Reviews & Ratings for Inwood Hill Park

Explore the primordial forest of northern Manhattan.

by Contributor

Overview
The oak, maple and hickory trees in this 196-acre park at the northern tip of Manhattan are the only remaining proof that this city was once covered by a forest. The park, whose environs once housed the Weekquaeskeek Indian tribe, is the only surviving patch of natural plant life in Manhattan; it has one of the borough's highest elevations as well.

Features and Attractions
No roller-blading here--just families hiking the calf-building hills and bird-watching trails; there are also views of the Cloisters, Harlem River and the Henry Hudson Bridge and plain old peace and quiet. Local fishermen dot the shoreline, along with a big letter "C" marking Columbia University's playing fields. An overall untamed, rambling beauty lends a feeling of pioneer exploration. Look for pockets of pine forest in the southern parts and small rock caves borne of glacial movements way back when.