Gateway National Recreation Area | STATEN ISLAND UNIT OVERVIEW

Satellite view of the Staten Island Unit of Gateway National Recreation Area

Satellite view of the Staten Island Unit of Gateway National Recreation Area

The Staten Island Unit of Gateway National Recreation Area is comprised of three sub units: Fort Wadsworth, Miller Field, and Great Kills Park. Out-of-town visitors who are interested in military history will find these units worth a visit, and those looking for the closest campground to New York City may have the park on their radar, but most other attractions are of interest to locals only. Furthermore, except for the beach at Great Kills Park, the beaches are awful—might as well go swimming at the local dump.


SUB UNITS

See the sub unit web pages for complete information on what there is to see and do.

FORT WADSWORTH

Those interested in military history will definitely want to stop by Fort Wadsworth, the oldest military installation in the United States. It was decommissioned in 1994. You will also find Fort Tompkins (a mid-1800s masonry fort), the massive Battery Weed, and many late-1800s concrete artillery batteries.

Fort Wadsworth also has a small campground for tent campers only. There are seven well-manicured sites, and the campground even has modern plumbing with showers.

MILLER FIELD

Miller Field served as a military airfield from 1921 until 1969. Today the airstrip is home to dozens of baseball and soccer fields, two basketball courts, a playground, and a picnic area. Some of the airfield’s military history survives with Hangar 38, a seaplane hangar built in 1920. However, even its future is dim, and if it is ever demolished, that will be the end of Miller Field’s connection to the past.

GREAT KILLS PARK

Great Kills Park is the southernmost section of the Staten Island unit of Gateway National Recreation Area. Unlike the Fort Wadsworth and Miller Field sections, it has no military history and is for recreational purposes only. It has the only swimming beach with lifeguards, a multi-use path (MUP) for bikers and hikers that runs the entire length of the park, plenty of places to go fishing, and a marina and boat launch located in Great Kills Harbor.


OPERATING HOURS

All areas within the Staten Island Unit of Gateway National Recreation Area are open from 6 AM to 9 PM each day. Visitor Centers and Ranger Stations within each sub-unit have various business hours. See the sub unit web pages for more information.


FEES

There are no fees to enter any of the Staten Island Unit parks. Beaches are free as well. The only fees are for camping and parking at certain parking lots.

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Last updated on January 2, 2025
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