Hudson River

The Hudson River runs the length of the entire West Side of Manhattan on its route from upstate New York to the Atlantic Ocean. The Hudson River Greenway is a 13 mile path that runs most of the length of the island from just north of the George Washington Bridge, to Battery Park. Along the way are a number of historic areas to relax and explore.

At the George Washington Bridge is the Little Red Lighthouse, made famous by the children’s book The Great Grey Bridge and the Little Red Lighthouse. The lighthouse was reassembled in 1921 at a rocky outcropping on the Hudson River then known as Jeffrey’s Hook. The lighthouse is now part of the Fort Washington Park which has picnic tables and large expanses of lawn along the riiverbank.

Further down the river, the trail passes through Riverside Park South. This park is built on what was once a railroad yard operated by the New York Central Railroad. The main purpose of the yard was to transfer freight cars to barges for transport across the Hudson River to New Jersey, where they could be sent to places west. One of the remaining transfer bridges at 69th Street is currently being renovated. A couple of piers provide the opportunity to walk further out onto the river and gaze down toward New York Harbor. Grasses and embankments along the shore here provide serenity to the area.

At around 14th Street is Little Island Park, which is one of the newer additions to the green space along the river. The park opened in May, 2021. The park is recognizable for its concrete pillars that look like flowers jutting up from the water. From the greenway, you can also spot the remaining entrance archway to the ship terminal for the Cunard-White Star Line that used to operate from Pier 54 which is now part of Little Island. The white lettering is still visible under the rusted metal of the archway, a testament to the maritime operations that once dominated the landscape in that part of New York. The RMS Carpathia docked there in the evening of April 18, 1912 for the survivors of Titanic to disembark.

These are just a few of the many interesting sites along the river.