Bicycle Riding

Offering both hilly and flat terrain, Central Park provides cyclists with varying levels of difficulty. Circling the entire Park, the drives provide three long-distance routes of 6.1 miles, 5.2 miles or 1.7 miles. There are shorter distances if you cross the Park at a number of scenic locations.

The Park is closed to traffic on Monday through Friday, 10am to 3pm and 7pm to 7am the following morning, and weekends from 7pm Friday to 7am Monday. In addition, the East Drive is closed weekday mornings (open only 3pm to 7pm), and the West Drive is closed weekday afternoons (open only 7am to 10am). When the Park is open to traffic a bikers' lane is always available, though we do not recommend using the Drives when they are open to traffic. The Park is officially closed from 1am to 6am.

No permit is required to bike in Central park, however there are several laws and rules that every cyclist must obey:

• Pedestrians have the right of way at all times.
• At crosswalks, cyclists must slow down, yield to pedestrians and then proceed cautiously.
• Cycling is prohibited on all pedestrian pathways.
• Cyclists are required to obey all traffic laws, such as traffic signals, stop signs, and a maximum speed limit of 25 mph, though it is recommended they travel at a speed appropriate to their surroundings.
• The law requires that children under 14 years of age wear a helmet, but it is recommended that all cyclists wear a helmet.
• They must always travel counterclockwise around the park.
• Cyclists must use only the outer half of the recreation lane when the drives are open to cars; when they are closed to cars, cyclists must stay out of the recreation lane which is for runners and walkers only.

Bicycles are available for rent at the following locations:

For more information on cycling in Central Park and a list of events, visit the Century Road Club Association, a bicycle racing club for everyone, and the New York Cycle Club, an educational and recreational organization for bicycle enthusiasts in New York City.