In 1998, the Hudson River Park Act officially created this park, reserving extensive portions of the waterfront exclusively for public recreation, and significantly limiting the types and locations of commercial activities. The Act also designated the river itself an estuarine sanctuary, and requires that every dollar made within the park goes right back into the park's construction, maintenance or operations.
Officially, Hudson River Park begins at Battery Place with a bikeway and walkway that continues five miles along the entire length of the park to 59th Street. This is the beginning of the Hudson River Valley Greenway Trail, which will eventually run all the way to Troy, north of Albany. Most of the park is completed, and now a bike path encircles the entire outer perimeter of Manhattan. Some of New York City's most dramatic views can be had here, in particular shortly after dawn and just before sunset.
We provide highlights below, but encourage you to vist the park's official website, which is exceptional.
Currently, Pier 25 provides a small snack bar and a sand area for beach volleyball. A miniature golf course is open from May to October. The "Yankee," the last surviving original Ellis Island ferry, is docked here.
Pier 26 is the home of the
Downtown Boathouse, where members can store small craft like canoes and kayaks, and the public can borrow them or launch their own boats for free. The
River Project, an ecological education and research center, is also located here.
See also the
Friends of Hudson River Park.
