Take a walk on the wildest side.
Every New Yorker knows Central Park. From The Pond all the way up to the North Woods, there are so many reasons our beloved, 843-acre green lung grabs all the attention — and the crowds, selfie sticks and picnic blankets, too.
But that globally-renowned respite from the greatest city in the world makes up just a fraction of the more than 30,000 acres of open space under the care of the Parks Department, within the five boroughs.
And that number that significantly when you factor in state and federal lands — adding up to more than 20 percent of the Big Apple’s available land, by some measurements.
Nearly every New Yorker lives within a ten-minute walk of their nearest park, according to the Trust for Public Land — from secret gardens to protected forests, secluded waterfronts, expansive wetlands and wildlife refuges where honking taxis give way to birdsong.
This weekend, before summer takes a hike, carve out some time to explore one or more of Gotham’s best under-the-radar oases.
All are short on crowds and long on breathing room — without the pricey trip out of town.
The Post picked some of the finest spots worth your attention — from the Hudson Valley-adjacent woodlands of the northern Bronx, all the way out to the open ocean in Queens.
Manhattan
To escape Midtown without going anywhere, stroll over to the Ford Foundation Public Atrium Garden — a lush indoor jungle hiding in Turtle Bay at 320 E. 43rd St., between 1st and 2nd Aves.
The 160-foot glass atrium, designed by architects Kevin Roche and John Dinkeloo with landscape architect Dan Kiley, is packed with nearly 40 species of subtropical trees, vines, ferns and shrubs.
A reflecting pool and gently burbling fountain anchor the garden, while a sensory garden features fragrant and textured plants originally designed with visually impaired visitors in mind.
Best of all? It’s free, generally open weekdays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. — though hours can vary, so check ahead before going.
In densely-packed downtown, the West Village has no shortage of exclusive comforts — but one of its most delightful respites is completely open and free to the public.
Tucked behind the historic Church of St. Luke in the Fields at 487 Hudson St., the roughly two-thirds-acre oasis dating back to 1842 is backed by towering brick walls — which not only do an impressive job of muffling the city beyond, but also create a warm microclimate for plants, birds and butterflies, according to garden stewards.
Inside, explore several tranquil spaces, from the cherry-tree-lined allée to a rare-for-downtown stand of historic maples.
Entry is free and the space is open daily during daylight hours — just don’t expect to turn it into your all-day hangout spot, because cellphone conversations, smoking, alcohol, pets and feeding any wild animals are verboten.
Uptown, Carl Schurz Park is a favorite of the Upper East Side’s savvier locals looking for a tourist-free alternative to a certain other park across Fifth Avenue.
The 14.9-acre space stretches out along the East River and offers beautiful gardens, a waterfront promenade, playgrounds, sports courts, dog runs and plenty of spots for simply sitting and watching the boats drift by.
Upper East Side resident Greg Gerla, 36, is firmly in the Carl Schurz camp. He says it has one major advantage over its famous neighbor: the breeze.
“if you are going on a run, it’s so much cooler with the breeze versus going in Central Park,” he told The Post.
Gerla said that between the dog run, pickleball courts, benches and boat-watching spots, the park has become a neighborhood gathering place — just steps from Gracie Mansion.
“You feel like the whole community is there,” he added.
Brooklyn
Once upon a time, the borough of churches got its water from Ridgewood Reservoir, Today, nature has essentially taken the keys back.
Built in 1858 and decommissioned by 1989, the former storage spot’s stone-walled basins have since transformed into forests, fields and wetlands — a roughly 50-acre oasis within Highland Park.
A paved loop lets visitors walk, run or bike around the historic basins, with elevated paths offering views of the Rockaways and Atlantic Ocean.
Bird-watchers can spot waterfowl, while turtles, snakes and migrating birds also call the area home.
Down in South Brooklyn, Bay Ridge has its own botanical surprise — and it comes with waterfront views.
Narrows Botanical Gardens is a 4.5-acre volunteer-run oasis just a hairsbreadth away from a busy highway — one transformed from a neglected strip of parkland into a thriving ecological habitat, beginning in 1995.
Today, visitors can wander through a Native Plant Sanctuary, Japanese Zen rock garden, rose gardens, lily pond and moon garden filled with white and silver flowers.
