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New York City - Manhattan Hudson River Trail to Van
Cortlandt Park
by Warwick Ford
The popular Hudson River trail in Manhattan ends at the George Washington Bridge,
with a continuation along the edge of the Henry Hudson Parkway to emerge close to
the west end of Dyckman Street. Not far away, in the Bronx, there are many excellent
trails in or connecting to Van Cortlandt Park. We have been researching connections
between these two trail systems for some time and believe we have now nailed the
very best one. This trail will allow you to connect from the Manhattan Hudson River
trail to the New York Botanical Garden, Pelham Bay Park, Yonkers and points further
north in Westchester County.
The on-foot distance from Dyckman Street and Broadway to the Van Cortlandt Park
Nature Center is 3.4 miles, of which 0.5 mile is on pedestrian/bike paths and the rest
are on (mostly quiet and pedestrian-friendly) street sidewalks.
The Manhattan end of this trail connects to Fun on Foot routes MH3 (Upper Hudson
River and the Cloisters) and MH8 (Harlem Parks Corridor). The Bronx end connects
to routes BX1 (Van Cortlandt Park), BX2 (Van Cortlandt to Botanical Garden) and BX8
(Van Cortlandt to Yonkers). Both ends are convenient to subway stations and
food-beverage establishments. Therefore, there are some good options here for
creating longer routes with a pleasant wind-down place and/or a subway ride back to
where you started.
This route, denoted BX9, starts at the intersection of Dyckman Street and Broadway
near the Dyckman Street A-train station. This point is 0.1 mile from the entrance to
Fort Tryon Park (at Riverside Drive and Payson Avenue) which is the 3.9-mile mark of
route MH3, the Hudson River trail from W 125th Street. (If directly linking routes MH3
and BX9 subtract 0.5 miles from the sum of the base route distances.) The start point
is also 0.3 mile from the Dyckman Street 1-train station and the start of route MH8
going down the Harlem River. (If directly linking routes MH8 and BX9 add 0.3 miles to
the sum of the base route distances.)
Go west on Dyckman Street 0.3 mile. You pass some non-notable eating and drinking
establishments on the way and public restrooms at the playground after Payson
Avenue. Continue under the overhead bridges to the Dyckman Fields entrance of
Inwood Hill Park on the right.
NOTE: On the left is what looks like access to a trail down the Hudson but do not be fooled - it does
not connect to the main Hudson River trail.
Follow the path past the ball fields, passing water fountains and seasonal portable
restrooms on the way. At 0.6 miles take the pedestrian overpass to the right across
the rail tracks, with a sign pointing to Inwood Hill Park Nature Center. Soon the paved
trail splits with the right-hand branch going under the highway. Take the left branch
through the trees and uphill. The path splits again. Take the right-hand path which
joins the edge of the Henry Hudson Parkway. When you reach the toll gates you have
a choice of taking the walkway of the Henry Hudson Bridge to the Bronx or a trail to the
left which goes to the northeast part of Inwood Hill Park. Take the former and at 1.3
miles reach the Bronx end of the bridge and the big No Cameras sign.
Continue about 150 yards to a short set of steps down to Koppack Street. Go left
along Koppack Street to Independence Avenue and cross it. Go right along the edge
of Henry Hudson Memorial Park. At 1.5 miles you see on the left the impressive statue
of Henry Hudson atop its tall column. At W 232nd Street go right. There is a water
fountain off to the left here in Seton Park near the ball field. At 1.8 miles cross over
the Henry Hudson Parkway.
Continue along W 232nd Street, past the Dead End sign at Netherland Avenue. Take
the concrete steps down to Johnson Avenue and W 232nd Street. Follow W 232nd
Street, swinging right past Oxford Avenue and Cambridge Avenue. Go steeply
downhill now, either through or around the edge of Ewen Park to Riverdale Avenue
and W 231st Street.
At 2.3 miles from the start, cross Riverdale Avenue and bear left on the east sidewalk
of Irwin Avenue. The going here is very pleasant, shady and downhill. Cross W
232nd Street and W 238th Street and bear right along W 240th Street.
At 3.0 miles from the start you reach the intersection of Broadway and W 240th Street,
the southwest corner of Van Cortlandt Park. If you are finished the exercise part of
your outing now and want a food/beverage stop and a subway ride home, we
recommend going down Broadway and left into W 238th Street where you find an
excellent establishment, the Bronx Alehouse. It has good food, good company, and a
good choice of beers including real English-style ale. The W 238th Street 1-train
station is nearby.
To continue your running or walking route from W 240th Street into Van Cortlandt
Park, go up Broadway to the W 242nd Street subway station, go right into the park,
and proceed northeast along the south edge of the Parade Ground to the Van
Cortlandt House Museum and the Nature Center where there are restrooms and trail
maps. The total distance to here from Dyckman Street and Broadway is 3.4 miles.
To run further in the Bronx, consult Fun on Foot in New York or its map set. Routes
BX1, BX2 and BX8 can tack directly onto the end of this route and the mileages are
additive.
Here are some examples of combined routes:
- Hudson River Trail at W 125th Street to Van Cortlandt Park via routes MH3 and BX9:
7.4 miles;
- Dyckman Street and Broadway to the New York Botanical Garden via routes BX9 and
BX2: 5.5 miles;
- Central Park South to Pelham Bay Park via routes MH2, MH3, BX9, BX2 and BX6:
17.7 miles. (A great idea for a marathon long training run.)
We shall publish a detailed map of this route in the next update of our New York City
downloadable map set. Meanwhile, explore and enjoy this route and give us your
feedback!
