Inwood Hill Park Walk

 Chilly gray day turned beautiful and sunny. Great group of guys-new friends, human and canine. I was in awe of some of the very old, very tall trees. The elders of the forest! Thanks to Kevin for organizing. 

There's old New York, and then there's old New York. Inwood Hill Park is a living piece of old New York. Evidence of its prehistoric roots exists as dramatic caves, valleys, and ridges left as the result of shifting glaciers. Evidence of its uninhabited state afterward remains as its forest and salt marsh (the last natural one in Manhattan), and evidence of its use by Native Americans in the 17th century continues to be discovered. Much has occurred on the land that now composes Inwood Hill Park since the arrival of European colonists in the 17th and 18th centuries, but luckily, most of the park was largely untouched by the wars and development that took place.

The park continues to honor and cultivate its environment. In 2002, the Urban Park Rangers launched a five-year bald eagle release project in the park, in hopes of re-introducing the bird species to New York City. In the summer of 2007, the park's Dyckman Marina was added to New York State's Hudson River Greenway Water Trail, a project aimed at reacquainting city dwellers with natural bodies of water and encouraging citizen stewardship. Similarly, a hiking trail and the Hudson River Bike Trail offer visitors chances to appreciate large stretches of the park's natural beauty in an environmentally friendly manner.

Meeting at 11AM we plan on walking for about 3 hours. Please bring along a snack to share as we will plan on stopping at some point and rest along the river.

For more about Inwood Hill Park please visit their website at: http://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/inwoodhillpark#.Uj0YRP_jHGI.email