I wanted to get off the beaten track of the streets today, especially since it was so hot out and explore the paths of the parks in the area. Inwood has so many beautiful parks, rock formations, valleys and peaks that when you walk the remote paths to the middle of Inwood Hill Park, with the exception of a train passing by you would never know that you were in Manhattan and not in the middle of the wilderness.
Inwood Hill Park by the Hudson River
I started the day at 218th Street and started my walk of Inwood Hill Park (See review on TripAdvisor). I walked the Muscota Marsh at 218 Indian Hill Road (See review on TripAdvisor and VisitingaMuseum@Wordpress.com) part of the Columbia campus, again at low tide and observed the many birds that call the marsh home. More people were enjoying their day at the park and all over the ball fields and lawns people were enjoying baseball games, soccer and picnics. There was a lot of activity at the upper end of the park and as you start the walk up the hill into the paths leading to the woods, you really are transported to another world.
Muscota Marsh at 218 Indian Hill Road near the Columbia Stadium
https://www.nycgovparks.org/highlights/muscota-marsh
As I walked the paths to the upper reaches of the park, I was reminded that once upon a time when Manhattan was all wooded and what the Dutch must of thought of Manhattan when they arrived. It is quite the experience walking around the park in the middle of the afternoon and no one is around this part of the park. For the all the ballgames and soccer games below, it is peaceful, relaxing and a sense of tranquility is the feeling you get as you walk along the hills and valleys of the park. These are things that you don’t see from the apartment buildings and streets below.
Muscato Marsh in the summer of 2023
The upper paths of the park offer logs to sit and relax on, the view of Indian Caves, beautiful rock formations and dozens of types of wildflowers along the paths. When walking this part of the park, wind down multiple paths before reaching street level. There is lots to see in the middle of the park and if you want to be by yourself this is the part of the park you want to be in.
The Indian Caves in Inwood Hill Park
The Indian Caves of Inwood Hill Park
As you exit the park by Dyckman Street, make a left and head back to the pier and little beach at the end of the street. It is a nice place to relax after a long walk around the park. Enter the park from the lower side of Dyckman Street and enter the ball fields. On a busy Saturday, I watched a soccer game that had the intensity of an Olympic match. It was the Mexicans vs the Mexicans and you could feel the pressure from the fans. There were loads of families watching the game and picnicking by the river. What was nice was the food carts offering all sorts of Mexican food choices at very reasonable prices.
Inwood Hill Park up by the Hudson River paths
The paths of Inwood Park
The paths of Inwood Park during the “Great Saunter”.
The rock formations in Inwood Park.
Rock formations in Inwood Park
A special note when walking this section of Inwood is that there are lots of choices of places to go to the bathroom. You have the public bathrooms under the bridge, you have the public bathrooms in the playground on the corner of Dyckman Street and Payson Avenue and at the local library by the corner of Dyckman Street and Broadway.
Inwood Hill Park Rose Garden
I crossed Dyckman Street and walked into the Fort Tyron Park. At the beginning of the park is Lt. William Tighe Park Triangle. This park was open today and offered much relief from walking around Broadway. The park was named after William Tighe, a decorated veteran of two wars and a local resident (NYCParks).
William Tighe Park at Dyckman Street and Broadway during a recent art show
https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/lt-wm-tighe-triangle/history
This little gem of a park reminds us of the positive benefits when a neighborhood of volunteers bans together to create a little park so magical and polished. There is a little pool full of golden fish to the back of this little pocket park, colorful flowers and small benches perfect to relax and read a book.
The inside of William Tighe Square Park in one of the rare days it was open
William Tighe Square Park during the art show
The reflecting pools at William Tighe Square Park
I walked through the extremely busy Anne Loftus Playground again. It was some afternoon trying to avoid all the kids running all over the playground, splashing in the fountain area and chasing one another up the jungle gym while parents chatted amongst themselves or read books. This well-laid out playground is very popular with the locals at all times of the day because as I passed it one night late in the evening, the kids were still running around the park. Kids of all ages, shapes and sizes play together and they show real neighborhood unity by watching out for one another.
The Anne Loftus Playground is really popular in the late Spring and early Summer
The Anne Loftus playground was named after the District Manager and Community Board Leader for District 12, who tirelessly fought for improvement in the parks and the neighborhood. The park was name after her in 1990 when it opened. It has currently received a face lift and is being enjoyed by children and families from all over the neighborhood.
Anne Loftus Playground at Broadway and Dyckman Street
https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/fort-tryon-park/highlights/11234
Ann Loftus Playground in the summer of 2023
The park in the Fall of 2025
I was able to tour the Cloisters and walk around the upper reaches of the park before nightfall. The Cloisters (see review on TripAdvisor and VisitingaMuseum@Wordpress.com) is a small medieval museum located in the Fort Tyron Park on Park Drive and is run by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. If you like this type of art, it is one of the best of its kind. Do not miss the courtyard area to sit and relax amongst the flowers and the patio area to overlook the park.
‘The Hunt of the Unicorn Tapestries’ at the Cloisters Museum
https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/467642
One of my favorite exhibits is the ‘Hunt of the Unicorn’ tapestries. These world renown tapestries show the pursuit and capture of the mythical unicorn. The artwork and detail are breathtaking considering the age of these works. You can spend as little or a lot of time here, but it is a small museum.
