Places to Visit

Aileen B. Ryan Recreational Complex
This popular recreational area is located in Pelham South near Bruckner Boulevard and Middletown Road.  It includes the Playground for All Children, a quarter-mile running track and baseball fields. This area encompasses the site of the former Rice Stadium, named for benefactor Isaac Leopold Rice (1850-1915). Rice Stadium opened in 1923. It was much used but eventually deteriorated and was razed in 1989. The only remnant of the stadium is the American Boy statue, which is now situated on the west side of the running track.

American Boy

Artist Louis St. Lanne carved this monumental sculpture from a single block of Indiana limestone in 1923, as part of the construction of Rice Stadium.  The stadium was demolished in 1989 but crews salvaged the statue and placed it in storage until funds became available for its conservation.  Thanks to funding by Council Member Madeline Provenzano and the efforts of the Friends of Pelham Bay Park and the local community, American Boy was restored and re-installed on the western edge of the Pelham Track and Field in Pelham South.  An icon of athleticism and personal fitness, the restored monument continues to inspire those who exercise at Pelham Bay Park.

Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum
This 19^th century landmark, located at 895 Shore Road, is the only remaining mansion of some twenty residences that dotted this area before it became Pelham Bay Park.  Many upper-class families, attracted to the country setting and the breezes of Long Island Sound, built estates here.  Bartow-Pell Mansion is designed in the Greek revival style, with interiors and furnishings that evoke the period when the Bartow family occupied the house.  Be sure to visit the restored Carriage House.  A series of programs, house tours and garden strolls are offered by the Museum.  Occasionally, the Urban Park Rangers lead trail hikes along the waterfront.  For a full listing of current events, call 718-885-1461 or visit the Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum website at http://www.bartowpellmansionmusuem.org

Baseball
Two baseballfields are available on Rodman’s Neck near the City Island traffic circle.  There are six baseball fields in Pelham South: Three fields are located at the corner of Bruckner Boulevard and Middletown Road; two are located adjacent to the Playground for All Children; and a smaller one is located near the Dog Run. Sports permits are required.  Call 718-430-1840 or see the Parks Dept. website to apply for a permit: www.nycgovparks.org/permit/sport-field.

Basketball
Basketball courts are available at Orchard Beach, as well as in Pelham South near Bruckner Boulevard and Middleton Road.  Organized leagues or special events require permits, which are issued for the Orchard Beach courts only.  Call 718-430-1840 or see the Parks Department website: www.nycgovparks.org/permits/sport-field

Biking
Enjoy five miles of protected bike paths that run through Pelham Bay Park.  Starting on Crimi Road, bikers can travel across the Pelham Bridge along either side of City Island Road to the City Island Bridge, or turn towards Orchard Beach. For another route, ride by the stables and continue along Shore Road, past the golf courses and up to the Pelham town line.  Biking is permitted on paved trails only because off-trail biking causes erosion, kills plants and disturbs wildlife.  For more information, locate Pelham Bay Park on the NYC Bike Map.

Birding
See Wildlife below.  Check our Events page for birding activities led by the Urban Park Rangers.

Bocce

Two Bocce Courts are available inside the Playground for All Children located in Pelham South near Bruckner Boulevard and Middletown Road.   With the exception of tournaments, no permits are required.  Call 718-430-1840 or see the Parks Department website: www.nycgovparks.org/permits/sport-field

Bronx Victory Column
Among the most impressive ceremonial settings in New York City, the Bronx Victory Memorial is a Pelham Bay Park landmark situated on Crimi Road, just north of the IRT No. 6 train station. Constructed to honor Bronx soldiers who lost their lives, the Memorial was dedicated in 1933.  Architect John J. Sheridan, himself a soldier who served in World War I, was the principle designer. This dignified monument, with its limestone urns and sculptural reliefs, features a 75-foot-tall classical column topped by a bronze statue of Winged Victory.  The grove has hundreds of Norway Maple and Linden trees, all transplanted from the Grand Concourse when subway construction began on the IND line.  Photographers often use the Bronx Victory Memorial as a backdrop when documenting special events such as graduations and weddings.

Dog Run
The Pelham Bay Park Dog Run is located in Pelham South, not far from the entrance at Middletown Road and Stadium Avenue.  The Dog Run is one of the first dog runs to be built by the NYC Parks Department. It is now slated for renovation.  Design plans include new fencing, gravel screenings, benches, landscaping and a water fountain.  Construction should begin in Fall 2012/Winter 2013.

