New York NY: New York Chapter, Training Walk- Old Croton Aqueduct PART 1, Bronx to Harlem

Are you training for the Camino and are looking for a more sustained walking experience? Or are you curious about the Old Croton Aqueduct and how water was brought to New York City from 1842 until (more or less) recently? Take this two-day pair of walks to learn about the Aqueduct and its importance to the growth of New York City while walking beside and atop the old aqueduct, viewing some of the remaining structures of this early mid-19th Century engineering marvel. The first walk, Bronx to Harlem, is described below. The second walk, Harlem to Midtown, will be described in a separate mailing. Both require responses. Join one or the other or both.

Details
Part one begins Below the Van Cortlandt Park at the Jerome Park Reservoir, where we will see both the full and the empty sections of the reservoir and the parts that make up the reservoir, learn how one works, and see an aqueduct gatehouse. We will continue along and atop the aqueduct as it makes its way to High Bridge with its famed water tower and over the Harlem River into Manhattan, in places being able to see the stone work that has protected the aqueduct for 135 years. We will walk through five parks and over the city’s oldest bridge, which contains the ghost of the original structure from before it was altered in 1928 to allow for increased boat traffic on the working Bronx River. This section of the walk will end at the Hispanic Museum and Library on Broadway and 155th Street. The walk is linear, ending two blocks from both the C train and the 1 train.

When: Saturday, May 24, 2025 at 9:30 AM
Where: in front of MON AMOUR COFFEE & WINE, 234 W 238th St, Bronx, NY (arrive early for coffee or whatever, we have a schedule to keep).

How to get there: Take the #1 train to 238th Street in the Bronx. The coffee shop is a few doors East. If you come by Metro North, get off at Marble Hill and catch the #1 train uptown. Be sure to get a local MN train for Marble and be in one of the first five cars. If you end up on the express, continue to 125th Street and take the #4 train to Bedford Park and walk down Bedford Park Boulevard to the park benches across from Lehman College and wait for us. But do text.

Good to know:

Walking conditions: Mostly pavement. One (or optionally two) steep climbs up stairs with railings. Otherwise a very gradual decline.

Pace and distance: Most of the approximately seven miles of active walking will be at about 2 to 2 1/2 MPH with frequent information and photo breaks, ending around 2:00.

This is not a pet-friendly event.

You can buy food and drinks at Fordham or as we walk down University Avenue.

There will be two or three bathroom breaks, one about half a mile after the start. Bathrooms are in parks, so be prepared.

There will not be a formal lunch break, so bring easy snacks. The Hispanic Museum has a lovely courtyard that will be comfortable for a lunch if we pass on the bonus (below).

Drop-out options: Bedford Park #4 train, Fordham Road 12 Bx12 bus or Metro North, High Bridge #1 train.

In case of rain, I will let you know any plan changes the evening before.

BONUS: The Hispanic Society gives small group tours at 2:00, which must be booked ahead. If enough people express interest in enough time to do anything, we can probably book a tour. Otherwise, there is drop-in or reservation possibility at Chez Messy, a tapas bar and restaurant. Let’s see what works out via the responses.

Hike Leader: Gina Miller DAY OF ONLY text (347)842-5452 with your name.

RSVP: PLEASE RSVP your response by replying to this text. We are trying to get an approximate head count for the walk and to the tour or tapas. We won’t be able to do both. So please reply indicating whether you will be walking with us and whether you wish to take the tour or the tapas. In cases where we have to book, we will only count RSVP responses in the event booking.