Hiking the Staten Island Greenbelt

The middle of Staten Island holds a forest most New Yorkers never see. The Greenbelt is more than 2,800 acres of connected parkland laced with over 35 miles of trails through woods, wetlands and ponds, running across the island's central hills from High Rock Park to Willowbrook Park. On a weekday morning it is possible to walk a long while and meet almost no one.

Start at High Rock Park on Nevada Avenue, where the Greenbelt Conservancy keeps its headquarters and trail maps, or at the Greenbelt Nature Center on Rockland Avenue, which has exhibits and is the easier start with children. Trails are blazed and graded from easy loops to longer rambles over the island's ridges. Wear proper shoes, since the paths are rooty and wet after rain, and bring water, because there are few services inside. Entry is free, and the Conservancy's calendar lists guided walks and events through the year.