Inwood Hill Park Hiking Trails

Home to the only forest on Manhattan Island, a hike through Inwood Hill Park takes you up close to American history, and even to the very formation of Manhattan Island. Take a step back in time and imagine Manhattan as a forest grove of tulip trees, oaks, and maples. Inwood Hill Park's marked scenic sites or historic highlights trail will lead you to the top of the hill, where the park’s oldest trees live.

Orange Trail (1.3 Miles): This moderate-vigorous hike will take you off the paved paths through the heart of the park’s Forever Wild forest with views of Spuyten Duyvil Creek and the Hudson River.

Blue Trail (1.7 Miles): This moderate trail is perfect for those looking for a long hike on paved paths through the woods. An initial incline pays off with lovely views of the Hudson River and the New Jersey Palisades at the Overlook Meadow.

White Trail (1.2 Miles): This easy trail on paved paths provides fantastic views of the Hudson River and Spuyten Duyvil year-round. The trail guides you up a flight of stairs and into the woods, where you can enjoy the calls of songbirds and a variety of woodland plants.

Interactive Map

Download the Inwood Hill Park Trail Guide.

Points of Interest

Glacial Potholes

The potholes were created by an eddy in the waters of the stream flowing beneath the melting ice of the Wisconsin glacier about 50,000 years ago, when pebbles and gravel in the receding water actually drilled through the rock. The location of these potholes marks a point where Inwood marble lies beneath mica schist.

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Overlook Meadow

The overlook is a wonderful place to view the Hudson River and the New Jersey Palisades to the west. During the summer, the small meadow is usually covered in wildflowers and wild grasses.

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Rock Formations

These giant stones, made of schist, were dropped in place by the Wisconsin glacier 50,000 years ago. Artifacts and remains of old campfires were found here, suggesting their use as temporary shelters by the members of the Lenape people.

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Shorakkopoch Rock

In 1954 the Peter Minuit Post of the American Legion dedicated a plaque at the southwest corner of the ballfield (at 214th Street) to mark the location of a historic tulip tree and the site in 1626 where Minuit believed he had purchased Mannahatta from the Lenape Peoples, an action contradictory to Lenape worldviews regarding property ownership. A living link with the Lenape who resided in the area, the magnificent tulip tree stood and grew on the site for 280 years until its death in 1938. The “sale” of the island has also been linked to sites in Lower Manhattan.

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Inwood Salt Marsh

The salt marsh at Inwood is Manhattan’s last salt marsh. The area of the soccer field was part of the original marsh, but was filled in when the subway was built in 1930. The marsh is brackish (a mixture of fresh and salt water), tidal, and home to a variety of animals such as mummichogs (small killfish that resemble minnows), mussels, snails, crabs, and a variety of waterfowl.

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Inwood Hill Nature Center

Home of the Urban Park Rangers, the Nature Center opened in 1995. The peninsula the Nature Center is located on was originally attached to the Bronx, but was separated during the creation of the Harlem River Ship Canal, which was completed in 1895. Damaged in Superstorm Sandy, the Nature Center was recently reopened to the public. Permanent exhibits are expected by early 2026.

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See the Trails

Join our Urban Park Rangers on a video hike of the Inwood Hill Park, and see the trails for yourself!