Jones Woods Park Hiking Trails

Jones Woods Park is named for the Jones estate that was constructed in the later quarter of the 19th century. The estate once stood on the rectangular parcel of land between the current streets of Prospect Avenue and Butler Terrace. By the 20th century, the estate became known as The Cedars possibly in reference to Cedar Place at the southwestern corner of the property or Pine Street at the southeastern corner. But the most likely reason was simply because the estate had numerous trees including cedars on the hillslope leading down to the southern side of the property. The park is situated between Arnold Street, York Avenue, Lafayette Avenue, and Butler Terrace.

The park is well known for its Serpentine Barrens located in the southern edge of the property. This ecosystem is found in only a few places in the world and in New York it is only found on Staten Island. Other highlights include a scenic overlook of the Serpentine grassland, Tomkinsville neighborhood and the Verrazzano Bridge. The Serpentine Trail is the main trail in the park which traverses a recently restored upland forest home to American sycamore (Platanus occidentalis), northern bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica), northern red oak (Quercus rubra) and various wildflowers such as snakeroot (Ageratina altissima). For additional hiking, take Butler Terrace west towards Lafayette Ave for connections to Goodhue and Allison Pond Park.

Serpentine Trail: The Serpentine Trail is a moderately sloped, 0.26 mile long trail which can be best accessed from the dead end off of Franklin Avenue. From there, the trail traverses a Million Trees planting site and more recent NYC Parks forest restoration work. The forest contains various oaks (Quercus spp.), maples (Acer spp.) and sumacs (Rhus spp.). Continue further down the trail for a connection to a scenic overlook which is accessible through a short spur trail. As you descend down the slope, witness a dense stand of sumacs which serve as a gateway to the Serpentine grassland meadow populated with a myriad of wildflowers and exposed Serpentine rock. The Southern terminus of the trail is located on Butler Terrace.

Interactive Map

Download the Jones Woods Park Trail Guide.

Points of Interest

Verrazzano Overlook

This popular scenic view point has sweeping views of the Serpentine grassland and the Tomkinsville neighborhood. On a clear day, look out for great views of the Verrazzano Bridge sitting in the distance. Visit in autumn to witness the fall foliage which fills the park with vibrant colors. It is best accessed from the Serpentine Trail entrance at the dead-end of Franklin Ave.

View Verrazzano Overlook on the map

Hiking in NYC Parks

Visit our Hiking in NYC Parks page to find more nature trails in parks across New York City.