8 minute read
Take a Hike
The Best hIkIng Spots in NYC
By Mia SalaS A 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
60 NewYorkFamily.com | March 2020 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.
Brooklyn Canarsie 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.
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. 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.
Paerdegat Basin Park 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 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.
the beginner hiker to the more experienced hiker. The Yellow trail is just about one mile, the Blue trail is 1.7 miles and the Orange trail is a 2.4-mile adventure. The Orange trail is definitely more difficult with challenging elements along the perimeter of the forest. The Blue trail is perfect for hikers that are ready to take it to the next level, but families with lots of energy will also be fine walking through the native hardwood, oak-hickory forest and kettle ponds. Never hiked before? Try out the Yellow trail for maximum fun and ease!
Cunningham Park You’ll get a kick out of the gorgeous forest in Cunningham Park that features a diverse ecosystem to support abundant wildlife. The park’s Kettle Ponds feature the sounds of Spring Peepers and other species of frogs throughout the spring and summer season, so bookmark these hiking trails for your summer outings. The South Preserve trail is about 3 miles long, so keep in mind that very little ones may not be up for the distance. This is the perfect hike for a date or if you have bigger kids who are up for the challenge.
Flushing Meadows-Corona Park The Willow Lake hiking trails in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park are a breathtaking sight. The main trail runs along the south side of the lake and over a wooden bridge.
Through generous funding from the Recreational Trails Program grant, GreenerNYC, and Con-Ed, various volunteer groups installed paving stones and wooden puncheons for travel through the wetland areas on the west side of the lake near the Grand Central Parkway. The Flushing Meadows Bird Blind is a bird watcher’s paradise, and there’s a scenic viewpoint on the south-western edge of the lake just west of the bridge on the Pat Dolan Trail that offers a quiet respite on the west side of the lake and additional bird and wildlife viewing.
The Bronx Bronx Park The Bronx River Forest trails offer a break from the busy Bronx nearby. Walk through a floodplain forest on the banks of the restored Bronx River, and marvel at how clean and natural this once-polluted river has become. See native plant and animal life, and look out over the man-made Bronx River Island right in the heart of the borough, mere steps from grounds of the New York Botanical Garden. We love the Island Lookout, where you can see the Bronx River Island, a man-made island that was constructed in the mid-1900s to accommodate the Bronx River Parkway. The Burke Bridge is also a must. Built in 1949, the 45-feet long bridge spans the river, where you can spot many forest birds.
Van Cortlandt Park Van Cortlandt Park offers trails that range from easy to difficult, perfect for hikers of all experience levels. Easy trails include the Putnam trail at 1.5 miles, a historically significant path that used to be the former railroad route that ran through the park in the 1980s and the John Kieran trail at 1.25 miles, which journeys through the park’s lake area and freshwater wetlands, passing Tibbet’s Brook via a wooden bridge perfect for birding, and forms a loop with the Parade Ground. Moderate trails are the John Muir trail at 1.5 miles, where you’ll travel through three ecologically distinct forests and see a frog-filled marsh and sugar maple, hickory trees, tulip and red oak trees, and the Old Croton Aqueduct trail at 1.1 miles, which is actually rated easy/moderate. Ready for a challenge? Conquer the Cass Gallagher trail, rated moderate/difficult.
Pelham Bay Park Leave the city far behind on the Kazimiroff Nature Trail, which provides self-guided long and short loop paths around 189-acre Hunter Island. Leading visitors along the island’s wetland border, through its interior forest, and onto the shore of the beautiful Orchard Beach, Pelham Bay Park offers some of the most unique and spectacular sights for your family.
