Spring Creek Park Hiking Trails

Spring Creek Park contains the largest tract of undeveloped land and wetlands in the northern Jamaica Bay area. Almost entirely marshland, the park serves as open greenery for various species of birds including great blue herons, egrets, red-winged blackbirds, pheasants, and mallards, as well as animals such as deer, raccoons, and muskrats. One section of the park is part of Gateway National Recreation Area, and two other areas are NYC Parks property. This area of Spring Creek contains a bike path and a constructed wetland with interpretive signage. The parkland naturally slows and filters stormwater as it runs off from the Gateway Shopping Center parking lot to Hendrix Creek, a narrow inlet of Jamaica Bay. As of 2024, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is planning a large-scale ecosystem restoration project for the other NYC Parks section to improve the environmental quality (water, diversity, and wildlife habitat) of Spring Creek, its tributary Ralph’s Creek, and their associated salt marshes, as part of the overall Jamaica Bay ecosystem.

Spring Creek Path: The 1.2-mile-long paved path in Spring Creek Park traces Gateway Drive. However, the western leg of this path south of Vandalia Ave offers several opportunities to approach Hendrix Creek. Beginning from the northernmost part of the park, there are three short trails you can walk from the main path for view of the creek. The southernmost of these short trails leads you to the Hendrix Creek Lookout scenic point.

Interactive Map

Point of Interest

Hendrix Creek Lookout

This location allows you to draw close to Hendrix Creek, to look up the creek to the north or south under the Belt Parkway, towards Shirley Chisholm State Park and into Jamaica Bay.

View Hendrix Creek Lookout 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.