Gateway National Recreation Area
Protected park · NY, USA
Gateway National Recreation Area in NY, USA. Operated by National Park Service.
Usual hours
- Mon–Sun 6:00–21:00
About
This park's official page lists: Pet-friendly (leashed).
Entrance / day-use fee applies.
This park's official page lists: Drinking water.
Official facts
Public access: Open access.
Protected area: 18,548 acres (7,506 ha).
Designation: National Recreation Area. Listed as "Gateway National Recreation Area" in the Protected Areas Database of the United States. Protection: managed for biodiversity (GAP 2). IUCN category V.
Established: 1972.
Managed by: NPS.
At the park
- Hunting
- Beaches
- Fall foliage
- Wildlife & bird watching
Shows and experiences
- Historic sites & museum
Events
- Sandy Hook History House
- Sandy Hook Lighthouse Tours
- Battery Weed Open House
- Fort Tompkins Tour
- Spermaceti Cove No. 2 Life-Saving Service Station
- Hangar B Open House
- Yoga on the Beach at Sandy Hook
- "Ranger's Choice" Guided Walk at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge
- Jamaica Bay Book Club
- Fort Hancock Museum
- Kayaking for Beginners at Canarsie Pier
- Gather & Stitch at Fort Wadsworth
- Gerritsen Creek Excursion
- Mill Basin Beginner Paddle
- Four Sparrow Marsh Paddle
- Catch the Buzz About Bees!
- Rockaway Cove Paddle
- Stars of Sandy Hook
- Astronomy Night at Great Kills Park
- Junior Ranger Angler at Sandy Hook
- Nike Missile Radar Site Tours
- North Channel Bridge Beach Cleanup with Sadhana
- Restoring Battery Gunnison/New Peck
- Walls to Wings: Forts & Family Heritage Ride
- Great Kills Park Fishing Derby
- Kayaking for Beginners at Floyd Bennett Field
- Meet the Artist: Heather Heckel
- Night Pollinator Walk at Sandy Hook
- Autumn Equinox Jamaica Bay Sunset Hike
- Full Harvest Moon Hike at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge
- and 33 more
Before you go
- First aid
- In-park (mapped location) — First aid station marked on the park map. Confirm the current location with any team member on arrival.
- Limits
- Alcoholic beverages at Sandy Hook are prohibited
- Limits
- Smoking is prohibited on the beaches at Sandy Hook, N.J., Great Kils Park in Staten Island, and the beaches at Riis Park and Fort Tilden
- Limits
- Launching, landing, or operating an unmanned aircraft (drone) from or on the lands and waters of Gateway is not permitted
- Park alert: Ryan Visitor Center Phone Line Out of Service
- The Floyd Bennett Field Ryan Visitor Center phone line (718-338-3799) is out of service. For information on ranger programs in the Jamaica Bay Unit, call the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center at 718-318-4340. For questions about permits, events, or other park information, call the general park information line at 718-354-4606. For emergencies, call U.S. Park Police's 24-hour dispatch at 718-354-4700.
- ⚠ Park closure: Dead Horse Bay (Brooklyn) Remains Closed to the Public
- The entire southern area of Dead Horse Bay, including Glass Bottle Beach, is closed to the public. Dead Horse Bay is located in Brooklyn, NYC.
- ⚠ Park closure: Jacob Riis Park Access Restrictions
- Due to extremely hazardous conditions Gateway National Recreation Area has restricted access to sections of Jacob Riis Park. Erosion has created unsafe conditions from Bays 1-5, and portions of the eastern beach are closed.
- Park alert: Dogs Not allowed on ocean beaches in Jamaica Bay and Sandy Hook March 15- Sept. 15
- Dogs are not allowed on ocean beaches at Sandy Hook between March 15 through September 15. Dogs are not allowed on the ocean beaches at Jacob Riis Park, Fort Tilden, Breezy Point Tip and at the bayside of Breezy Point between March 15 through September 15
- ⚠ Park closure: Spring Creek (Queens) Closed to the Public
- Spring Creek is closed to the public at this time. The NPS is conducting field investigations as part of a Remedial Investigation at the site. Spring Creek is located in Queens, NYC.
- Getting there
- Gateway is located in two states; NJ and NY, and has three units: Jamaica Bay, Sandy Hook and Staten Island. You can access most of our park by car and public transportation. Please visit our website for specific directions to all of our units
- Weather & when to go
- Gateway National Recreation Area includes several separate land areas spread throughout the New York metropolitan area. The New York area experiences four distinct seasons. Temperatures are moderate in the spring and fall, but range from the high 90's during the summer to snow and sleet in winter.
- Visitor center
- Battery Granger
- Visitor center
- Battery Granger
- Visitor center
- Battery Gunnison
- Visitor center
- Battery Kingman
- Visitor center
- Battery Mills
- Visitor center
- Battery Peck
- Visitor center
- Battery Potter
- Visitor center
- Floyd Bennett Field
- Visitor center
- Floyd Bennett Field
- Visitor center
- Floyd Bennett Field
- Visitor center
- Floyd Bennett Field
- Visitor center
- Fort Wadsworth
Facilities on the park map
6 bench, 10 changing table, 1 first aid station, 13 picnic area, 40 restroom, 49 visitor information, 9 water fountain.
Where to stay
- Fort Wadsworth Campsite
- Sandy Hook Camp Ground
History
- Opened
- 1972
- Park opened