Most New Yorkers ride the Staten Island Ferry, take the photo, and ride right back. That’s a mistake — Staten Island holds the city’s largest stretch of contiguous protected forest, miles of beach boardwalk, a saltwater coastal preserve at the southern tip, and a hiking system most boroughs would envy. Here’s a Saturday route that uses the borough the way it wants to be used: on foot, slowly, with the trees doing most of the work.

Start: The Staten Island Ferry to St. George

This walk effectively starts on the ferry, because the ride is free and the harbor view is part of the day. Catch the boat at the Whitehall Terminal in Lower Manhattan and ride 25 minutes to St. George. From the terminal, your transit options are immediate: the Staten Island Railway runs south down the eastern side, and local buses connect inland to the Greenbelt.

Stop 1: The Staten Island Greenbelt and High Rock Park

Take the bus or a short rideshare over to High Rock Park, part of the Staten Island Greenbelt system — a sprawling 2,800-acre patchwork of forest and trails that’s the largest contiguous green space in any borough. High Rock has well-marked, color-blazed trails ranging from gentle loops to longer hikes. The Blue Trail is the longest, running roughly 12 miles across the island; pick up just the High Rock segment and you’ll get peaceful ponds, deep woodlands, and almost no other people.

End the segment at Walker Pond, a quiet body of water surrounded by native hardwoods, with frogs, turtles, and the occasional heron. It does not feel like New York City, which is the point.

Stop 2: Willowbrook Park

If you want a gentler segment, swing over to Willowbrook Park, also part of the Greenbelt. The park has a serene central lake, paddle boat rentals in warmer months, shaded loop trails for easy walking, and a restored carousel that’s a fan favorite for kids. It’s a good lunch break stop — there are picnic spots, restrooms, and parking if you drove.

Stop 3: South Beach Boardwalk

Head east to the Franklin D. Roosevelt Boardwalk at South Beach. The boardwalk runs nearly two miles along the Atlantic coastline and is one of the longest in the city. It’s a clean, flat walk along the ocean — no hills, no surprises, just a long stretch of weathered wood, ocean breeze, and unobstructed views of the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge curving across the harbor. Locals walk, run, and bike here all year. There’s parking if you drive, and the S51 and S81 buses both stop nearby.

Stop 4: Conference House Park, Tottenville

If you’ve got the time and the energy for a longer day, take the Staten Island Railway down to its final stop at Tottenville and walk to Conference House Park. The park sits on the southernmost tip of New York State and combines coastal preserves, maritime forest, beach trails, and one of the oldest stone houses in the city — the 1680 Conference House, where one of the last attempts to negotiate peace before the Revolutionary War took place. Far fewer crowds than central parks, and a genuine sense of being at the edge of something.

Optional Add-On: Lemon Creek Park

If you’re a birdwatcher, detour to Lemon Creek Park on the southern shore. It’s home to the only purple martin colony in New York City, plus swans, ducks, and migrating monarchs in season. Quiet, low-traffic, free.

What You Need to Know

• Best time to start: Saturday morning, ideally on the 9 a.m. ferry from Whitehall.
• Distance: Variable — pick two or three stops. The Greenbelt segment alone can be one to four miles depending on your trail choice.
• Cost: The ferry is free. Greenbelt and city parks are free. Bring a few dollars for paddle boats or food.
• Getting around: Local buses (S62, S74, S78, S81) cover most of the route. Many residents drive, and there’s free parking at most parks.
• Bring: Real hiking shoes if you’re doing the Blue Trail, plus water, snacks, sunscreen, and bug spray in warmer months.
• Cellphone reception: Patchy in the deeper Greenbelt — download a trail map before you start.

Why Staten Island Surprises People

The borough has the lowest density in the city by a wide margin, and the result is that nature, history, and quiet have room to spread out. You can hike a forested trail in the morning, walk a two-mile boardwalk along the Atlantic in the afternoon, and stand at the southernmost point of the state by evening — all without leaving the five boroughs. Most weekend visitors don’t get past the ferry. That’s their loss.

For more, see our St. George Neighborhood Spotlight for what to do near the ferry terminal, and our Staten Island openings roundup for new restaurants you can fold into the day.

Bring water. Wear sun protection. Take the long route home.