Fishing
The waters of the Hutchinson River, Long Island Sound and Eastchester Bay surround Pelham Bay Park. With over 13 miles of coastline, there are several favorite fishing spots for both veteran and novice anglers.  Fishing is not allowed on Orchard Beach, however, during the beach season.  Please place discarded fishing lines in trash receptacles.  For City and State Fishing Regulations, and other information about fishing in New York City parks, see the Parks Dept. website:
http://www.nycgovparks.org/facilities/fishing .

Food
The Pelham – Split Rock Golf Clubhouse has a restaurant & grill open to the public.  For days and hours, call 718-885-1258 or check the Golf Course website: http://www.americangolf.com/pelham-bay-and-split-rock-golf-courses/event When the Turtle Cove Golf Center re-opens in Spring 2012, it too will have food options.  During beach season from Memorial Day through Labor Day, snack bars and pushcarts along the Orchard Beach promenade are open from 8 am – 6:30 pm.  Seasonal food carts are also available in Pelham South and on Rodman’s Neck.

Football
Football can be played at the Pelham Track and Field, located off Middletown Road and Stadium Avenue, and on Rodman’s Neck.  Permits are required for league use.  Call 718-430-1840 or see the Parks Department website: www.nycgovparks.org/permit/sport-field.

Glover’s Rock
This massive boulder is located on Orchard Beach Road, just north of Turtle Cove near the turn-off to Orchard Beach.  Its name commemorates John Glover, a Colonel in the Revolutionary War who, with a small band of Americans, held off a British brigade in this area on October 18, 1776.  In the skirmish known as the Battle of Pell’s Point, Colonel Glover stationed his men behind stone property markers in order to surprise and attack advancing British soldiers.  This decisive battle helped protect George Washington and his troops as they withdrew to White Plains.  Local Native Americans often used large boulders for ceremonial purposes.

Golf

Golf is available in Pelham Bay Park on two lush courses known as the Pelham and Split Rock Golf Course, located at 870 Shore Road.  Both courses are 18 holes, with the Pelham Course considered easier and Split Rock considered one of the most challenging golf courses in the city.  The Clubhouse restaurant is a lovely spot for lunch or dinner.  For more information, call 718-885-1258 or see: http://pelhamsplitrock.americangolf.com/pelham-bay-and-split-rock-golf-courses.  Special events can be booked at the beautifully restored Clubhouse.  See: http://www.nycevents.americangolf.com

The Turtle Cove Golf Center at 1 City Island Road is open.  A premiere golf practice range, Turtle Cove features covered grass tees, golf simulators, miniature golf, PGA instruction programs, batting cages, and event space. For more information, call 718-885-1129 or visit the website at: http://www.turtlecovegolfcenter.com/

Handball
Numerous Handball Courts are available at Orchard Beach, off the promenade near Sections 4 and 5.  Permits are required for tournaments and special events.  Call 718-430-1840 or see the Parks Department website: www.nycgovparks.org/permits/sport-field

Horseback Riding
The riding stables of the Bronx Equestrian Center are located in Pelham Bay Park on Shore Road, just north of the Pelham Bridge.  The Bridle Path offers wonderful views of the forest and salt marsh in the north part of the Park.  Riding lessons are available.  Bring your Friends of Pelham Bay Park membership card and receive a $5 discount.  For details, call 718-885-0551 or see: http://www.bronxequestriancenter.com

Hunter Island

Hunter Island is located just north of the Orchard Beach parking lot. Now connected to the mainland, the former island bears the name of John Hunter, an auctioneer and collector of fine objects who owned the island at the turn of the 19^th century.  Hunter’s Mansion, built between 1803 and 1811, was constructed and landscaped at great cost. The mansion sat at the highest point on the island, 90 feet above sea level, where traces of Hunter’s gardens still remain.

Huntington Woods
You can access this area of forest, marsh, and shoreline in Pelham South by walking through the Park entrance at Middletown Road and Stadium Avenue and entering a gate on your right.  The name is derived from Archer Milton Huntington, a wealthy landowner who purchased the land in 1896 and built his estate. Rich in natural resources, Huntington Woods attracts visitors of all ages.

Kayak/Canoe Launch

You can launch your kayak or canoe at the Pelham Bay Park Lagoon. This protected Lagoon is ideal for beginner paddlers.  It also provides a good starting point for more experienced boaters to explore the many small islands at the mouth of Long Island Sound.  The launch is located at the northwest corner of the Orchard Beach Parking Lot.  Permits are required to operate kayaks and canoes in NYC Parks waterways. Go to:   http://www.nycgovparks.org/sub_things_to_do/facilities/marinas/pdf/Kayak_Launch_Permit.pdf

Nature Centers
Pelham Bay Park has two Nature Centers. The Orchard Beach Nature Center is located along the promenade at Section 2. The Pelham Bay Nature Center is in Pelham South and can be reached by entering the Park at Bruckner Boulevard and Wilkinson Avenue.  The Urban Park Rangers schedule a variety of activities, including seal and owl watches, nature photography, trail hikes and much more.  See our Events page for details.  Call 718-319-7258 for the Pelham Bay Nature Center. The Orchard Beach Nature Center can be reached during the summer at 718-885-3466.

