Freshkills Park
Regional Park · Staten Island, New York
⚠ THE WORLD'S LARGEST LANDFILL IS BECOMING NEW YORK CITY'S SECOND-LARGEST PARK — 2,200 acres on Staten Island, nearly three times Central Park, and the largest park developed in the city in over a century. ⚠⚠ MOST OF IT IS STILL CLOSED. Only NORTH PARK — 21 acres, opened October 2023 — and a few edge sections can currently be visited, with full completion scheduled for 2036.
Richmond Avenue, Staten Island, New York, 10314, United States
⚠⚠ MOST OF FRESHKILLS IS STILL CLOSED AND WILL BE FOR YEARS — the park is being built in phases and the site's own plan says plainly that most of it remains closed to the public. ⚠ WHAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY VISIT: NORTH PARK, 21 acres, opened 15 October 2023 — the first section inside the former landfill footprint to open at all — with walking and cycling paths, an overlook deck, a BIRD-VIEWING TOWER and native seed plots. Plus three edge pieces: Schmul Park (2012), Owl Hollow Soccer Fields (2013) and the New Springville Greenway (2015). ⚠ FULL COMPLETION IS SCHEDULED FOR 2036. ⚠ DO NOT TRAVEL EXPECTING A 2,200-ACRE PARK. ⚠ WATCH FOR GUIDED TOURS AND OPEN-HOUSE EVENTS INTO THE CLOSED MOUNDS — they are the only lawful access and they book out. ⚠ FREE, with free parking at the open sections. ⚠ The grassland birding is already excellent and is the best reason to come now.