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Governors Island

This tranquil ride on car-free Governors Island takes you past historic forts, nineteenth-century buildings, arts enclaves, and sprawling lawns that offer a welcome respite from the hectic nature of city life. A half-day on the island will carry you back to the nineteenth century, when most of the redbrick buildings here served as officer housing units. Bring food, water, and a picnic blanket, and enjoy some time away from urban life. It’s a great ride for families, too.

Start: Soissons Dock, where ferries arrive from Manhattan

Length: 4.0-mile loop

Approximate riding time: 1.5 hours

Best bike: Road, hybrid, or mountain bike

Terrain and trail surface: The roads are paved except for a short stretch of cobblestones at the end of Barry Road.

Traffic and hazards: Governors Island is entirely car-free. Try to get here early in the day, when pedestrian and bike traffic is lightest.

Things to see: Castle Williams, Fort Jay, Parade Ground, Governors Island, Liggett Hall, Colonel’s Row, Chapel of Saint Cornelius

Maps: New York City Bike Map, Governors Island Map: www.govisland.com/downloads/pdf/map.pdf

Getting there: By public transportation: From Manhattan, take the free ferry from the Battery Maritime Building at South and Whitehall Streets in Lower Manhattan. From Brooklyn, take the free ferry from Pier 6 in Brooklyn Bridge Park. Then, if coming from Brooklyn, once you reach the island, bike northwest along the water about 0.2 mile to get to the starting point. Take note that ferries operate during summer months only. GPS coordinates: N40 41.549’ / W74 00.932’

THE RIDE

Governors Island is a 22-acre car-free national park site with sprawling lawns and historic forts that protected New York’s harbor over two centuries ago. During summer months the island hosts performances, traditional crafts workshops like glass blowing, outdoor installations, and more. (The month I visited, a quirky miniature golf course served both as interactive art installation and recreational site.)

This route first leads you past major historical sites along internal park roads and then circumnavigates the island along its perimeter. From the ferry dock, go uphill to Andes Road, where Fort Jay sits on the grassy knoll straight ahead. Leave the fort behind you for now to turn right and bike toward Castle Williams along Andes Road. This red sandstone bastion was built in the early nineteenth century, but had ceased its defensive duties by the 1830s. It was later used as a military prison for almost seventy years and served as a community center with a photo lab, scouts headquarters, art studios, and more. Enter the castle through the main passageway to check out the exhibits or join one of the park rangers on a guided tour to the roof for sweeping views of the waters below.

To continue, exit the castle and turn left, going down to the water. Skirt the castle’s outer wall to Colonel’s Row via Clayton Road. The redbrick buildings that line this allée were built in the late nineteenth to early twentieth centuries to house Army officers and their families. Bike along the tree-lined boulevard, passing Liggett Hall on your right. It once served as a barracks and spans almost the entire width of the island.

A late-nineteenth-century building along Colonel’s Row, originally constructed for Army officers and their families.

At the end of Hay Road, veer left, hugging the southern tip of the Parade Ground, a 12-acre lawn where you’ll find kite flyers, arts installations, and sunbathers, among others. Veering left around the green-and-red buoy in front of the small, white-wooded chapel, you’ll come face-to-face with Saint Cornelius chapel. This 100-year-old gray stone chapel contains brilliant stained-glass windows. Check it out if you wish and then head north on Nolan Park, alongside a string of yellow buildings. They, too, housed officers and their families in their heyday. Make a U-turn at the end of the road to return to Saint Cornelius chapel, where you’ll veer left to head to the waterfront once more and go north. Glance across the water to the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, where Queen Mary 2 docks when she’s in town.

Bike down a short, cobblestone slope toward the Brooklyn ferry landing before turning left to go uphill to Fort Jay once more, sitting at the island’s highest point. This star-shaped fort was built in the late eighteenth century, shortly after the British surrendered the island in 1783 to the governor of New York. It was part of a larger-scale attempt to fortify all coastal areas. Enter the fort’s main gate to reach the former commons area. Officers and their families lived in the terraced barracks that surround the commons. Explore at your leisure. Then continue en route to Soissons Dock.

The next leg of your journey carries you along the island’s perimeter in one sweeping, waterfront loop. From Soissons Dock, bike west past the water taxi beach and down to the waterfront to your right. Heading southwest, you’ll have head-on views of Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, and the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. At the southwestern tip of the island, Picnic Point, with sprawling lawns, food stands, and benches, is a lovely spot for a break. When you’re ready to continue, head north along the island’s east edge, following the waterfront back to Soissons Dock.

Naming an Island

Before the Dutch arrived in the 1620s, the Lenape Indians seasonally used Governors Island as a site for fishing and collecting nuts. They are said to have called the island “Pagganck” (or “Island of Plentiful Nuts”) for the copious oak, hickory, and chestnut trees that dot the terrain. Later, when a Dutch government representative purchased the island from the locals in the 1630s, it became known as “Nooten Eylandt” (or “Nut Island”). A few decades later, the British seized New Amsterdam and soon declared that the island ought to be given to “His Majesty’s Royal Governors” for personal use. The island thus became known as “The Governor’s Island.” In time, both the “the” and apostrophe were dropped from the name.

Miles and Directions

0.0 Go straight up the hill and turn right onto Andes Road.

0.2 Enter Castle Williams through the archway. To explore or for a guided tour to the top, lock up your bike and do so on foot. To continue, exit the castle, turning left and heading to the water. Turn left at the water.

0.4 Turn left onto Clayton Road and bear left, hugging the exterior wall of Castle Williams.

0.6 Turn right onto Hay Road. Continue southeast onto Clayton Road when Hay Road ends.

0.9 Veer left onto Comfort Road and continue to veer left onto Barry Road and Evans Road (hugging the southern end of the Parade Ground) to head north past the Chapel of Saint Cornelius.

1.1 When the road ends, make a U-turn to retrace your route along Evans Road toward the chapel.

1.2Veer left, skirting the edge of the chapel along Evans Road, which becomes Barry Road as it veers farther left (heading northeast).

1.5After crossing the cobblestones, turn left up Andes Road and enter Fort Jay in front of you. To continue, exit the fort and turn left, continuing north along Andes Road.

1.8When you get back to the hill next to Soissons Dock, turn right, going downhill. At the bottom, turn left onto Carder Road. Follow Carder Road as it snakes right and left again around the Water Taxi Beach.

2.7Picnic Point marks the island’s southwestern point. Stop for a break if you wish. Then head north along the waterfront, along the island’s southeast shore.

4.0Arrive at your starting point.

RIDE INFORMATION

Local Event/Attraction

Governors Island National Monument is a former defense bastion that is now a national park site. The 22-acre island has 5 miles of car-free bikeways. www.govisland.com; www.nps.gov/gois

Restrooms

Start/end: Restrooms are located in the building that houses the ferry waiting room at Soissons Dock.