1. The Greenbelt Trails, Staten Island

This massive area at Staten Island’s center offers 35 miles of trails, making it the most extensive on this list. There are six main trails accommodating all difficulty levels. The easy-moderate blue trail is 12.3 miles long and runs from Staten Island Boulevard to Todt Hill, which is one of the highest spots on the Eastern Seaboard. The white trail has the same difficulty level and is 7.6 miles, while the red trail and difficult level yellow trail are 4 and 8 miles, respectively.

At High Rock Park along the Greenbelt, you can climb the 260-foot, man-made Moses Mountain and enjoy its panoramic views. At Willowbrook Park, you can fish in the first man-made lake in Staten Island and explore smaller trails.

The dry areas of the Greenbelt contain oak, tulip, beech and hickory trees, while areas with moister trails have maples, oaks and willows. There are also persimmon and sweet gum trees along the trail. Thus, for a very long day of uninterrupted running, biking or walking in nature, hop on the ferry and bus and head over to the Greenbelt Trails.

Next, read about the Top 5 Places to Find the Outdoors in the Bronx, the Borough with the Most Parks in NYC, check out the Oldest and Tallest Tree In NYC and see a Boat Tour to Freshkills Park on Staten Island.

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