The Bronx River
River · Bronx, New York
⚠ THE ONLY FRESHWATER RIVER IN NEW YORK CITY — twenty-four miles from Westchester to the East River, eight of them through the Bronx. It was an open sewer and an industrial drain for a century; a community-led restoration from the 1970s brought back the fish, the herons and, in 2007, ⚠ A BEAVER, THE FIRST RECORDED IN NEW YORK CITY IN TWO HUNDRED YEARS.
Bronx River Greenway at East 180th Street, Bronx, New York, 10460, United States
⚠ FREE — the river, the greenway and the parks along it are public and open. ⚠ THE BRONX RIVER GREENWAY IS INCOMPLETE and diverts onto streets in places; check the current route map before planning a long walk or ride. ⚠ FREE COMMUNITY CANOE AND KAYAK PROGRAMMES have been run on the river by the local alliance — seasonal, volunteer-organised, and worth checking. ⚠ SWIMMING IS NOT PERMITTED, and combined sewer overflows affect water quality after heavy rain — check advisories before paddling. ⚠ THE MOST DRAMATIC STRETCH, the gorge and waterfall, is INSIDE THE NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN, which charges admission and is a separate row.