Visit the hidden forest of Central Park
Published on by Didier Forray
The Central Park Conservancy announces the reopening of a small wooded area that has been off-limits to the public since 1934.
Follow the path in the Hallett Nature Sanctuary. (Photo CPC)
Central Park is New York’s vast green space, and it still has secrets to reveal. The park’s conservancy has announced the opening of a section that was previously closed to visitors. The Hallett Nature Sanctuary, a small forest of about 1.5 hectares (3.7 acres), was shut to the public in 1934 to serve as a bird sanctuary. In 1986, it was named in honor of George Harvey Hallett Jr., an American ornithologist who died the year before.
The sanctuary remained wild until 2001, when the park’s conservancy decided to restore it. “By removing invasive plant species and introducing native plants, the sanctuary is now more diverse and healthy than ever,” the conservancy reports.
Access remains limited
The idea then emerged to let visitors explore it. A wooden-chip path now winds through the sanctuary, allowing you to observe the birds.
Access to the Hallett Nature Sanctuary is still restricted. Until June 30, it’s open only on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 2 pm to 5 pm. From July 1 to August 31, hours expand: Mondays and Fridays from 2 pm to 5 pm, Wednesdays from 2 pm to 7 pm, and Sundays from 11 am to 1 pm.
How to get there
The Hallett Nature Sanctuary is located between 60th and 62nd Street on the East Side, just south of Wollman Rink. Here’s a map to help you find it:
Didier Forray
A travel journalist, I founded CNEWYORK in 1999 and I am also the author of the reference guidebook DESTINATION NEW YORK.