Orchard Beach

This extraordinary crescent-shaped beach is the pride of Pelham Bay Park and the only public beach in the Bronx.  Its 1.1-mile shoreline was created in 1936 by filling in a bay that once lay between Hunter Island and Rodman’s Neck.  The coastline of Twin Island was added in 1947.  Some 1.4 million visitors enjoy Orchard Beach each summer from Memorial Day until Labor Day, when lifeguards are on duty from 10 am – 6 pm.  Wheelchair users can access the beach at Section 7 by using a mat spread across the sand to reach the water.  Two specially equipped beach wheelchairs are also available for use.

Tennis, basketball, and handball courts are available at the Beach, while children can play in the fully equipped Pelican Playground or at the small Orchard Beach Playground in the sand at Section 12. (See Tennis and Basketball for information on permits.)

Public bus transportation is provided during the summer months.  Admission to the beach is free, but there is a fee for parking.

Orchard Beach is also a treat in the off-season, when strolling, biking or dog walking (on the promenade only from October 1 to May 1) are very popular.  Come enjoy the beautiful views and hike the nearby trails on Hunter and Twin Islands.

Pelham Track and Field
A quarter-mile, rubber-coated running track, reconstructed in 2004, is located in Pelham South near the parking lot off Middletown Road and Stadium Avenue. Track and field amenities include a synthetic turf infield for football and a long jump.  Runners and walkers also enjoy the various paved paths throughout the Park and the five-mile-long Bike Path.  See Biking

Picnic Areas
Picnic Areas are located on the north and south lawns surrounding Orchard Beach.  In Pelham South, there are two main picnic sites – the north picnic area near the Park Headquarters building and the south picnic area just beyond the tennis courts.  Barbecue grills and tables are available in all sites, but these are very limited in number.   Be sure to follow the rules—no barbequing is allowed close to the trees, propane tanks are prohibited, coals must be placed in designated red cans and litter must be placed in trash receptacles.  Permits are needed for groups of 20 or more.  See the Parks Department website:  https://nyceventpermits.nyc.gov/Parks/

Playgrounds
Three formal playgrounds are located around the Park.  Most contain sprinklers and have all-accessible play equipment.  All playgrounds are adjacent to basketball and handball courts.   A small play area is also located on the sand at Orchard Beach. Watch our Events page for special children’s programs offered year-round.

Playground for all Children

Located near Bruckner Boulevard and Middletown Road, this playground was reconstructed in 2000 to include fully accessible equipment for children with special needs.  It features colorful play equipment and handrails that can be reached by children using crutches or wheelchairs as well as Braille signs, textured pavement and accessible swings.  In 2006, the Friends of Pelham Bay Park obtained grant money for a “Sensory Garden” that allows children of varying abilities to interact with nature.  Special plantings add elements of color, texture and scent for exploration.  A shallow pond in the playground – the future site of our Pond Walk – provides a wetland environment that children can discover.

Sweetgum Playground
Located in Pelham South near Bruckner Boulevard and Wilkinson Avenue, this small playground first opened in 1941. Today it features a range of modern play equipment in close proximity to the north picnic area.  Look for star-shaped sweetgum leaves when you visit.

Pelican Bay Playground
Located at Orchard Beach, along the promenade at Section 6, this playground area was constructed with the Beach in 1936. Its renovation in the 1990s featured the addition of nautical-themed play equipment and pelican-shaped spray showers.

Orchard Beach Playground
Children can play on colorful equipment located on the sand at Orchard Beach at Section 12.

Rest Rooms
Restrooms are located in Pelham South at the Parks Headquarters Building and the Playground for All Children, and at Orchard Beach.

Running
See Pelham Track and Field.  Runners and walkers can also enjoy the various paved paths throughout the Park and the five-mile-long Bike Path. See Biking.

Sensory Garden

In 2006, a Sensory Garden was established at the Playground for All Children, thanks to funding from the Hagedorn Foundation, the NYC Environmental Fund, the Friends of Pelham Bay Park and the Parks Department.  The Garden contains plants of various colors, textures and scents as well as a raised planting bed accessible to wheelchairs. The Garden provides children of varying abilities with innovative ways to interact with nature.  Each year, a Gardener/Educator is funded by the Friends to provide hands-on lessons for local special needs children.

