Kissena Park & Kissena Corridor Hiking Trails

Kissena Park and Kissena Corridor together create a continuous green space in Queens connecting to Cunningham and Flushing Meadows Corona Park. In 2011, Parks completed a 16.5-acre, $1.03-million capital project to reforest Kissena Corridor Park where invasive weeds that dominated the natural landscape were removed and native trees and shrubs planted. 2022, another $1.065-million capital forest restoration project is being completed in Kissena Park to combat invasive species such as phragmites reeds and invasive porcelainberry vines that take over the landscape and replace them with native trees & shrubs such as maple, oak and sweetgum trees. An official network of nature trails has been created that connects Kissena Park and the reforested area in Kissena Corridor.

Pink Loop Trail: Enter off a busy Booth Memorial Avenue between 162nd St and 163rd St into a wooded oasis in Queens. Immediately the streets sounds dissipate and the chirping of birds take over. The wide dirt path of this short loop is excellent for children and possibly even the sturdiest of jogging strollers. A very short distance after entering, turn right to take the loop counterclockwise and follow the pink and blue trail markers under the shade of the maple and oak trees in this successional hardwood forest. The trail is wide, but as in any woodland, stay aware for poison ivy sometimes interspersed with native Virginia creeper or non-native English ivy. Turn left to the north continuing counterclockwise and then left again leaving the Blue Trail that continues north. The Pink Loop continues west now bordering the woodland you just exited. On your right is an area under restoration in 2022 by NYC Parks. You’ll intersect and overlap with the Orange Trail as it makes it way to the Velodrome parking area. Look for a beautiful sumac grouping and newly planting oak and sweet gum trees in the restoration planting on your right before you make the final left turn of the Pink loop leaving the Orange Trail, but once again overlapping with the Blue Trail headed away from the parking area. Meet back with the trail from Booth Memorial Avenue and follow it back to where you entered the park.

Orange Trail: From the Velodrome parking lot follow the trail marked with both Orange and Blue trail markers. A short distance ahead, you fork left to stay on the Orange Trail, while the Blue Trail heads into the wooded area. After a short overlap with the Pink Trail, the Orange Trail heads north with a left turn. At first in an sunny open area with new plantings, you enter a shaded area dominated by black locust trees where you once again meet up with the Blue Trail. Enjoy the birds songs through the natural area in the interior of the park. At the T intersection, turn left to stay on the Orange while the Blue Trail heads the opposite direction. Continue along this wide trail behind the Velodrome taking it to the western edge of the Kissena park, where the trail continues across Kissena Blvd (take care crossing the street) into Kissena Corridor. Once in Kissena Corridor, the Orange Trail follows along Peck Ave behind the soccer field until it enters the shade of the natural area behind the ball field. The bird sounds become alive again as you travel parallel to the community garden on the north side of the park and continue into the natural area restored by Parks in 2011. Continue to follow the Orange Trail markers exiting the park at Colden Street near Geranium Avenue.

Blue Loop Trail: The Blue Loop Trail begins and ends at the Velodrome parking area. Choosing to travel counterclockwise, head left out of the parking area onto the newly constructed (2022) trail through a natural area being restored by Parks’ FHNR scheduled for completion in 2023. Pass newly planted sweet gum and oak trees and watch as these native species take over this area once dominated by invasive species. Follow the new trail into a black locust and sumac stand enjoying the shade of these trees. At the junction where you meet the Orange Trail, turn left heading north as the Orange and Blue overlap. Enjoy the quiet and bird sounds in the interior of the park under yet another stand of black locust and cottonwood trees. At the next junction, leave the Orange Trail and turn right continuing clockwise. As you walk along these sections of the Blue Trail, you can clearly see the distinction between the natural area being restored on one side of the trail and the areas still battling invasive vines on the other side. Heading south, you enter a shady forest dominated by maples, oak and black cherry trees. You’ll meet the Pink Loop and the Blue and Pink will continue in the woodland. Follow the Blue Loop with the Pink Loop until meeting up once again with the Orange Trail and following the blue and orange markers back to the Velodrome parking area.

White Loop Walk:A short nature walk through a meadow of high grasses sparsely populated with cottonwoods and silver maple trees, as well as a small, but beautiful stand of staghorn sumac trees. The White Loop is a narrow trail that can be accessed from the main larger Orange Trail or from 56th Road between 142nd St. and 146th St.

Interactive Map

Download the Kissena Park/Kissena Corridor Trail Guide.

Points of Interest

Beautiful Staghorn Sumac “grove”

Along the short White Nature Loop, there is a small grouping of Staghorn Sumac (rhus typhina),so named from its fuzzy soft tips of its branches that resemble the antlers of a stag. Blooming a brilliant large red flower in summer, this group of native trees is a treat to see only feet from the Booth Memorial Drive.

View Beautiful Staghorn Sumac “grove” on the map

Forest Corridor

Previously restored as a part of NYC Parks reforestation efforts in Kissena Corridor, this corridor gives you a brief respite from the city streets into the cool shade of black locust, cherry and sumac trees. Wide and flat enough for a sturdy stroller to walk with your family, take a quiet walk on this section of the Orange Trail that goes through from Colden Street on the northwest side of Kissena Corridor to Velodrome parking area in Kissena Park located near Booth Memorial Ave and Parson’s Blvd.

View Forest Corridor on the map

Woodland

Along the short Pink Loop, find a lovely wooded corridor offering a brief respite from the streets of NYC. Here the sounds of nature – birds, crickets and the breeze through the trees – drown out the sounds of nearby street traffic.

View Woodland on the map

Shady Tree Grove

In the middle of Kissena Park where the Orange and Blue trails overlap, there is a respite from the sun as you walk along the trail through a small grove of black locust and other trees.

View Shady Tree Grove on the map

Meditation Garden

Completed by NYC Parks in 2020, the meditation garden is located near the intersection of 56th Ave and 141st Street and was a project for which the Kissena Corridor Park Conservancy advocated and fundraised. Benches for park patrons to sit among the plantings are set up along curved pathways that area also perfect for strolls through the garden. Volunteers came together in Fall 2023 to continue to maintain the garden as a beautiful space to rest and think by planting daffodil bulbs and other plants, spreading mulch and general tidying.

View Meditation Garden 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.