Hudson River North
Ascend the "continental spine" of Manhattan to the island’s highest natural ground, where rugged schist outcroppings once dictated the tactical survival—and the tragic fall—of the American Revolution.
In 1776, elevation was the ultimate strategic currency. From the heights of Washington Heights, American forces could monitor the entire Hudson River corridor. Fort Washington, situated near Manhattan's highest natural point (Bennett Park), was intended to create a deadly crossfire with Fort Lee in New Jersey.
At a Glance
- Route
- Riverside Park South (W 59 St) north along the Hudson River Greenway through Riverside Park, 79th Street Boat Basin, Grant's Tomb, Cherry Walk, West Harlem Piers, Riverbank State Park, Fort Washington Park, the Little Red Lighthouse, Fort Tryon Park, and concluding at Inwood Hill Park
- Distance
- Approximately 7 miles
- Duration
- Full day (walk or bicycle)
- Difficulty
- Moderate — long distance; mostly flat along the river, with climbs to the Grant's Tomb overlook and Fort Tryon Park bluffs
- Best Season
- Spring for cherry blossoms at Cherry Walk and Sakura Park; fall for foliage; year-round for the Greenway
- Greenway
- Hudson River Greenway continues from Riverside Park South to the West Harlem waterfront; bikes not permitted within Riverbank State Park
Along this seven-mile journey, you follow one of the world's great urban waterfronts. Cherry trees bloom along the river's edge, sailboats swing at anchor in the 79th Street Boat Basin, peregrine falcons nest in the towers of the George Washington Bridge, and ancient forests survive at Manhattan's northern tip. Here, visitors encounter something increasingly rare in New York City: the island's original shoreline, where the meeting of rock, river, and forest still evokes the landscape known to the Lenape centuries before the city's rise.
This stretch of the Hudson was once closely tied to rail infrastructure. The combination of rail and water created a powerful distribution system. The transformation began in the 1930s, when Robert Moses spearheaded the development of Riverside Park alongside the construction of the Henry Hudson Parkway, reclaiming the waterfront for public use. Later, Donald Trump's 16-tower residential complex was constructed atop the remnants of the New York Central Rail Yards. These rail lines were once crucial for transporting freight from ships and barges at the North River piers to the Midwest trunk line leading to Chicago. A relic of this industrial past, the Art Deco viaduct of the Miller Highway — the last remnant of America's first elevated highway — still looms over the waterfront, casting shadows between 57th and 72nd Streets.
Riverside Park South
Pier I
A 795-foot-long recreational pier built atop the remains of an original wooden lighterage pier. The Pier I Café operates seasonally at its foot. Manhattan Community Boathouse offers free introductory kayaking on summer weekends.
riversideparknyc.org
Grain Elevator A & Pier D Remains
Remnants of the foundation of Grain Elevator A (1877–1939) and the twisted remains of the Pier D shed, destroyed by fire in 1971.
W 69th Street Transfer Bridge
A cantilever-style gantry system designed to transfer rail cars directly onto barges, preserved as an historic industrial landmark.
79th Street Boat Basin
A break in the linear shoreline creating a sheltered harbor where small sailboats and motorboats moor in the gentle current. Originally designed by Robert Moses in 1937; currently closed for total reconstruction slated to complete in 2028.
Riverside Park
Stretching four miles along the Upper West Side, Riverside Park is a scenic landmark designed by Frederick Law Olmsted in the 1870s. If Central Park is the city's backyard, this is its front porch, where the New Jersey Palisades dominate the western horizon.
Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument
W 89th StreetA Corinthian-columned temple honoring Union forces. Nearby is the Amiable Child Monument, a rare private gravesite on public land belonging to a young boy who fell from these cliffs in 1797.
Grant's Tomb
W 122nd StreetThe largest mausoleum in North America and the final resting place of Ulysses S. Grant and his wife Julia. Managed by the National Park Service. One of the finest sunset viewpoints along the river. Free admission.
Cherry Walk
W 100th to W 125th StreetA tree-lined esplanade along the Hudson. The cherry trees — which bloom spectacular pink in spring — were a gift from the Committee of Japanese Residents in honor of the friendship between Japan and the United States.
