summer day center punched by NYSP or the Park Police, give us a call.  We know the Harriman State Park Courts and what can be done for your best defense.