10. The Greenbelt Trails, Staten Island
This massive area at Staten Island’s center offers 35 miles of trails, making it the most extensive on the list. There are six main trails accommodating all difficulty levels. The park’s 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 trails vary in length and difficulty, but all offer stunning scenery and some great panoramic views of the city. At High Rock Park along the Greenbelt, you can climb the 260-foot, man-made Moses Mountain to get a great view of the narrows and New York harbor in the distance. At Willowbrook Park, you can fish in the first man-made lake in Staten Island. Throughout the park, you can sport a variety of oak, tulip, beech, and hickory trees. There are persimmon and sweet gum trees also sprinkled throughout the Greenbelt’s grand expanse.
For more outdoor adventures, check out 10 Beautiful Places to Discover in Nassau County, Long Island!