King Fisher Park Hiking Trails

King Fisher is a 23-acre retreat in the heart of the Great Kills neighborhood, which is home to upland forest, wetland pond shores, and trails lined with soft native sedges. Local preservation groups, including the Protectors of Pine Oak Woods lobbied to preserve this natural area. In 1997 Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, Borough President Guy V. Molinari, Council Member Stephen J. Fiala, and a State Environmental Quality Bond Act grant provided $1 million to acquire the park. Previously known as Islington Pond for the pond that anchors the park, Commissioner Stern renamed it Kingfisher Park. In 1998 and 1999, local Scout groups and the Park Conservation Corps restored trails and lands damaged by prohibited ATV (All Terrain Vehicle) use.

Yellow Trail: The Yellow Trail passes through the park's upland forest between Barlow Avenue and Fairfield Street. In the 1920s, this part of the park was an open field with only a few trees, but through a process called "ecological succession" where the natural communities of plants replace or "succeed" each other over time. Here the meadow was replaced with early-colonizing but short-lived shrubs and trees, and those plants have then given way to a more stable community of mature oak (Quercus), hickory (Carya), and beech (Fagus) trees, with an understory that includes red maple (Acer rubrum), dogwood (Cornus), and black cherry (Prunus serotina).

Blue Trail: The Blue Trail follows the bank of the pond, affording hikers a clear view of waterfowl. Keep an eye out for the park's namesake - the belted kingfisher (Ceryle alcyon0), a marine bird-of-prey known for its loud, dry, rattle. This bird is a year-round resident of the New York City area. The kingfisher has a pointed powerful bill, and a large, ragged crest fore and rear. This crest and its diet of fish earned the kingfisher its majestic name. The bird frequently sits on tree limbs that jut out over the water until it spots its prey, usually small fish. When the moment is right, the kingfisher will dive into the water and fish out its meal.

Interactive Map

Points of Interest

King Fisher Pond

A small sandy beach provides a view over King Fisher Pond. The shores to the left and right are dotted with the flowers of buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) and native hibiscus. The water level of the pond may vary season to season, but it provides year-round habitat for frogs, turtles, fish, and many species of wading birds.

View King Fisher Pond on the map

Hiking in NYC Parks

Visit our Hiking in NYC Parks page to find more nature trails in parks across New York City.