Bike Tour to Alley Pond Park, Queens
For this ride to Alley Pond Park/ Alley Creek, we are collaborating with the Transportation Alternatives Queens Activist Committee, a group of volunteers working to improve bicycling, walking and public transit conditions in Queens. Restoration Project Assistant Sara Donatich will lead a walk to a hidden area along the Cross Island Expressway, where we’re working to reclaim and restore a salt marsh habitat—more details further below.
There are two starting locations & times—one in Jackson Heights, one in Little Neck.
- Jackson Heights—Diversity Plaza: Meet at 10:15 am
- Little Neck—LIRR station: Meet at 11:00 am
From Jackson Heights, the ride will trace some of the prime terrain of the NYC Century Ride: Jamaica Bay Promenade, Brooklyn-Queens Greenway, Joe Michael’s Mile, and Motor Parkway. On the way, we will also pay attention to some new bikelanes and locations were were are campaigning for bike infrastructure. On our way back to Jackson Heights, we’ll stop at Fillmore’s, a Prohibition-era tavern.
Please note:
- Total mileage from/to JH is 26.5 miles—in moderate pace. If you don’t want to ride all of it, you could skip the ride back and get on the LIRR in Bayside or Douglaston after the marsh walk. (But you would need to get a $5 LIRR bike pass ahead of time if you don’t have one already!)
- Bring food, water, and a lock. We will lock up our bikes at the Alley Pond Environmental Center and have lunch at the picnic tables of the Alley Pond Environmental Center before we start our marsh walk. Total time walk time will be ~40 minutes + time for stops in the marsh
- Wear comfortable shoes that can get wet and dirty and appropriate outdoor attire—long trousers. Sun screen and bug spray!!!
Jackson Heights–Alley Pond route details:
Ride to Alley Pond Environmental Center where we lock up, 11.4 miles (https://goo.gl/maps/Vx2e85MqaU52)
Leaving Alley Pond ~2:00 pm via Motor Parkway to Fillmore’s, 7.4 miles (https://goo.gl/maps/rSKtJDKkgZH2)
From Fillmore’s back to Diversity Plaza, 7.5 miles (https://goo.gl/maps/MEBBt2QKEpy)
About Alley Creek Salt Marsh Restoration
The salt marshes of Alley Creek in northeast Queens have experienced many changes over the last few decades. Part of the salt marsh was once home to Kiddy City, an amusement park. Today, the Natural Areas Conservancy working to restore these vital areas, which are an important habitat for migratory shorebirds, horseshoe crabs, and many more native animals and plants. The tour will begin at the Alley Pond Environmental Center (APEC). We will walk north of Northern Boulevard to visit future restoration sites along the outer shore of Alley Creek. Join us on the marsh to learn about our plans to preserve the critical habitat and other ecological benefits that Alley Creek provides!
