Shirley Chisholm State Park
Fountain Side Entrance:
950 Fountain Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11239
Penn Side Entrance:
1750 Pennsylvania Avenue (also known as 1750 Granville Payne Avenue)
Brooklyn, NY 11239
- General Information: (718) 277-2420
See more info about the Bike Library and reservations under Hours of Operation
Shirley Chisholm State Park is named in honor of Shirley Chisholm, a Brooklyn-born trailblazer who was the first African American Congresswoman, as well as the first woman and African American to run for President.
Rising up 130 feet above sea level, this new park occupies some of the highest ground in New York City and offers spectacular panoramic views of the Empire State Building to the northwest, the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and New York Harbor to the west, and Jamaica Bay to the south.The site, which has never been open to the public before, rests atop the former Pennsylvania and Fountain Avenue landfills. The Penn and Fountain landfills were operated by New York City Department of Sanitation from 1956 to 1983.
After the landfills were closed, the work to reclaim and repurpose the 407 acres of land as a future park began. The first steps were to install an impermeable plastic cap and a below-ground barrier to fully encapsulate the landfills and support future reuse. A below grade methane gas piping system was also installed throughout the property so that all off gassing is carried to the property's two flares.
More than 1.2 million cubic yards of clean soil - or enough to fill nearly 100,000 dump trucks - was spread up to four feet deep across the site. The site was then planted with more than 35,000 trees and shrubs, and native grassland species. This addition of prairie grass and native plants has created a diverse ecosystem of coastal meadows, wetlands, and woodlands that has attracted a variety of birds and other local wildlife. In addition, this lovely ecosystem works to protect the capped land and prevent erosion.
In 1974, the city deeded the land to the National Park Service as part of Gateway National Recreation Area. Under a cooperative agreement with the National Park Service and the City of New York, New York State Parks is developing and operating Shirley Chisholm State Park.
After years of anticipation, Shirley Chisholm State Park is now open 365 days per year, 8 a.m. to dusk.
Pets are not allowed at Shirley Chisholm State Park.
1750 Pennsylvania Avenue (Penn Side) or 950 Fountain Ave (Fountain Side) Brooklyn, NY 11239
Hours of Operation
- The park is open year round, 8:00 am - dusk.
2024 Bike Library Season
May 2 - October 27
Come enjoy our free bike loan program and explore 10 miles of car-free paths and amazing vistas! Come connect with nature, get some exercise and have fun. All you have to do is sign in and leave an ID. We'll provide you with a Library bike and helmet for up to 2 hours for your adventure inside the park!
Bike Loans: Season: May 2 - October 27
Thursdays - Sundays, weather permitting (Weather hotline (718) 277-2420 ext. 6)
First Ride Out - 10am
Last Ride Out - 4pm or 1 hour before last entry into park
- We offer on-line reservations on the hour, from 10am - 4pm via the links below.
FountainBikeLibrary.eventbrite.com located at 950 Fountain Avenue
PennBikeLibrary.eventbrite.com located at 1750 Pennsylvania Avenue
We also offer the opportunity to register on-site on the half hour, from 10:30am - 3:30pm.
Each time slot is limited to 6 riders. All riders must bring an ID, complete registration, wear a helmet (yours or ours), stay within park boundaries while riding, respect other park users & keep to the right, return bike within 2 hours or at closing time.
Minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Fees & Rates
- Park Admission
NO Vehicle Use Fee!
Bike Library free!
Environmental education programs free!
Highlights of Shirley Chisholm State Park:
- Shirley Chisholm State Park is home to the highest point in Jamaica Bay, with the Fountain side of the park rising 137 feet above sea level. You can see most of the New York City skyline in an incredible 360-degree view from this point, located where the Great Blue Heron trail meets the Gull trail!
- The park is a hotspot for NYC birders and almost 200 species have been recorded here (as of 2023)! Commonly seen birds include Northern Harrier hawks, many grassland bird species, and migrating passerines. During the winter, waterfowl like buffleheads, mergansers, grebes, brants and teals line the shore.
- There are two shoreline access areas in the park. Depending on the tides, you can walk along the shoreline and see shorebirds like Great Blue Herons, both Great and Snowy Egrets, Laughing Gulls, and Killdeer. Other shore life includes fiddler crabs, eastern mud snails, and horseshoe crabs (especially plentiful during their mating season, May – June).
- Common fish species found around the park include porgy, oyster toadfish, northern puffer, summer flounder (fluke), black sea bass, bluefish, and tautog (blackfish). The park hosts free fishing clinics during the summer month teaching rod-and-reel fishing (catch and release only).
- Later in the year, many beautiful native wildflowers like sunflowers, boneset, asters, New York ironweed, and goldenrod bloom all around the park. These plants attract important native pollinators like bumblebees, butterflies, and moths.
- Monarch butterflies come to the park during mid- and late summer. The endangered migratory monarch butterfly passes through in September and is a joy to watch fly around and sip on nectar! These are especially plentiful in the Penn parking lot area and beginning of the Oystercatcher trail.
Public Programs:
Saturday, September 21, 2024 02:00 PM - 04:00 PM
Shirley Chisholm State Park
Sunday, September 22, 2024 11:00 AM - 03:00 PM
Shirley Chisholm State Park
Friday, September 27, 2024 05:00 PM - 06:30 PM
Shirley Chisholm State Park
Saturday, September 28, 2024 04:00 PM - 06:00 PM
Shirley Chisholm State Park
Sunday, October 6, 2024 10:00 AM - 04:00 PM
Shirley Chisholm State Park
Amenities Information
- Amenities
- Biking
- Fishing
- Hiking