Theodore Roosevelt Presidential LibraryPublic Lands Directory

Alerts and conditions

Information Ryan Visitor Center Phone Line Out of Service

The Floyd Bennett Field Ryan Visitor Center phone line (718-338-3799) is out of service. For information on ranger programs in the Jamaica Bay Unit, call the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center at 718-318-4340. For questions about permits, events, or other park information, call the general park information line at 718-354-4606. For emergencies, call U.S. Park Police's 24-hour dispatch at 718-354-4700.

Park Closure Jacob Riis Park Access Restrictions

Due to extremely hazardous conditions Gateway National Recreation Area has restricted access to sections of Jacob Riis Park. Erosion has created unsafe conditions from Bays 1-5, and portions of the eastern beach are closed.

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Park Closure Dead Horse Bay (Brooklyn) Remains Closed to the Public

The entire southern area of Dead Horse Bay, including Glass Bottle Beach, is closed to the public. Dead Horse Bay is located in Brooklyn, NYC.

Park Closure Spring Creek (Queens) Closed to the Public

Spring Creek is closed to the public at this time. The NPS is conducting field investigations as part of a Remedial Investigation at the site. Spring Creek is located in Queens, NYC.

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Information Dogs Not allowed on ocean beaches in Jamaica Bay and Sandy Hook March 15- Sept. 15

Dogs are not allowed on ocean beaches at Sandy Hook between March 15 through September 15. Dogs are not allowed on the ocean beaches at Jacob Riis Park, Fort Tilden, Breezy Point Tip and at the bayside of Breezy Point between March 15 through September 15

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Weather Small Craft Advisory issued November 8 at 2:02PM EST until November 10 at 6:00AM EST by NWS Upton NY

* WHAT...West winds 15 to 25 kt with gusts up to 30 kt and seas

3 to 6 feet.

* WHERE...Sandy Hook NJ to Moriches Inlet NY out 20 nm.

* WHEN...Until 6 AM EST Tuesday.

* IMPACTS...Conditions will be hazardous to small craft.

What to do: Inexperienced mariners, especially those operating smaller vessels, should avoid navigating in hazardous conditions.

Read the full alert · Until Nov 10, 2026, 11:00 AM

Overview

Spanning 27,000 acres from Sandy Hook in New Jersey to Breezy Point in New York City, the park is both the gateway from the ocean into New York Harbor, and the gateway to the National Park Service for millions of visitors every year. Gateway offers green spaces and beaches alongside historic structures and cultural landscapes. Every day, Gateway is open for you to explore, envision, and enjoy!

From the National Park Service

History

The designation history for this site (every law, proclamation and order, and the administration behind each) is being researched and checked by the Library’s historians.

What to see and do

Activities

  • Biking
  • Boating
  • Camping
  • Fishing
  • Guided Tours
  • Paddling
  • Kayaking
  • Swimming
  • Saltwater Swimming

Browse hiking, biking and paddling routes on AllTrails

Plan your visit

Hours

Jamaica Bay Unit hours: Includes Bergen Beach, Floyd Bennett Field, Fort Tilden, Frank Charles Park, Hamilton Beach, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Canarsie Pier, Jacob Riis Park, North Channel Bridge, Plumb Beach and Spring Creek.

Sandy Hook hours: Sandy Hook is open from 6 am to 9 pm.

Staten Island hours: The Staten Island unit includes Fort Wadsworth, Great Kills and Miller Field. The park is open from 6 am to 9 pm.

Getting there

Gateway is located in two states; NJ and NY, and has three units: Jamaica Bay, Sandy Hook and Staten Island. You can access most of our park by car and public transportation. Please visit our website for specific directions to all of our units

Visitor centers

  • Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center
  • Ryan Visitor Center
  • Sandy Hook Visitors Center- Lighthouse Keepers Quarters
  • Fort Wadsworth Visitor Center

Campgrounds

  • Fort Wadsworth Campsite (7 sites) — reserve
  • Sandy Hook Camp Ground (20 sites) — reserve

Weather

Gateway National Recreation Area includes several separate land areas spread throughout the New York metropolitan area. The New York area experiences four distinct seasons. Temperatures are moderate in the spring and fall, but range from the high 90's during the summer to snow and sleet in winter.

Phone: 7183544606

Whose lands these are

These lands are the ancestral and present-day homelands of Native nations. A section on whose lands these are is being prepared with tribal review. In the meantime, Native Land Digital offers a starting point.

Photos

Trees with multicolored leaves over road with bridge in background
Fall Bridge at Fort Wadsworth · NPS Photo/ Sal Pollina
Marsh with walkway and trees in foreground.
Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge · NPS Photo
The Sandy Hook lighthouse and keepers quarters
The Sandy Hook Lighthouse · NPS Photo
Battery Weed is the fort under the Verrazano Narrows Bridge in Staten Island.
Battery Weed · NPS Photo
Cloudy sky over marsh and tree with red leaves
Horseshoe Cove on a Fall Day · NPS Photo/Conrad Wisniewski

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