GATEWAY NATIONAL RECREATION AREA; JAMAICA BAY:
JAMAICA BAY GREENWAY:
FLOYD BENNETT FIELD TRAILS:
FORT TILDEN/JACOB RISS PARK TRAILS:
ROCKAWAY BEACH BOARDWALK:
BROOKLYN, NEW YORK
-BIKE IT OR HIKE IT-
Last
Updated: August
21, 2025
Length: Jamaica Bay Greenway Loop; 19.7 miles
Rockaway Beach Boardwalk; 5.6 miles
Shirley Chisholm State Park Trails; 10 miles
Spring Creek Park Trail; 1.1 miles
Difficulty: Jamaica Bay Greenway Loop; Moderate. Mostly flat paved trail.
Rockaway Beach Boardwalk; Easy. Boardwalk.
Shirley Chisholm State Park Trails; Easy to moderate. Both paved and gravel trails. Some hills.
Spring Creek Park Trail; Easy. Flat paved trail.
Directions:
To Start from the Floyd Bennett Field Entrance parking lot [Southwestern End]; From I-678 take exit 1W to the Belt Pkwy. Take exit 11S to Flatbush Ave south. Travel 1.4 miles and turn left on Aviation Rd into Floyd Bennett Field. Just past the gatehouse on your right is the parking lot.
The Gateway National Recreation Area is
a large diverse urban park, with 27,000 acres spanning Sandy Hook in N.J.
and Jamaica Bay and Staten Island in N.Y. It offers green spaces,
beaches, wildlife and outdoor recreation, all alongside historic structures and
cultural landscapes. Gateway National Recreation
Area; Jamaica Bay includes Floyd Bennett Field, Jamaica Bay
Wildlife Refuge, Canarsie Pier, Breezy Point, Fort Tilden and Jacob Riis Park. The
Jamaica Bay
Greenway Loops
around Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge
utilizing the Rockaway Beach Boardwalk. The Jamaica
Bay Greenway also shares a section of the Brooklyn
Waterfront Greenway & Shore
Parkway Greenway . You
can also access the Fort Tilden/Jacob Riss Park Trails and Floyd
Bennett Field Trails. For
information concerning taking your bike on the Subway visit; NYC
SUBWAY; BIKES .
Starting from the Floyd Bennett Field Entrance parking lot [Southwestern End]; Restrooms, drink vending machine. Travel left, West, along the wide sidewalk, alongside Aviation Rd out to Flatbush Ave. I headed right, Northwest, across Aviation Rd to a Map Board. Here, the paved Jamaica Bay Greenway travels alongside Flatbush Ave. After 0.8 miles you'll pass the old Naval Air Station.
Note; Head right, through the gate, to check out the old Naval Air Station, which now houses the NPS Ryan Visitor Center. Restrooms.
Continuing Northwest, come to a Map Board and crosswalk at 1.3 miles. This is the Intersection with the Shore Parkway Greenway & Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway. All 3 Greenways continue both Southwest & Northeast from here.
Note; Heading left across Flatbush Ave, the Brooklyn Waterfront & Shore Parkway Greenways & Jamaica Bay Greenway all travel Southwest, to Lew Fidler Park, where the Jamaica Bay Greenway ends. The Brooklyn Waterfront & Shore Parkway Greenways continue West, alongside Sheepshead Bay.
Continue North, along the wide, paved Jamaica Bay Greenway/Shore Parkway Greenway/Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway. Bear right at the next intersection, where the trail travels Northeast, alongside the Shore/Belt Pkwy. Open trail with limited views of Jamaica Bay. Slight climb up the Mill Basin Bridge, which crosses over Mill Basin at 2.8 miles. Good views of Manhattan from here. Slight climb up the Paerdegat Basin Bridge, which crosses over Paerdegat Basin. Look right to spot uninhabited Canarsie Pol Island in the middle of Jamaica Bay. Quickly come to a Spur Trail on your right at 3.7 miles.
Note; This trail heads right, South, then West, underneath the Shore/Belt Pkwy to CANARSIE PARK . Sports fields, Skate Park, playground and restrooms and paved Trails. I haven't checked out these trails.
Next come to Canarsie Pier at 4.3 miles. Restrooms, water fountain and picnic tables. Cross the Fresh Creek Bridge, over Fresh Creek, before coming to Penn Ave on your left and the entrance to the Penn Side of SHIRLEY CHISHOLM SP on your right, at 5.5 miles. Penn parking lot.
Note; Rising up 130 feet above sea level, Shirley Chisholm Park occupies some of the highest ground in New York City and offers spectacular panoramic views of the Empire State Building to the Northwest, the Verazzano-Narrows Bridge and New York Harbor to the West, and Jamaica Bay to the South. The site sits atop the former Pennsylvania and Fountain Avenue landfills. The park consists of 2 areas. The Penn Side, which is located on the Southern Side of Hendrix Creek and the Fountain Side, which is located on the Northern Side of Hendrix Creek. Paved and gravel Bike Trails, along with Free Bike Rentals. Penn Pier & Dock, Fountain Pier, Hendrix Creek Patio Dock, informational signs, water fountain and picnic tables. See; Map Below. I haven't checked out these trails.
Next, you cross a bridge over Hendrix Creek and pass by a Spur Trail to the Fountain Side Trails of Shirley Chisholm SP at 5.8 miles. Pass the Erskine Street Bridge on your left at 6.2 miles.
