The Ramble - A Wild Garden by Design
A stop on Central Park Highlights Walk, a free self-guided tour.
Welcome to the Ramble, 38 acres of twisting paths, rocky outcrops, streams and dense woods. It feels like a forest that the city somehow missed, but Olmsted designed every bit of it as a wild garden, placing rocks, planting trees and even building a stream, the Gill, that winds through it.
The Ramble is one of the best bird-watching spots in New York. Central Park lies on a major migration route, and in spring and fall tired birds drop into this green island in a sea of buildings. Birders have recorded more than 250 species in the park, including dozens of kinds of colorful warblers. Azalea Pond, here in the middle of the Ramble, is a classic spot to watch them.
The paths wander on purpose, and it is easy to get turned around. Do not worry: keep heading uphill and north and you will come out near Belvedere Castle and Turtle Pond. Walk slowly and quietly to see the most wildlife.
Getting here: Cross Bow Bridge and follow the main path north and uphill into the woods to the small Azalea Pond.
Did you know?: The Ramble once had a small cave near the Lake, but it was sealed off in the 1930s.
Photo op: Look for a rustic wooden bench or a rock outcrop and frame it with the woods behind; in spring, bring a long lens for the warblers.
More on Wikipedia: The Ramble and Lake · Frederick Law Olmsted
Stops on this tour
- Grand Army Plaza - A Golden General
- The Pond and Gapstow Bridge - The Classic View
- Wollman Rink - Skating Under the Skyline
- The Mall and Literary Walk - A Cathedral of Elms
- Bethesda Terrace - The Heart of the Park
- Cherry Hill - A Rest Stop for Horses
- Strawberry Fields - A Living Memorial
- Bow Bridge - The Park's Romantic Span
- The Ramble - A Wild Garden by Design
- Turtle Pond - From Reservoir to Wildlife Haven
- Delacorte Theater - Free Shakespeare Under the Stars
- Seneca Village - The Community Under the Park
- Belvedere Castle - The View From Vista Rock