The grounds are also home to wildlife, including turtles, bees, chickens and migrating birds.
And then there’s the view of the Verrazzano Bridge, too.
Queens
For anyone who thinks a park needs more than trees to hold their attention, Fort Totten has entered the chat.
The 60-acre Bayside park packs greenery, waterfront views and a castle-like Civil War-era fortress that looks like it wandered in from another century — because it did.
Plans for Fort Totten were drafted in 1857, with construction beginning in 1862 to defend New York Harbor. But changing military technology left the granite fortress unfinished.
Today, visitors can explore historic batteries, join ranger-led tours, bike or stroll the waterfront, kayak on the Long Island Sound and hit the athletic fields — or cool off in the outdoor pool.
And if Fort Totten’s mix of history and scenery is a little too tame, Queens has an even wilder escape.
Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge is a sprawling 9,155-acre protected wetland and bird sanctuary straddling Brooklyn and Queens, practically next door to JFK Airport.
Managed by the National Park Service as part of Gateway National Recreation Area, the refuge encompasses salt marshes, mudflats, open bay waters, islands, grassy fields, sand dunes and wooded areas.
It’s a remarkable reminder that the city’s natural world extends far beyond manicured lawns and paved pathways.
The Bronx
For a real dose of woodland solitude, head all the way up to Riverdale, where the little-known Raoul Wallenberg Forest is a five-acre natural preserve tucked between Palisade Avenue and Douglas Avenue.
The park is named after the Swedish diplomat credited with saving tens of thousands of Hungarian Jews during World War II — and what better way to honor a Scandinavian than with this stand of massive trees, replete with wildflowers and berry thickets, preferred as a stopover for migrating birds.
Hop on the park’s Orange Trail and spot red-tailed hawks, downy woodpeckers and white-throated sparrows.
Nearby, crash one of the upscale area’s most exclusive estates — now a city park, boasting manicured gardens and sweeping Hudson River and Palisades views.
Wave Hill Public Garden & Cultural Center offers a two-for-one escape along the river — with scenery that some of the more famous estates upriver can’t even beat.
Spend an afternoon wandering the 28 acres, containing woodland trails, greenhouses, alpine houses and historic homes — which over the years hosted everyone from Mark Twain to Teddy Roosevelt.
Admission to Wave Hill is $10 — and always free on Thursdays.
Staten Island
If you’ve never been to Snug Harbor Cultural Center, you may need convincing you’re still in a city of eight-million-plus.
Part historic site, part botanical garden, part cultural center and part full-blown escape from the urban grind, the 83-acre property is a memorable day out and worth a trip from anywhere.
Originally established in the 19th century as a retirement home for elderly sailors, the space contains 23 historic buildings, nine distinct gardens and 10 acres of wetlands.
Explore the lovely New York Chinese Scholar’s Garden and the very convincing Tuscan Garden, but don’t overlook the site’s arts and cultural institutions including the Newhouse Center for Contemporary Art, Noble Maritime Collection, Staten Island Children’s Museum, Art Lab and Staten Island Museum.
Jersey City resident and Snug Harbor fan Sara Khalid, 34, told The Post she was immediately taken by the oasis’ unusual combination of tranquility and accessibility on her recent visit.
“What I love most about Snug Harbor is how peaceful and unexpected it feels,” she said. “I was surprised by how quiet and spacious it was.”
Khalid wandered the grounds, taking in the gardens and historic buildings, but said the biggest surprise was how thoroughly the campus managed to shed its urban jungle identity (and feel more like an actual jungle).
“It genuinely felt like stepping into a completely different place for a little while, nothing like New York City.”
And despite the secluded feel, Khalid said getting there isn’t nearly as daunting as the escape might suggest, calling it “a hidden escape” that’s still relatively “easy to reach.”
For those looking to take a genuine, day-long hike within city limits, it has to be the Staten Island Greenbelt — a 2,800-acre patchwork quilt of forests, wetlands, meadows and ponds that feels more like a rural idyll, but one steps from some of the borough’s most important sites, from ‘The Godfather’ mansion to the Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art, not to mention some of the city’s best Italian delis.
The Greenbelt contains more than 35 miles of hiking trails, some of most significant remaining natural areas within The City That Never Sleeps, and also Todt Hill, which rises roughly 400 feet above sea level — the highest natural point in NYC.
