Who knew you didn’t have to escape New York city to see a free flowing waterfall?!
That’s right, you can save the Upstate New York escape and check out one right here within the city itself!
Our beloved Central Park contains a few different kinds of environments within its great expanse, and very few even know about the cascading waterworks.
You can stroll through large grassy fields like the Great Meadow, hike through woodsy trails in the Ramble, look over a stunning lake at the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir, or even spy a medieval castle!
What many New Yorkers may not know, however, is Central Park contains a hidden oasis of mini waterfalls that are completely picturesque and enchanting.
Tucked away in The Ravine, the stream valley section of the North Woods that spans 40 acres at the top of the Park, there are at least five different waterfalls.
If you’re wondering how they came to be, they haven’t been passed down through Mother Nature. They are all man-made but look completely natural, and are just as stunning as if the Earth itself created them.
Because they are man-made, the water that flows through them is actually NYC drinking water, according to CentralPark.com! It comes from a 48-inch pipe hidden by the rocks at the Pool Grotto on West 100th Street.
To make it even more magical, charming stone bridges round out the scene.
How to find the hidden waterfall in Central Park
- Enter from the West Side through the Glen Span Arch around 102nd Street
- Follow the moving water down the dirt pathways in an Eastern direction (called the “Loch Walking Path”)
These bodies of water in the Park are called the “Loch,” which of course is Scottish for “lake!” The Loch winds through the Ravine and connects to the Harlem Meer, the man-made lake in the Northern-most area of the park. The waterfalls and lake were all part of park designers Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux’s “naturalistic vision for the park.”
You may not feel quite like you’ve been whisked away to another country, but you definitely won’t feel like you’re in Manhattan anymore!
Nearby things to see in Central Park
While you take in the serene waterfalls in the middle of Central Park, be sure to check out these spots too while you’re in the area:
- Huddlestone Arch: A woodland arch tunnel constructed entirely of massive boulders (Mid-Park at 105th)
- Davis Center: A year round cultural center with programming, including fitness and wellness activities, cultural events, and youth programs. It actually just got renovated and is reopening on April 26th (East Side between 106th and 108th)
- Andrew Haswell Green Bench: A memorial bench and five maple trees honoring the man often called the “Father of Greater New York” (Mid-Park at 104th)
Written by Claire Leaden and Corey Fuller