New York NY: New York Chapter, Training Walk Old Croton Aqueduct PART 2, Harlem to Bryant Park

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 second walk, Harlem to Bryant Park, is described below. The first walk, Harlem to Midtown, is described in a separate mailing. Both require responses. Join one or the other or both.
Details for part 2

Part two begins where we left off the day before, at the Hispanic Museum and Library and continues through Manhattan streets and Central Park, where we will see parts of the aqueduct wall and three gatehouses, and now that we know it’s there learn to see the dividing wall below the surface of the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir, rebuilt from the original receiving reservoir in what became Central Park. We will walk mostly on city sidewalks but switch to park paths for a while in Central Park and back out to the city streets. The last stretch of the walk is on Fifth Avenue, so we can decide as a group to navigate the crowds or walk down a parallel street. We will still end up at the hidden reservoir and wall end at the main branch of the New York Public Library and the iconic Bryant Park.

When: Sunday, May 25, 2025 at 10:00 AMWhere: In the courtyard of the Hispanic Society Museum and Library, on Broadway between 155th Street and 156th Street.

How to get there: Take the #1 train to 157th Street in Manhattan. Take the C train to 155th and walk two blocks up to Broadway. If you come by Metro North, get off at Marble Hill and catch the #1 train downtown. Be sure to get a local MN train for Marble Hill and be in one of the first five cars. Walk down Broadway two blocks.

Good to know:

Walking conditions: Mostly pavement with a very gradual decline.

Pace and distance: Distance is about seven miles. Most of the active walking will be at about 2 to 2 1/2 MPH with frequent information and photo breaks, ending around 2:30 or so depending on stops.

The walk ends at Bryant Park. You can catch pretty much any train between Times Square and Grand Central.

This is not a pet-friendly event.

You can buy food and drinks as we walk down Amsterdam before we reach the park.

There will be two or three bathroom breaks, starting with the one inside the free Hispanic Society, one about a mile after that at 127th, and another in midtown.
We can decide to have a short lunch break in Central Park or at a midtown plaza that also has coffee, so bring snacks.

Dropout points are frequent.

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

BONUS: The Hike ends at the Library and Bryant Park, which always makes a nice picnic area. Or we might decide to find a midtown eatery to toast off the two days.

Hike Leader: Gina Miller DAY OF ONLY text (347)842-5452 with your name.
RSVP: PLEASE RSVP your response by replying to this text to indicating whether you will be walking with us. Thanks.