The Cloisters at 99 Margaret Corbin Drive in Fort Tyron Park
https://www.metmuseum.org/visit/plan-your-visit/met-cloisters
The Cloisters Gardens in the summer of 2024
The Cloisters Gardens in the summer of 2024
I ended my day back in Inwood Hill Park and stopped at the Indian Road Café at 600 218th Street #3 (Now Inwood Farm Restaurant-See review on TripAdvisor) a farm to table concept restaurant for dinner and a history lesson. First off, this restaurant is amazing. It is small and cozy and I was lucky to snag a table by the screen on ‘History Night’.
Indian Road Cafe at 600 West 218th Street food is excellent (now called ‘Inwood Farm’)
https://www.facebook.com/TheInwoodFarm/
https://www.indianroadcafe.com/
The restaurant is now named Inwood Farm since 2020
The speaker from the Museum of Natural History, who had just given us a talk on Inwood Hill Park, was there talking about the history of the neighborhood and you would be floored by the number of adults hanging on every word. The gentleman discussed the history of the area with details on the amusement parks that were once here, the trolley and bridge systems and the progression of development in Inwood. The food was fantastic that evening.
I had the Cuban Panino sandwich with an iced tea that I really enjoyed. The restaurant is a ‘farm to table’ concept and you can see it in the taste and freshness of the entrée. The pork was perfectly cooked and sandwich combination worked. The salad was the right amount with a light dressing.
For dessert, I had a Blueberry Cobbler that was more of a dump cake with fresh blueberries baked inside. The whole meal was wonderful, and the service was friendly and not rushed. I sat back, ate my dinner and enjoyed my lesson on the history of Inwood. Check out the restaurant’s website for other special events and I have read many reviews on their wonderful weekend brunch. It was a nice way to end my evening touring the parks.
Even during Christmas time, the area is really beautiful. There is also lots to do as the parks have their own Christmas trees, holiday celebrations, farmers markets and holiday traditions.
The Christmas tree in Washington Heights/Inwood.
The holiday celebration on Dyckman Street.
The Christmas tree in William Tighe Park during the holidays.
The Inwood Farmers Market during a Summer of 2025
The vendors are more plentiful during the summer
The beautiful produce in the summer months
Even the Cloisters was decked out for the holidays and for the Epiphany. I have taken museum tours on the history of “Three Kings Day” and the use of plants and greenery during the holidays in the Middle Ages. The museum always have great walking tours during the holidays.
The inside of the Cloisters at Christmas time.
The greenery at the Cloisters at the holidays.
The Pagan symbols of the Christmas holidays that the Catholics adopted into the holiday.
The beautiful plants that decorate the Cloisters during the holidays.
One of the artifacts at the Cloisters for the talk on “Three Kings Day”.
This is what I love about the neighborhoods in New York City. You don’t have to go to just Rockefeller Center to see the Christmas tree. There are many around the City and they are beautiful in their own way. This is what makes a neighborhood as neighborhood.
https://www.grownyc.org/greenmarket/manhattan/inwood
Check out my other blogs on walking around the Inwood neighborhood:
Day Two: Exploring Inwood on Independence Day:
https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/25
Day Six: Walking the Streets and Parks of Inwood:
https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/59
Day Seven: Walking the Lower Parts of Inwood:
https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/67
Day Eight: Touring the Dyckman Farmhouse and the Surrounding neighborhood:
https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/71
Day Nine: Exploring between the Inwood Parks
https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/85
Day Ten and Eleven: Exploring Inwood Parks
https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/89
Places to Visit:
Inwood Hill Park
Payson And Seaman Avenues
New York, NY 10034
(212) 639-9675
https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/inwoodhillpark
Open: Sunday-Saturday 6:00am-1:00am
My review on TripAdvisor:
Fort Tyron Park
Riverside Drive to Broadway
New York, NY 10040
(212) 639-9675
https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/fort-tryon-park
Open: Sunday-Saturday 6:00am-1:00am
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/4350
The Cloisters-The Metropolitan Museum of Art (Fort Tryon Park)
99 Margaret Corbin Drive
New York, NY 10004
(212) 923-3700
Open: Sunday-Saturday-10:00am-4:45pm
Review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/680
Anne Loftus Playground (Fort Tyron Park)
4746 Broadway
New York, NY 10040
(212) 639-9675
https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/fort-tryon-park/highlights/11234
Open: Sunday-Saturday 6:00am-1:00am
My review on TripAdvisor:
William Tighe Triangle
Seaman Avenue, Dyckman Street and Broadway
New York, NY 10040
(212) 639-9675
https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/lt-wm-tighe-triangle/history
Open: Check Website
Muscota Marsh (Columbia University)
218 Indian Hill Road
New York, NY 10034
(212) 639-7695
https://www.nycgovparks.org/highlights/muscota-marsh
https://facilities.columbia.edu/baker-athletic-complex
Open: Sunday-Saturday: 6:00am-1:00am
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/1214
Places to eat:
Indian Road Cafe (now called “Inwood Farm”)
600 218th Street #3
New York, NY 10034
(212) 942-7417
https://www.indianroadcafe.com/about/
Open: Sunday: 8:00am-10:00pm/Monday-Friday: 7:00am-10:30am/Saturday: 7:00am-11:00pm
My review on TripAdvisor:
Inwood Farm
Review on TripAdvisor:
mywalkinmanhattan 