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AccessibilityUrban Park Rangers
Our Urban Park Rangers are full of knowledge about history, astronomy, animals, plants, and more. Attend a Ranger-led event with your family and see how much fun learning can be!
Urban Park Rangers Events
Sunday, January 18, 2026
Wildlife Viewing: City Squirrels
at Forest Park Visitor Center (in Forest Park), Queens 
11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
New York City is home to an amazing abundance of wildlife. Learn all about squirrels in New York City and how they play an important role in our parks.
Free!
Outdoor Skills: Animal Tracking
at Alley Pond Park Environmental Center (in Alley Pond Park), Queens
12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m.
Join this Urban Park Ranger led walk as we look for evidence of wildlife in the park.
Free!
Nature Exploration Hike
at Margaret Corbin Circle (in Fort Tryon Park), Manhattan
1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m.
Rangers will introduce you to the many species of living nature found within Fort Tryon Park.
Free!
Winter Shoreline Wildlife Watch
at Sharrott Avenue and Hylan Boulevard (in Lemon Creek Park), Staten Island
1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m.
Raritan Bay features many species of winter waterfowl and seals can often be seen basking nearby. We will use binoculars and spotting scopes along the beach to view wildlife.
Free!
Kids
Saturday, January 24, 2026
Birding: Bald Eagle Watch
at Payson Park House (in Inwood Hill Park), Manhattan
10:00 a.m.–11:30 a.m.
Winter is a spectacular time for observing bald eagles in New York City parks. See if you can spot any on this adventure with our Urban Park Rangers. Please dress warmly.
Free!
Birding: Winter Birds
at Beach 54th and Almeda Avenue (in Rockaway Community Park), Queens
10:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
Join the Urban Park Rangers on an exclusive tour of the closed Edgemere Landfill to find bird species in this grassland ecosystem. Registration required. Registration begins on Jan 12.
Free!
Historic New York: Brougham Cottage
at Brougham Cottage
11:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
he Brougham Cottage is an 18th Century historic house with significant ties to local Staten Island and the rest of New York City.
Free!
Nature Exploration Hike
at Entrance - East 88th Street and Seaview Avenue (in Canarsie Park), Brooklyn
12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m.
Join the Urban Park Rangers for a winter discovery hike. Learn about the flora and fauna that call Canarsie Park home during its coldest months!
Free!
Winter Sensory Perception Hike
at Alley Pond Adventure Course (in Alley Pond Park), Queens
1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m.
Explore the sights, sounds, smells and feel of winter on this exploratory hike. Connect with nature in fun and new ways while learning more about the season.
Free!
Sunday, January 25, 2026
Birding: Winter Birds
at Rose Avenue and Oak Avenue (in Kissena Park), Queens
11:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Our Urban Park Rangers will guide you to the best viewing spots in New York City to see migratory winter birds.
Free!
Historic New York: Sylvan Grove Cemetery History and Cleanup
at Victory Boulevard and Alberta Avenue (in Sylvan Grove Cemetery), Staten Island
11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
Join Urban Park Rangers and Friends of Abandoned Cemeteries Staten Island to preserve history by participating in a cleanup of this protected historical cemetery.
Free!
Monuments of Prospect Park Tour
at Lincoln Road Entrance (in Prospect Park), Brooklyn
11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Join the Urban Park Rangers for a hike through Prospect Park and explore the stories behind some of the iconic and more tucked away monuments of Prospect Park.
Free!
Birding: Winter Waterfowl
at West 90th Street and Central Park West (in Central Park), Manhattan
1:00 p.m.–2:30 p.m.
Birding programs are an all-inclusive safe space and appropriate for all skill levels and beginners are welcome.
Free!
Ice Age Hike
at Union Turnpike and 196th Street (in Cunningham Park), Queens
1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m.
Learn more about which prehistoric species may have been found in this area during different time periods.
Free!
Kids
Astronomy: The Night Sky
at Salt Marsh Nature Center (in Marine Park), Brooklyn
6:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m.
Join the Urban Park Rangers as you gaze at the night sky through a telescope and learn about our universe and beyond.
Free!
Saturday, January 31, 2026
Staten Island North Shore Parks Super Hike
at Snug Harbor Cultural Center, Staten Island
10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Join the Urban Park Rangers for a quick-paced hike up varying terrains and trails through Snug Harbor, Allison Pond, Goodhue and Jones Woods Park. Comfortable walking shoes recommended.
Free!
The World's Fair Adventure Quest
at Unisphere (in Flushing Meadows Corona Park), Queens
11:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Join the Rangers for this exciting orienteering and history scavenger hunt adventure inside Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, site of the 1939 and 1964 World's Fair.
Free!
Nature's Workshop: Eco-Bricks
at Salt Marsh Nature Center (in Marine Park), Brooklyn
12:00 p.m.–1:30 p.m.
Join the Urban Park Rangers and learn about sustainable architecture around the world. We'll be creating eco-bricks - we invite you to bring clean single-use plastic waste.
Free!
Geology: Fort Tryon Rocks!
at Broadway and Arden Street (in Fort Tryon Park), Manhattan
1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m.
Join the Rangers for a rock walk of Ft. Tryon Park! We'll hike up the hill to take a look at the spine of Manhattan and all the formations it contains.
Free!
Outdoor Skills: Winter Wilderness Survival
at Entrance - Vernon Boulevard and 41st Avenue (in Queensbridge Park), Queens
1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m.
Learn all about how to prepare and survive outdoors during the colder winter temperatures.
Free!
Sunday, February 1, 2026
Outdoor Skills: Winter Survival 101
at Rochester Avenue and President Street (in Lincoln Terrace / Arthur S. Somers Park), Brooklyn
12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m.
Try your hand at making a friction fire and building shelters with tarps, knots, and natural materials.
Free!
Discovery Hike: World Wetlands Day
at Brookville Boulevard and 144 Avenue (in Brookville Park), Queens
1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m.
Join the Urban Park Rangers to learn about the importance of wetlands and the vital role they play in an ecosystem.
Free!
Historic New York: Military History of Central Park
at Entrance - East 106th Street and Fifth Avenue (in Central Park), Manhattan
1:00 p.m.–2:30 p.m.
Join the Urban Park Rangers on a hike through some historic spots in the North Woods including getting to explore inside the Block House! Discuss the Revolutionary War and others.
Free!
Wildlife Viewing: Groundhogs
at Fort Totten Park Visitors Center (in Fort Totten Park), Queens
1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m.
Groundhog Day is soon approaching. Learn more about this rodent species and the origins of the holiday that honors them.
Free!
Astronomy: The Snow Moon
at Freshkills North Park Entrance (in Freshkills Park), Staten Island
4:30 p.m.–5:30 p.m.
Winter is a prime season for stargazing. The cold air clears the night sky of clouds and creates ideal conditions for seeing the stars, planets, and other celestial highlights.
Free!
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