Hike the Staten Island Greenbelt
Added by Kim W.
A surprisingly wooded hike, in the middle of one of the world's biggest cities! The Staten Island Greenbelt covers 2,800 across the breadth of Staten Island, with six trails for all skillsets open year-round.
The white trail offers one of the two more ambitious hikes, passing through Egbertville Ravine, Heyerdahl Hill and Buckās Hollow parks on Staten Island, offering an up-close view of the forest and marshland that once covered the island. About midway, the trail also passes the Greenbelt Nature Center, and connects to the other trails on the network, including a short Nature Trail for budding naturalists. The Nature Center is also a good place to stop for a picnic. But most of the trail is surprisingly solitary - you're just as likely to run into one of the whitetail deer in the area as you are any other people.
The white trail does cross two or three residential streets - and one of them can get a bit busy, trafficwise - but the white blazes usually do a good job of marking where you need to re-join the trail after crossing the street. Also, the surrounding housing developments close in tight in places upon the last mile or so of the white trail at the southern end. But the very end of the white trail connects you to a regular bus stop (if you're done for the day) or to Great Kills Park, part of the Gateway National Recreation Area, so if you push on just a bit more you are rewarded with a rest on the beach with a view of the open Atlantic.
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Rate this AdventureHiking for New Yorkers, No Car Necessary
I hiked the length of the white trail, which was VERY easy to get to without a car (there are bus stops at either end). The yellow trail will have to be my next stop.
4.0
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