Van Cortlandt / Riverdale Park / Wave Hill
Rendezvous Point We will meet up in the morning at the Woodlawn station of the 4 train, right in front of Gino's Pizza. Look for the group gathering out front. We will do a quick headcount and get moving. From there, we enter Van Cortlandt Park across from the cemetery entrance. There are restrooms available at this spot, so it is a good last chance before we hit the trails. Note: allow extra time for subway delays. I had to take a shuttle from Kingsbridge Rd to Woodlawn The Route 🠰 link We follow the trail northward, working our way up to where Jerome Avenue crosses over the eastern side of the Major Deegan Expressway, from there, we loop down and around, passing beneath the western Major Deegan and continuing along past Van Cortlandt Lake. At this point we will find the golf club affiliated cafeteria and restrooms. This is a perfect spot to grab a quick bite, hydrate, and take a breather. Refreshed, we exit the park at 242nd Street, pass by Manhattan College, and loop upward to visit Alder Brook, taking in its quiet, wooded charm. From there we continue along Independence Avenue, making our way south toward Wave Hill, our destination. Admission to Wave Hill: General admission: $10 Senior discount: $6 This route is timed so that we arrive with enough room to catch the afternoon docent led guided garden highlights tour. After exploring the gardens and taking in the views, we will wrap up and proceed to the Riverdale Metro-North station, where we will catch a train back to Grand Central Terminal. Meeting point: Woodlawn station (4 train), in front of Gino's Pizza Estimated Wave Hill arrival in time for guided tour Return transit: Metro-North from Riverdale to Grand Central Total distance: approximately 5 miles at a moderate pace What to Bring Comfortable walking shoes, sunblock, good hat insect repellant water, snacks (or cash for the golf club cafeteria), $5 Metro-North fare for the return, and $10 Wave Hill admission. Restooms Restroom stops are available at the park entrance, near Van Cortlandt Lake, and at Wave Hill.
