Satellite view of Fort Tilden (click to enlarge)

---

Jamaica Bay Unit Home Page | Fort Tilden Home Page

---

Fort Tilden, part of Gateway National Recreation Area, is divided into two distinct sections: the developed Fort Tilden Post area with buildings that were once barracks, officer houses, and offices; and what is today a natural area where artillery batteries and a Nike Missile launch site were built. There are less than two dozen buildings still standing at the former post, and these are now leased by individuals, organizations, and businesses. None are open to tourists, so unless you are attending a function at one of them, there’s not much to do. The post area is accessible by vehicle, but parking is limited to those with permits.

Chapel at Fort Tilden, Gateway National Recreation Area

Those interested in military history will want to see the artillery batteries, which require a short hike or bike ride to reach. The military attractions at Fort Tilden consist of Battery Harris, a few ammunition storage buildings, and a couple of batteries along the beach. To start the journey, make your way to the large parking lot at Murray and Worchester roads. If you have the proper permit, you can park here, otherwise you must park at Jacob Riis Park and walk or bike about a mile. There is a fee to park at Jacob Riis from Memorial Day through Labor Day.

There used to be a building at the parking lot that looked like some sort of warehouse. Known as Building T-9, it was actually a train maintenance garage for the fort that was built during World War I. It caught fire in 2023 and was torn down in the fall of 2024. Below are some photos of the building taken in 2021.

T-9 building at Fort Tilden, Gateway National Recreation Area

Interior of the T-9 building at Fort Tilden, Gateway National Recreation Area

Just past the parking lot, Murray Road turns into a dirt road that is gated to keep out unauthorized vehicles. There is a network of roads in the natural area, with the main road forming a P-shape. Most of the military structures are located on the long stem of the P. If you have a bike, or just want additional exercise, you can explore the side roads as well. There is no way to get lost forever, so you’ll eventually find your way back to the parking area no matter how bad a sense of direction you might have. Of the six miles I biked at Fort Tilden, three miles were spent on the roads within the natural area.

Dirt road into the natural area at Fort Tilden, Gateway National Recreation Area

Before reaching the first gun emplacement of Battery Harris (there are two, .2 mile apart), there is an overgrown, rectangular brick ammunition storage building. Ammunition was stored in separate buildings from the battery, and all were connected together by railroad tracks. You’ve actually walked past another storage building by the time you reach this one, but it is a little farther off the trail and harder to spot. A third ammunition building is located between the two guns of Battery Harris, but also far off the trail. A fourth is alongside the road a little ways past the second gun emplacement. I was able to enter the two along the road; both are identical. I suggest wearing long pants if you want to get inside because you have to beat your way through some brush. The photos below are of the building past the second gun emplacement, for it was easier to access.

Overgrown exterior of an ammunition storage building at Fort Tilden in Queens, Gateway National Recreation Area

Interior of an ammunition storage building at Fort Tilden, Gateway National Recreation Area

Rails used for ammunition carts inside the Fort Tilden ammunition storage buildings, Gateway National Recreation Area

The first gun of Battery Harris is .4 mile from the start of the dirt road, and the second is another .2 mile farther down. Neither are open on a regular basis, and both are identical, so whether or not you want to continue on to the second one depends on your interest in military history. If you do continue down the road, not only will you see the second gun emplacement and another ammunition building, but if you walk all the way to Shore Road at the western end of the park, you can also make your way out to the beach and see Battery Kessler.

First gun casemate of Battery Harris at Fort Tilden, Gateway National Recreation Area

Interior of a Battery Harris gun casemate at Fort Tilden (view through a metal gate), Gateway National Recreation Area

Named after Henry Leavenworth Harris, Battery Harris was built between 1921 and 1923 and went into service in December 1924, but what you see today is a modification of the post-World War I design. Both gun emplacements had large 16-inch M1919MII guns that were located in a circular, open-air gun pit that allowed them to fire in any direction. However, when World War II rolled around, both guns were enclosed in a concrete casemate to protect them from bombardment by enemy aircraft. This prevented the guns from being able to fire in all directions; they were aimed towards the ocean. These are the structures you see today.

There is an observation platform at the top of the first battery that allows you to get a nice view of the surrounding area.

Stairs lead to an observation area at the top of the first Battery Harris gun casemate at Fort Tilden, Gateway National Recreation Area

View of the Atlantic Ocean from the top of the Battery Harris gun casemate at Fort Tilden, Gateway National Recreation Area

Battery Harris wasn’t the only battery at Fort Tilden. Remains of Battery Kessler and Battery 220 can still be seen, while a Harbor Entrance Command Post and two other battery sites are within the park—Unnamed Battery and Battery Ferguson—but nothing remains of them. Two additional batteries were constructed at Breezy Point. Batteries Kessler and 220 are located on the beach. If interested in seeing Kessler, keep walking past the second gun emplacement of Battery Harries until the dirt road dead ends into Shore Road. Take a left and head towards the beach, then take another left on the beach, which sets you off back towards Jacob Riis Park.

Before Hurricane Sandy hit in 2012, the paved Shore Road ran the entire length of the beach at Fort Tilden. The pavement only remains at the eastern end of the beach. The western end, which is where Battery Kessler is located, is now a sand path. I had my bike, so I left it at the end of the pavement and walked down to Battery Kessler, a tenth of a mile from where I first hit the sand.

Once you get to the beach, look for a small hill—that’s Battery Kessler. It was once outfitted with two 6-inch M1900 guns mounted on Barbette carriages. Built during World War I, Kessler remained in service until 1947. No guns remain today. I was able to get inside through a side entrance, but there is nothing but empty rooms with walls covered in graffiti, plus you need a flashlight to see anything.

Battery Kessler at Fort Tilden in Queens, Gateway National Recreation Area

Entrance to Battery Kessler at Fort Tilden, Gateway National Recreation Area

Graffiti on the interior of Fort Tilden’s Battery Kessler, Gateway National Recreation Area

Out front of the battery is an old gun emplacement. It seems odd that a gun would be so exposed on the beach because guns are usually mounted on the roof of the battery.

Mount for an artillery piece on Fort Tilden Beach, Gateway National Recreation Area

If you are on foot and don’t mind walking on the beach, you can continue back to the parking lot at the former T-9 building, or even on to Jacob Riis Park. To get back to the parking lot, walk about .75 mile along the beach and take a left at the first road you come to. If you want to get to Jacob Riis beach, keep walking for another mile to reach the art deco Bathing Pavilion. Being on bike, I returned back to the natural area and rode around on the various dirt roads before calling it a day.

Along the beach at the eastern end of Fort Tilden is Battery 220. However, it is farther back into the brush than Battery Kessler, and I wasn’t about to bushwhack my way to it. I’ve been inside many batteries and they are all the same—empty rooms filled with trash and graffiti and often smelling like urine. The entrance is shut, and an American flag was painted on it when I visited.

Entrance to Battery 220 at Fort Tilden, Gateway National Recreation Area

I do not believe that anything remains of the Unnamed Battery, Battery Ferguson, and the Harbor Entrance Command Post, though I did not stop by to confirm this. Their positions are marked on the map at the top of this page. I spent two hours exploring the fort on bike and covered six miles overall, including riding around the Fort Tilden Post area, all round trip from Jacob Riis Park.

Back to the Top