STATEN ISLAND WATERFRONT GREENWAY:
GATEWAY NATIONAL RECREATION AREA; STATEN ISLAND:
ARTHUR VON BRIESEN PARK:
FORT WADSWORTH:
FDR BOARDWALK:
GREAT KILLS PARK:
STATEN ISLAND, NEW YORK
-BIKE IT OR HIKE IT-
Last Updated: December 15, 2024
Length: Arthur Von Briesen Park to Cedar Grove Ave parking lot; 5.7 miles
FDR Boardwalk; 1.4 miles.
Great Kills Park Trail; 2.2 miles.
Difficulty: Arthur Von Briesen Park to Cedar Grove Ave parking lot; Easy-moderate. Mostly flat paved trail, some hills involved.
FDR Boardwalk; Easy.
Great Kills Park Trail; Easy. Flat paved trail.
Directions:
To Start from Arthur Von Briesen Park [Northern End]; From I-278 in NY cross over the bridge to Staten Island and take exit 15 N to School St. Follow to Bay St. The parking lot is across the street. For Fort Wadsworth; Turn right on Bay St which becomes NY Ave as you enter Fort Wadsworth. The Visitor Center parking lot is on your left. For FDR Boardwalk; continue along NY Ave to end and turn right on McClean Ave, then left on Lilly Pond Ave to Father Capodanno Blvd. Take your first left on Ocean Ave. Parking lot on right.
To Start from Cedar Grove Ave parking lot [Southern End]; From I-278 in NY cross over the bridge to Staten Island and take exit 14 to Hylan Blvd and head south for 3.4 miles. Turn left on New Drop Lane, then right on Cedar Grove Ave. Parking lot is on your left.
The Gateway National Recreation Area is a large diverse urban park with 27,000 acres spanning Sandy Hook in N.J. and Jamaica Bay & Staten Island in N.Y. It offers green spaces, beaches, wildlife and outdoor recreation, all alongside historic structures and cultural landscapes. The Gateway National Recreation Area; Staten Island is made up of three different areas; Fort Wadsworth, Miller Field, and Great Kills Park. Along with these three areas, I've included Arthur Von Briesen Park Trail and the FDR Boardwalk to create a mostly continuous off road trail starting from Arthur Von Briesen Park and traveling Southwest through Fort Wadsworth-FDR Boardwalk-Miller Field to Great Kills Park. For more information visit; GATEWAY NRA; STATEN ISLAND .
Starting from Arthur Von Briesen Park [Northern End]; From the parking lot follow the paved Arthur Von Briesen Park Trail straight, East, along the left side of the wooded park to a couple of nice overlooks. Great views of Manhattan, the Verazzano-Bridge and the Narrows. The trail then Loops West, back past the parking lot and out to Bay St after 0.4 miles.
Note; The Staten Island Waterfront Greenway will travel North, most likely on-road, to connect to some completed sections. See; Staten Island Waterfront Greenway Below.
Travel left, South, on-road past the gate house into GNRA; Fort Wadsworth. Slight hill up NY Ave. Come to the Visitor Center parking lot on your left after 0.7 miles. Map Board, restrooms, beverages available, museum. Turn left, East, up Tompkins St and you'll pass by the Battery Duane on your right and Fort Tompkins on your left before coming to Hudson Rd where you'll find a scenic overlook of the bridge and Narrows. The Battery Weed is below.
Note; If you wish to avoid a steep descent, followed by a steep hill climb head right, South, on *Hudson Road underneath the Verazzano-Bridge.
Head left, North, (Downhill followed by uphill climb) along the cement trail down to N Weed Rd and turn right, South, continuing downhill to the Battery Weed. Then climb back uphill, along S Weed Rd, passing the Battery Bacon & Turnbull before traveling underneath the Verazzano-Bridge back up to *Hudson Road. Head straight, West, past a parking lot and turn left, South, down USS North Carolina Rd [BIKE SHARROWS]. Pass by Camp Gateway on your left. The Coast Guard is all along your right. The road is blocked into the Coast Guard. Look left and you'll find the paved, South Beach Trail, which takes you to South Beach and the Ocean Ave parking lot at 2.3 miles.
Note; You have 2 Options from here: m The elevated FDR Boardwalk is along your left and the paved trail continues straight. As I was doing a Loop I followed the paved South Beach Trail straight and returned via the boardwalk.
Continuing Southwest, along the paved South Beach Trail you'll pass picnic tables, eateries, benches, sports fields, restrooms, playground and WHEEL FUN BIKE RENTALS . Pass by a water feature and Splash Park before coming to the end of the boardwalk at 3.8 miles.
Note; To return via the elevated FDR Boardwalk, head up a ramp to Freedom Circle, returning Northeast, via the FDR Boardwalk BIKE LANE. Pass by a long pier out into the Lower Bay. Restrooms and eateries located along the boardwalk. Just before the boardwalk ends after 1.4 miles access a ramp back down to the paved trail.
Continuing Southwest, along the wide, paved South Beach Trail . I haven't checked out this next section. Now only a sand berm blocks the beach and ocean. Pass by more sports fields, playgrounds, eateries and amenities. Come to Miller Field (lots of sports fields) after 4.9 miles. Cross New Drop Ln and enter Corporal Allan F. Kivlehan Park. Travel between the New Drop Beech & Lower Bay and Eastern Side of the park. Spurs along your right into the park. The trail turns inland, West, to Cedar Grove Ave parking lot at 5.7 miles.
Note; Currently, as of 2023, to reach Great Kills Park you'll need to travel on-road. Travel left along Cedar Grove Ave, turn right, West, up Ebbitts St, left, South, on Mill Rd, right, West, on Guyon Ave and left, South, on Hylan Blvd to reach Great Kills Park on your left after 2.1 miles. The Buffalo Street parking lot is here.
From the Buffalo Street parking lot; I haven't checked out this section. The paved Great Kills Park Trail follows alongside Buffalo St, South, down past another parking lot overlooking Lower Bay and a playground at 0.9 miles. The trail then follows a peninsula out to a marina overlooking Great Kills Harbor and Great Kills Beach parking lot at 1.8 miles. The gravel trail continues out to Movie Star Island and another parking lot at 2.2 miles.
Staten Island Waterfront Greenway:
The Staten Island Waterfront Greenway is a planned 10 mile trail along the North Shore of Staten Island. It will travel from the Verazzano-Narrows Bridge North, then West, to the Goethals Bridge along the North Shore. Several sections of this trail have been completed: Stapleton Esplanade, North Shore Waterfront Esplanade Park, North Shore Esplanade Park, Heritage Park & Faber Park. Construction is underway in 2024 to build more sections. I haven't checked out any of these sections yet.
NY City Greenway Projects:
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CLICK HERE FOR FORT WADSWORTH MAP
CLICK HERE FOR NY CITY 2024 BIKE MAP
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BIKE IT OR HIKE IT
