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East River Esplanade
4.7 ★★★★★ 105 Google reviews · Running trail in New York, New York · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Not reported
- Distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from East River Esplanade's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Waterfront walkway with trails for cycling and running among benches and plants, plus river views and a dog park.
What runners say about East River Esplanade
“Lovely well-maintained waterfront walkway offering some amazing views of the East River and Queensborough Bridge.”
“Beautiful walkway, with amazing views of Brooklyn and Queens, it has tons of seating and is has many informative signs.”
A beautiful walkway overlooking Roosevelt Island, Queens Bridge and lower Manhattan! This beautiful expansion of the East River Greenway can be entered on 71st or 53rd Street. It can be a bit noisy since it’s right along the highway, but it’s lovely for a run with headphones.
Nice to try out the new extension from E 54 st over the new bridge and ramp, with lovely views of the east river, Roosevelt island, even One world trade center in the distance.
Lovely riverside path with benches, a great place to take a walk. Wonderful views across to Roosevelt Island.
It's finally opened. Now we have a nice running route along the east river.
Trail conditions & character
“Nice to try out the new extension from E 54 st over the new bridge and ramp, with lovely views of the east river, Roosevelt island, even One world trade center in the distance.”
“Kid and dog friendly, with a couple of water fountains.”
Plan your run at East River Esplanade
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadwater — reported by runners
- Websitenycgovparks.org
- Social Instagram · Facebook
Hours
| Monday | 6 am–1 am |
| Tuesday | 6 am–1 am |
| Wednesday | 6 am–1 am |
| Thursday | 6 am–1 am |
| Friday | 6 am–1 am |
| Saturday | 6 am–1 am |
| Sunday | 6 am–1 am |
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Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
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