(C) Copyright, Warwick Ford, 2011
www.funonfoot.com
Cortlandt Park
by Warwick Ford
The popular Hudson River trail in Manhattan ends at the George Washington Bridge,
with a continuation along the edge of the Henry Hudson Parkway to emerge close to
the west end of Dyckman Street. Not far away, in the Bronx, there are many excellent
trails in or connecting to Van Cortlandt Park. We have been researching connections
between these two trail systems for some time and believe we have now nailed the
very best one. This trail will allow you to connect from the Manhattan Hudson River
trail to the New York Botanical Garden, Pelham Bay Park, Yonkers and points further
north in Westchester County.
The on-foot distance from Dyckman Street and Broadway to the Van Cortlandt Park
Nature Center is 3.4 miles, of which 0.5 mile is on pedestrian/bike paths and the rest
are on (mostly quiet and pedestrian-friendly) street sidewalks.
The Manhattan end of this trail connects to Fun on Foot routes MH3 (Upper Hudson
River and the Cloisters) and MH8 (Harlem Parks Corridor). The Bronx end connects
to routes BX1 (Van Cortlandt Park), BX2 (Van Cortlandt to Botanical Garden) and BX8
(Van Cortlandt to Yonkers). Both ends are convenient to subway stations and
food-beverage establishments. Therefore, there are some good options here for
creating longer routes with a pleasant wind-down place and/or a subway ride back to
where you started.
This route, denoted BX9, starts at the intersection of Dyckman Street and Broadway
near the Dyckman Street A-train station. This point is 0.1 mile from the entrance to
Fort Tryon Park (at Riverside Drive and Payson Avenue) which is the 3.9-mile mark of
route MH3, the Hudson River trail from W 125th Street. (If directly linking routes MH3
and BX9 subtract 0.5 miles from the sum of the base route distances.) The start point
is also 0.3 mile from the Dyckman Street 1-train station and the start of route MH8
going down the Harlem River. (If directly linking routes MH8 and BX9 add 0.3 miles to
the sum of the base route distances.)
Go west on Dyckman Street 0.3 mile. You pass some non-notable eating and drinking
establishments on the way and public restrooms at the playground after Payson
Avenue. Continue under the overhead bridges to the Dyckman Fields entrance of
Inwood Hill Park on the right.
NOTE: On the left is what looks like access to a trail down the Hudson but do not be fooled - it does
not connect to the main Hudson River trail.
Follow the path past the ball fields, passing water fountains and seasonal portable
restrooms on the way. At 0.6 miles take the pedestrian overpass to the right across
the rail tracks, with a sign pointing to Inwood Hill Park Nature Center. Soon the paved
trail splits with the right-hand branch going under the highway. Take the left branch
through the trees and uphill. The path splits again. Take the right-hand path which
joins the edge of the Henry Hudson Parkway. When you reach the toll gates you have
a choice of taking the walkway of the Henry Hudson Bridge to the Bronx or a trail to the
left which goes to the northeast part of Inwood Hill Park. Take the former and at 1.3
miles reach the Bronx end of the bridge and the big No Cameras sign.
Continue about 150 yards to a short set of steps down to Koppack Street. Go left
along Koppack Street to Independence Avenue and cross it. Go right along the edge
of Henry Hudson Memorial Park. At 1.5 miles you see on the left the impressive statue
of Henry Hudson atop its tall column. At W 232nd Street go right. There is a water
fountain off to the left here in Seton Park near the ball field. At 1.8 miles cross over
the Henry Hudson Parkway.
Continue along W 232nd Street, past the Dead End sign at Netherland Avenue. Take
the concrete steps down to Johnson Avenue and W 232nd Street. Follow W 232nd
Street, swinging right past Oxford Avenue and Cambridge Avenue. Go steeply
downhill now, either through or around the edge of Ewen Park to Riverdale Avenue
and W 231st Street.
At 2.3 miles from the start, cross Riverdale Avenue and bear left on the east sidewalk
of Irwin Avenue. The going here is very pleasant, shady and downhill. Cross W
232nd Street and W 238th Street and bear right along W 240th Street.
At 3.0 miles from the start you reach the intersection of Broadway and W 240th Street,
the southwest corner of Van Cortlandt Park. If you are finished the exercise part of
your outing now and want a food/beverage stop and a subway ride home, we
recommend going down Broadway and left into W 238th Street where you find an
excellent establishment, the Bronx Alehouse. It has good food, good company, and a
good choice of beers including real English-style ale. The W 238th Street 1-train
station is nearby.
To continue your running or walking route from W 240th Street into Van Cortlandt
Park, go up Broadway to the W 242nd Street subway station, go right into the park,
and proceed northeast along the south edge of the Parade Ground to the Van
Cortlandt House Museum and the Nature Center where there are restrooms and trail
maps. The total distance to here from Dyckman Street and Broadway is 3.4 miles.
To run further in the Bronx, consult Fun on Foot in New York or its map set. Routes
BX1, BX2 and BX8 can tack directly onto the end of this route and the mileages are
additive.
Here are some examples of combined routes:
- Hudson River Trail at W 125th Street to Van Cortlandt Park via routes MH3 and BX9:
7.4 miles;
- Dyckman Street and Broadway to the New York Botanical Garden via routes BX9 and
BX2: 5.5 miles;
- Central Park South to Pelham Bay Park via routes MH2, MH3, BX9, BX2 and BX6:
17.7 miles. (A great idea for a marathon long training run.)
We shall publish a detailed map of this route in the next update of our New York City
downloadable map set. Meanwhile, explore and enjoy this route and give us your
feedback!
(C) Copyright, Warwick Ford, 2011
www.funonfoot.com
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