Split Rock
This huge boulder is secreted in the northwest corner of Pelham Bay Park, at the junction of the Hutchinson River Parkway and the New England Thruway.  Its large crevice was formed about 10,000 years ago when glacial movements pushed the boulder from a higher place and broke it in half.  Such large boulders were significant sites for Native American ceremonial rites and celebrations.  It is also believed that in the 17^th century, religious freedom advocate Anne Hutchinson lived nearby.  Legend has it that Hutchinson may have hidden in the rock’s crevice during the Siwanoy attack that ultimately led to her death.  Split Rock was once in danger of being blasted away for highway construction, but local activists were instrumental in keeping it intact.

Tennis
Ten tennis courts are available in Pelham South located within the Park on the far side of the running track.  Three additional courts are available at Orchard Beach.  These courts close for the winter months, starting on the Sunday before Thanksgiving, and re-open on the first Saturday of April.  Permits are required for full season or single play.  Call 718-430-1840 or see the Parks Department website: www.nycgovparks.org/permits/tennis-permits)

Trails
Take a walk on one of three nature trails to view the Park’s natural wonders.  Trails offer inspiring views, but can become overgrown in warmer months.

Kazimiroff Nature Trail
This Hunter Island Trail is named for Theodore Kazimiroff (1914-1980), a dentist by profession, who was also a dedicated conservationist and Bronx historian.  He conducted much of his work in Pelham Bay Park. Enter the trail at the north end of Orchard Beach, near Section 2, before reaching the Nature Center.  Choose between a long (45 minutes) or short (30 minutes) loop on the trail to circle Hunter Island.  Visitors will see wetlands, rocky shores, interior forests, wildlife and beautiful vistas of Long Island Sound. Look for the Mishow Rock near the trail entrance and the Grey Mare, a massive boulder on the eastern coast of the island.

Siwanoy Trail
Named for the Native Americans who once inhabited the area now known as Pelham Bay Park, the Siwanoy Trail starts at the bus stop on City Island Road at the Shore Road intersection (northeast corner).  The path winds through Central Woodlands before it branches off to sections in the Bartow-Pell Woods and behind The Meadow at Orchard Beach.  It is approximately 3.5 miles long.  Along the way, hikers will trek through deep woods and come upon beautiful salt marsh sites where egrets and herons linger.

Split Rock Trail
Starting at the Bartow traffic circle, this 1.5-mile trail meanders through the Goose Creek Marsh and the Thomas Pell Wildlife Sanctuary.  This path leads to Split Rock, a glacial boulder divided by a large crevice that is located at the Hutchinson River Parkway’s intersection with the New England Thruway.  See Split Rock.

Wildlife
Wildlife is drawn to the park’s diverse vegeta­tion as well as its vast space. The variety of natural environments within Pelham Bay Park provides breeding, respite and feeding grounds for a multitude of birds, mammals, reptiles and others.  Marine life in the park includes such fish as Four‑spine Sticklebacks and Lined Seahorses.  Ospreys, common in migration, dive from great heights to catch Winter Flounder, a favorite meal.  Harbor Seals prey on fish, mollusks, and crustaceans each winter in Long Island Sound. Numerous migrant songbirds, including Wood Thrush and Red-eyed Vireo, make a stopover in the park’s forests.  Owls and hawks, Meadow Vole and Spotted Salamander are common inhabitants.  Wild Turkey, Coyote and White-tailed Deer have made the park their home.­

 

DIRECTIONS TO PELHAM BAY PARK
By Car: The Bruckner Expressway/New England Thruway has two park exits. “Country Club Road/Pelham Bay Park” serves the southern half of the park and “Orchard Beach/City Island” accesses the park’s northern half.
There are two Hutchinson River Parkway exits for Pelham Bay Park.  “Pelham Parkway East” accesses areas south and “Orchard Beach/City Island” accesses areas north.
Pelham Parkway serves as a crosstown route to the green space.

By Bus: Bx 12, Bx 5, Bx 52, and Westchester line No. 45 buses serve the park. Certain areas are served only during summer months.

By Subway:  The last stop on the IRT’s No. 6 line is Pelham Bay Park.

PARKING
There are five parking areas in the park.  The Middletown Road parking lot serves the south part of the park.  It is located off the northbound Bruckner Expressway/New England Thruway service road at the intersection of Stadium Avenue and Middletown Road.  In the northern half of the park, visitors can use the small parking area on Rodman’s Neck off the City Island Traffic Circle, the free parking area of the Pelham/Split Rock golf course on Shore Road, or the Orchard Beach parking lot.  During the summer season, there is a fee for parking at the Orchard Beach lot.

PATRONS WITH DISABILITIES
The Parks Department will make every effort to accommodate the needs of patrons with disabilities. For further information email the Pelham Bay Park Administrator’s Office at pbadministration@parks.nyc.gov, call 718-430-1891.