Riverside Church & Sakura Park
Sakura Park was a second gift from Japanese residents, blooming in synchrony with Cherry Walk. Adjacent Riverside Church rises 392 feet in a Gothic tower modeled after Chartres Cathedral. The church houses the world's largest carillon — 74 bells.
West Harlem
Harlem Piers
W 125th to W 135th StreetA vibrant public space near the historic Cotton Club with fishing stations, a kayak launch, and a water taxi stop. The Baylander Steel Beach — a decommissioned military vessel known as the 'world's smallest aircraft carrier' — is moored here as a floating museum.
Riverbank State Park
A unique 28-acre green roof built atop a wastewater treatment plant, rising 69 feet above the river, containing a large sports and recreation complex.
parks.ny.gov/parks/93
Washington Heights
Fort Washington Park & the Little Red Lighthouse
As the land rises into Washington Heights, the river narrows. Boulder outcroppings where peregrine falcons nest on the George Washington Bridge. Tucked beneath the bridge is the Little Red Lighthouse (Jeffrey's Hook Light), built 1921 and saved from demolition in the 1950s — a symbol of the harbor's historic scale.
Bennett Park
At 265 feet above sea level, this is the highest natural point in Manhattan. The site of the main Fort Washington redoubt during the Revolutionary War; interpretive markers explain the November 1776 battle.
Inspiration Point
W 190th StreetOne of the finest views along the entire upper Hudson waterfront is from the Greek pavilion alighted 136 feet above the water, designed in 1925 by architect Gustave Steinacher as a rest stop for travelers.
Inwood
Fort Tryon Park
W 192nd to Dyckman StreetGifted by John D. Rockefeller Jr. and designed by Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. To preserve the views across the river, Rockefeller also purchased the New Jersey Palisades.
The Cloisters
A branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art dedicated to medieval European art and architecture, constructed from elements of five ancient French monasteries. Medieval gardens demonstrate historical horticultural traditions.
metmuseum.org
Tubby Hook
The Dutch called this curve Tobbe Hoeck — 'cape of the tub.' One of the city's notable prehistoric sites; mastodon fossils excavated here in the 19th century now reside at the American Museum of Natural History. The foot of Dyckman Street terminates in a wooden fishing pier, kayak beach, marina, and the red boathouse of the Inwood Canoe Club — the city's oldest paddle club. Free kayaking summer Sundays.
Inwood Hill Park
Manhattan's last natural salt marsh and ancient forest — original topography. Known to the Lenape as Shorakapok. Site where Peter Minuit reportedly 'purchased' Manhattan under a tulip tree. To the north is the Spuyten Duyvil — the 'Spouting Devil' creek where the Harlem and Hudson meet, now spanned by the Amtrak swing bridge.
Getting Here
| Stop / Location | Category | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 72 St (1) | Subway | Riverside Park South and the W 69 St Transfer Bridge — start of this journey |
| 79 St (1) | Subway | 79th Street Boat Basin and central Riverside Park |
| 86 St (1) | Subway | Riverside Park mid-section and the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument |
| 116 St–Columbia Univ. (1) | Subway | Riverside Park upper section; Cherry Walk southern access |
| 125 St (1) | Subway | West Harlem Piers and waterfront access |
| 137 St / 145 St (1) | Subway | Riverbank State Park access |
| 191 St (1) | Subway | Fort Washington Park and the George Washington Bridge area |
| 168 St (A/C/1) | Subway | Fort Washington Park alternative access; George Washington Bridge Bus Station |
| Inwood–207 St (A) | Subway | Fort Tryon Park, Dyckman Street, and Inwood Hill Park |
| 215 St (1) | Subway | Inwood Hill Park, Baker Field, and the Spuyten Duyvil terminus |
| The Cloisters | Walk/Bus | M4 bus from Midtown or the 190 St (A train) — about a 10-minute uphill walk; metmuseum.org |
| Little Red Lighthouse | Walk | Fort Washington Park, beneath the GW Bridge — enter from the pedestrian bridge at W 181 St |
Community Logs
Photos, ratings, and quick tips from people who've made the trip.
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