Central Park

Experience Central Park by exploring its variety of running, walking, biking, and accessible trails. New York's 843-acre backyard has a rich history, charming assets, beautiful scenery, sustainable landscapes, several playgrounds, scenic bodies of water, and elegant architecture.

There are a number of loops that wind through the park. The Park Drive is the longest route that loops around the park and is shared by pedestrians, bicyclists, skaters, horse carriages, and more. There are also pedestrian-only paths, bike paths shared with pedestrians, and two soft surface running paths—one with gravel and one with dirt. Bike rentals are available. The park has numerous activities for all ages, including sports, storytelling, classes, and events year-round.

Restrooms and drinking fountains are located throughout the park and are marked on the TrailLink map. Accessible restrooms are available at the 11 of the 18 restroom locations, including Charles A. Dana Discovery Center (East side at 110th St), Conservancy Garden (1231 5th Ave), and Robert Bendheim Playground (1190 5th Ave). There are dozens of drinking fountains, but only a few of them remain on during the winter due to the area's freezing temperatures. Locations of year-round water fountains include Rumsey Playfield, two by East Meadow, between the tennis courts and the Reservoir, and Cherry Hill.

Dogs are welcome on-leash and are allowed off-leash in dedicated parts of the park. There are visitor center kiosks at several mid-park locations and three entrances to the park—West Side at 59th St, both sides at 72nd St, and East Side 110th St. The park hours are 6:00am to 1:00am.

Parking and Trail Access

The park is easily reachable by New York City's subway and bus systems. Visit the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's website to plan your trip.

For those driving, parking is available at a number of locations along the trail. View the TrailLink map for all options and detailed directions.