The Pool
![20200411 Pool](https://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.centralparknyc.org/media/images/locations/_1650x767_crop_center-center_none/20200411_Pool.jpg)
Near the West 100th Street entrance to Central Park is a somewhat secluded landscape featuring a small water body known as the Pool.
This peaceful area is a popular spot for relaxing and picnicking. It also offers some of the Park’s best fall foliage viewing, with red maples, sweetgums, and willows along the shoreline displaying spectacular color. The Pool’s proximity to the Park’s northern woodlands and the presence of water also makes the area a great spot for viewing birds and other wildlife.
The Pool is also part of a sequence of landscapes connected by water. At the eastern edge of the Pool, the water flows under a rustic bridge and tumbles down a 20-foot cascade, becoming a meandering stream known as the Loch. This water body flows through the woodland landscape known as the Ravine to the east, eventually flowing into the Harlem Meer.
The creation of this series of water bodies was guided by the existing presence of water in this area, primarily a stream called Montayne’s Rivulet. This stream originated at what is now Columbus Avenue and West 95th Street, entering the Park near 100th Street. The Pool is still fed partially by this stream, but mostly by City water. A small grotto near the south edge of the Pool hides the 48-inch pipe that provides the source.
Things you can do here
![A path winds deeper into the North Woods](https://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.centralparknyc.org/media/images/_1650x1238_crop_center-center_none/June_IMG_9993.jpg)
Self-Guided Tours
Wandering in the North Woods
Discover the peaceful, wild woodland that’s little-known to most visitors.
Tags: Art & Architecture / Plants and Trees
![Tours selfguided upperwestside 3x](https://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.centralparknyc.org/media/images/_1000x750_crop_center-center_none/tours-selfguided-upperwestside@3x.jpg)
Self-Guided Tours
Upper West Side Tree Walk
Spot dozens of species of trees and learn something new while enjoying a peaceful walk.
Tags: Tree Walk / Plants and Trees
![A couple strolling the North Woods and leaf-peeping the autumn foliage](https://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.centralparknyc.org/media/images/_1650x1238_crop_center-center_none/North-Woods-0278-1.jpg)
Guides
Guide to Fall Foliage in Central Park
Tags: Plants and Trees
![A stream reflecting autumn leaves in the North Woods](https://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.centralparknyc.org/media/images/_1650x1238_crop_center-center_none/North-Woods-0273.jpg)
Self-Guided Tours
Central Park Woodland Walk: The North Woods
Stroll through an idyllic landscape designed to bring a taste of the Adirondacks to Central Park.
Tags: History / Art & Architecture / Plants and Trees
![A man and young girl hold binoculars up to their faces in search of birds in the Ravine, a wooded landscape behind them.](https://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.centralparknyc.org/media/images/_1650x1238_crop_center-center_none/20170515_Ravine_Use_Birding_DSC_4453.jpg)
Guides
Birding Guide
Interested in birdwatching? Learn how to respectfully spot the more than 210 bird species that make an appearance in Central Park.
Tags: Wildlife
![Landscapes Ravine Summer DSC 0199](https://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.centralparknyc.org/media/images/_1650x1238_crop_center-center_none/Landscapes-Ravine-Summer-DSC_0199.jpg)
Tours
Central Park Nature Walk: The North Woods
11:00 amWith its winding paths, lush tree canopy, beautiful birdsong, and charming waterfalls, this sprawling landscape provides the perfect escape.
Tags: Art & Architecture / Wildlife / Plants and Trees
Also in the area
Read more
![A hawk perches on a branch in autumn against a backdrop of fall colors and New York apartment buildings](https://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.centralparknyc.org/media/images/_1650x1238_crop_center-center_none/Ramble_Hawk_20201105_1941-resized.jpg)
About the Conservancy
A Shared Space: Finding Connection Through Conservation
Urban greenspaces like Central Park connect city dwellers to the intricate and dynamic ecological systems we need for reflection and recreation, and other species count on for survival.
Tags: Conservancy Staff / Pollinators / About the Conservancy / Nature Lovers
![Green murky water, caused by the presence of harmful algal blooms, under Bow Bridge.](https://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.centralparknyc.org/media/images/_1650x1238_crop_center-center_none/HAB-Bow-Bridge-10.5.21_2023-07-28-190909_dujo.jpg)
Restoration and Maintenance
A Growing Challenge: Harmful Algal Blooms in Central Park
Tags: Summer / Conservancy Staff / Nature Lovers / Water Feature
![A fall view of Hernshead, overlooking the Lake, with Park visitors enjoying the bright foliage.](https://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.centralparknyc.org/media/images/_1650x1238_crop_center-center_none/Hernshead_20181030_0004.jpg)
Plants and Trees
What Are Central Park’s Most Colorful Fall Trees?
In appreciation of this photogenic time of year, we asked a Conservancy arborist what trees you should look for this autumn and where to find them.
Tags: Fall / Trees
![Pool 20200419 IMG 8079 RT](https://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.centralparknyc.org/media/images/_1650x1238_crop_center-center_none/Pool_20200419_IMG_8079_RT.jpg)
Park Information
A Reflection of Nature Itself: The Different Landscapes of Central Park
Central Park is made up of a variety of landscapes that are diverse, intricate, and interconnected—just like the communities of Park-lovers who enjoy them.
Tags: Trees / Nature Lovers / Lawns / Landscapes
![A person cross-country skis through a snowy landscape in Central Park.](https://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.centralparknyc.org/media/images/_1650x1238_crop_center-center_none/Skiing_20210202_4546_RT.jpg)
Park Information
10 New Year’s Resolutions for a Central Park-Lover
Here are 10 ways to combine a desire for a new you in the new year with the joy of spending time in Central Park.