Discover the Park's history, ecology, and design on volunteer-led walking tours sponsored by the Central Park Conservancy. Year-round, the Conservancy offers free walking tours that highlight several areas of Central Park. These guided tours take place rain or shine, except in extreme weather conditions (heavy rain, sustained winds of 30mph or more, snowstorms, and temperatures 25 degrees and below or 95 degrees and above). All tours are led by experienced guides who are volunteers in the Central Park Conservancy Walking Tour Program. Each tour lasts from an hour to two hours. No reservation is required for individuals or groups of six people or less. Groups of seven or more should call 212-360-2726 or e-mail tours@centralparknyc.org to schedule a custom tour.

Please be at the designated location at least five minutes before the start of the tour. Children under 16 must be accompanied by at least one parent or guardian. Event dates and times are subject to change without notice.

Tour accessiblity is rated as follows:
* Easy to negotiate; paths and few stairs - mostly accessible to people with disabilities
** Moderate inclines and stairs, paths clear and negotiable - only parts are accessible to people with disabilities
*** Hilly, stairs, and a few Park-related obstacles to negotiate - not recommended for people with disabilities

Amble Through the Ramble

Pass over streams, under arches, through the woods along a maze of pathways in this secluded 38-acre woodland respite.

The Art of the Park

Walk from the Dairy to Belvedere Castle and learn about the intricate design of Central Park's web of pastoral landscapes and formal romantic vistas.

Boats, Balls, Bikes & Blades

Fondly recollect the early decades of baseball; recall ladies riding sidesaddle along the bridle paths; envision the thrill of ice skating and boating on the Lake; cross the finish line of the NYC Marathon, and more.

The Castle and Its Kingdom

Take a walk around the lands dominated by historic Belvedere Castle, situated high on Vista Rock.

Conservatory Garden Tours

These tours, led by Garden staff, highlight the history, design and unique plantings of the 70-year-old Conservatory Garden.

Cross Park Promenade

On this east-west walk you will see a hidden bench that tells time, miniature boats powered by the wind, a magnificent sculpture celebrating fresh water and much more.

Exploring Hallett and the Pond

Take a break to enjoy the Park on this one-hour walk through the Park’s smallest woodland area.

Manhattan Adirondacks

Olmsted and Vaux designed the North Woods to replicate the forests of the Adirondack Mountains, with their crystal streams, tumbling cascades, rustic bridges and picturesque pools right in New York City’s backyard.

Memorial Walk

Offered only on Memorial Day and Veterans' Day, this walk through Central Park looks at how different generations of New Yorkers viewed the Park as a proper place to remember their veterans.

A Road Once Traveled

History buffs will love this tour of the Harlem Meer and its strategic environs. Holding the Park's northern highlands was key in the American Revolution and the War of 1812 because armies could see their enemies approach as they sailed down the East River.

Seneca Village

Seneca Village was Manhattan’s first known community of African-American property owners, on land that would become Central Park. Learn about the history of the village, the property owners, and what New York City was like at the time.

Views from the Past

As you promenade through the heart of Central Park, imagine living in 19th-century New York City. Learn about the Park’s history and hear how its designers, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, struggled to make their vision our reality.

West Side Stories

Walk through a scenic area on the western edge of the Park, much of which is off the beaten track for most visitors, but well known to Upper West Side residents.