Note; If you head left, across this bridge, it will bring you to the start of the Spring Creek Park Trail on your left, next to Gateway Dr. I haven't checked out this trail. This paved trail travels West, through this narrow park to the Roy A. Sweeney Cricket Oval at 0.5 miles. Overlook of Hendrix Creek. The trail then turns North, alongside Hendrix Creek and ends after 1.1 miles at Vandalia Ave. Almost entirely marshland, Spring Creek Park serves as open greenery for various species of birds, including great blue herons, egrets, red-winged blackbirds, pheasants, and mallards, as well as animals such as deer, raccoons, and muskrats.
Cross the Betts Creek Bridge, over Betts Creek and come to a Spur Trail on your right.
Note; This Spur Trail will take you down to 78th St.
Come to 84th St after 7.4 miles in Howard Beach.
Note; The Shore Parkway Greenway continues across 84th St, however, No Crosswalk. You'll need to head right, South, along a BIKE LANE to 157th Ave, where you'll find a cross-walk. Then head North, back along a BIKE LANE to the Shore Parkway Greenway, which continues Northeast, ending at 90th St after 8 miles.
The planned Southern Queens Greenway will continue East.
The Jamaica Bay Greenway continues right, South, following a BIKE LANE alongside 84th St to 165th Ave. Head left, East, along a 2 Way SEPARATED BIKE LANE out to Cross Bay Blvd at 8.9 miles. Head right, South, along a 2 Way SEPARATED BIKE LANE. Travel over the 1st Cross Bay Bridge to Rulers Bar Hassock, the only inhabited Island in Jamaica Bay, to the North Channel Bridge parking lot at 9.7 miles. Map Board. From here, you continue South, along either a BIKE LANE or the paved Jamaica Bay Greenway. The trail follows Cross Bay Blvd. Pass by the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center at 11.2 miles. Restrooms, picnic tables, water fountain and BIKE STATION. The paved trail ends at 11.4 miles as you enter a small village. Continue along a 2 Way SEPARATED BIKE LANE, passing places to eat, then return to a single BIKE LANE which ends at E 20th Rd at 12.5 miles. Cross over Cross Bay Blvd and head right, along a short 2 Way SEPARATED BIKE LANE, then left along Van Brunt Rd. This will bring you to a wide paved path across the 2nd Cross Bay Bridge. Come to Beach 92nd St in Rockaway Beach after 13.5 miles. Head right, South, across Beach Channel Dr.
2 Options from here:
1. Continue South, along Beach 92nd St [BIKE LANE] to Rockaway Fwy. Turn right, along a BIKE LANE, below the RR bridge and come to Beach 94th Street.
2. Bear right, along a double-wide sidewalk and follow South, to Beach 94th Street.
From Beach 94th Street continue South, along a BIKE LANE (One-way street, however the BIKE LANE runs opposite direction). Come to the Shore Front Pkwy.
Note; Here you'll find the Shore Front Pkwy 2 Way SEPARATED BIKE LANE. This BIKE LANE travels from the paved Beach 108th Street Trail, East, 1.7 miles to the Beach 73rd Street BIKE LANE.
Cross Shore Front Pkwy to a ramp up to Rockaway Beach Boardwalk at 14 miles, where you'll find a painted BIKE LANE on the boardwalk. Amphitheatre here.
Note; A 2 Way BIKE LANE travels along Rockaway Beach Boardwalk, from Beach 126th St East, 5.6 miles to Beach 9th St.
Heading West, along the Rockaway Beach Boardwalk 2 Way BIKE LANE, you'll pass by multiple restrooms, places to eat, playgrounds, sports courts and other features. After 14.8 miles the boardwalk jogs right and now has sea grass between you and the beach and no road along your right. After 15.6 miles the boardwalk ends at Beach 126th St. Head right, North, on-road, out to Rockaway Beach Blvd (Crosswalk to your right) and travel left, West, along a SEPARATED BIKE LANE. Come to Beach 149th St where the BIKE LANE switches sides. You then cross over Rockaway Beach Blvd. Continue right to a ball field on your left at 17 miles. Here, a narrow, paved trail leads to the Jacob Riss Park Promenade. This wide, cement promenade travels West, alongside the beach. Restrooms, playground, ball fields, sports courts and eateries. Just before the promenade ends you'll find a BIKE STATION on your right. Come to Beach 169th St at 18.2 miles and turn right, North, along this old road (closed to traffic). Pass the poles (traffic) and spot a brick gate on your left.
Note; This leads to Fort Tilden where trails Loop around the old Battery and Nike Missile sites.
Continue out to and across Rockaway Point Blvd. Head right, along the paved, to an intersection.
Note; Left, a paved trail takes you East, underneath Marine Parkway Bridge and alongside the Rockaway Inlet. The trail ends abruptly after 1 mile at Beach Channel Dr.
Continue straight, North, along a narrow path up and over the Marine Parkway Bridge across Rockaway Inlet. Nice views of Manhattan. Come to a Map Board and cross-light where the trail turns to sidewalk. Cross Flatbush Ave and return East, alongside Aviation Rd, back to the Floyd Bennett Field Entrance parking lot after a 19.7 mile Loop.
HH
CLICK HERE FOR GATEWAY NRA; JAMAICA BAY MAP
CLICK HERE FOR JAMAICA BAY GREENWAY LOOP MAP
CLICK HERE FOR SHIRLEY CHISHOLM PARK MAP
CLICK
HERE FOR NY CITY 2025 BIKE MAP
BEFORE YOU SET OUT BE SURE TO READ THE
WAIVER OF RESPONSIBILITY AND DISCLAIMER
BIKE IT OR HIKE IT
