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The Best hIkIng Spots in NYC Get active and embrace the great outdoors with a family hike By Mia SalaS
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s the weather gets (slightly) warmer, it’s time to get back in touch with nature. Get active and embrace the great outdoors with a family hike. You don’t have to leave New York City to conquer nature’s trails. NYC is home to some of the oldest, historically-rich and breathtaking sights, including the Alley Pond Giant, a tulip tree that is estimated to be between 350 and 450 years old! Check out our guide to the best hiking spots in New York City for hikers of all ages and experience levels. Manhattan Inwood hill Park
The hiking trails at Inwood Hill Park are rich with history and nature. The marked scenic sites or historic highlights trail will lead you to the top of the hill, where the park’s oldest trees — two Cottonwoods planted before the park was established — still live. Take a step back in time on this hike as you imagine Manhattan as a forest grove of tulip trees, oaks and maples. One of our favorite spots along the trails is the glacial potholes, which were created by an eddy in the waters of the stream flowing beneath the melting ice of the Wisconsin glacier about 50,000 years ago! There’s also an overlook that has the most beautiful view of the Hudson River and the New Jersey Palisades. And don’t miss out on Manhattan’s last salt marsh, home to a variety of animals. Central Park
With secluded and peaceful areas to really get in touch with nature, Central Park satisfies all of your hiking needs. The 40-acre North Woods has winding paths for you to wander along as you birdwatch, gaze over the waters of the Loch, and look up at the soaring treetops above you. The Ramble is a 36-acre woodland retreat that features meandering pathways, quiet covers, and rich forest gardens. Over 230 bird species have also been spotted here, making it a favorite area for birders. Take a rest at the Summerhouse in the Ramble, providing shade from the sun and rows of benches. The Summerhouse has been renovated over the years, but the rustic structure still includes its original 19th
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century posts. The smallest of Central Park’s three woodland landscapes, Hallett Nature Sanctuary offers rustic trails, a world of wildlife, and views of the Pond and lower park.
The point lookout is also beautiful, featuring a large, sandy beach with views of White Island, Manhattan and the adjacent Belt Parkway overpass and beyond that to Jamaica Bay. Stop by the Salt Marsh Nature Center for a bit of history, a look at shore birds and turtles, and free nature programs hosted by the Urban Park Rangers.
Brooklyn Canarsie Park
Paerdegat Basin Park
A walk through Canarsie Park’s trails takes you past the active athletic fields and cricket pitches to an unparalleled natural shoreline vista. Head out on the trails of this large park to discover its wetlands, hike along a spur to find a quiet shoreline, and take in the views of Jamaica Bay and the Manhattan skyline. If you’re looking for a low-stress trail that’s a bit shorter for kiddos who aren’t crazy about a 5-mile hike, Canarsie Park is for you. The Blue Loop trail is only about a half-mile long and you’ll get to see iconic views along the way.
Paerdegat Basin Park’s upland coastal forest is a haven for wildlife and perfect for birding on the trail. Be sure to make your way to the viewpoint on the blue trail for a beautiful view of the waterfront. Both the Red and Blue trails are about 0.3 miles, making for an easy, yet incredibly scenic hike. The red trail is an easily accessible hike of mostly flat sandy terrain that is ideal for hiking along the wetland border passing black cherry trees. Queens alley Pond Park
Prospect Park
It’s no surprise that this classic Brooklyn park has some of the best hiking trails in the borough. All of the trails in Prospect Park are considered to be easy, so bring your whole family along for the hike. Bonus points: bathrooms, café and trail guides are available at the Prospect Park Audubon Center. On the Lullwater trail, you’ll get to see how nature thrives in the heart of Brooklyn as you catch views of birds and other wildlife. The Midwood trail is a scenic walk through Brooklyn’s oldest remaining forest. The thirty-minute hike loops from Prospect Park’s Audubon Center through a forest filled with birds and other animals where you’ll see some of the park’s largest trees. The half-mile Peninsula trail is a home for wildlife and great fishing. Finally, the Waterfall trail has a unique experience in store for your family as you trace the source of the lake. The Fallkill Falls is the first of six waterfalls that you will see along the Park’s watercourse. Marine Park
As the largest park in Brooklyn, Marine Park is a prime destination for hiking. Head out on one of the park’s nature trails and discover Brooklyn’s natural beauty at this waterfront park. We love the grassland lookout, which offers a 360-degree view of the restores grasslands on the eastern side of the park.
There are lots of hiking trails in Alley Pond Park. Stop by the Alley Pond Environmental Center, home to a non-profit environmental education organization that is dedicated to educating children and adults in the New York metropolitan area, to check out the programming before or after your hike. The Alley Pond Giant, the tulip tree that is 133.8 tall and has a circumference of 18.6 feet, is a must-see. Estimated to be between 350 and 450 years of age, the tree may be the tallest and the oldest living organism in the city. Alley Pond is another favorite stop along the trails, featuring hundreds of native species, and so is the Turtle Pond, which has lots of wildlife for you to discover. Bayswater Park
The Bayswater Park Blue trail is roughly a quarter-mile long and passes along the shoreline of Jamaica Bay, linking the park to a trail in adjacent parkland managed by the NY State Department of Environmental Conservation. With awesome spots for bird watching, a mix of sandy, grassy and woody areas, a maritime forest and views of the shoreline, Bayswater Park offers a hiking experience like no other. Forest Park
Forest Park offers three trails, each distinctively different to accommodate everyone from
