New York City's High Line Park, an Oasis in the Sky

By John Roberts

I had heard so much about this unique place, New York's "Park in the Sky."

I finally got a chance to experience High Line Park in New York City.  A bright and sunny spring day gave me the perfect opportunity to check out what all the buzz what about. I took a run along the 1.5-mile-long trail, snapped a bunch of pictures and absorbed the scene up there. My assessment: It is freaking awesome.

The vibe up there is so different compared with the chaos just 30 feet below as people carry on with their daily lives on the busy streets of Manhattan. The park is an oasis in the city.

High Line Park was completed in three phases. The first section opened in 2009, the second in 2011 and the final part in 2012. The site was designed with multiple sections and attractive features.

The High Line is a piece of art itself. A play space with a green lawn space. A garden spot -- with plants, trees and grasslands. And an entertainment venue, with vendors, music shows, art displays and food.

A view toward the Hudson River.

Vendors sell art at stalls.

I took a jog along High Line Park's 1.5-mile-long path on my first visit.

Designers of the space envisioned visitors using the park mainly for strolling and seeing the city from a different perspective.

The project got a big boost from a $20 million donation from the Von Furstenberg-Diller Family Foundation. Railroad CSX Transportation donated the High Line to be transformed into the park. Before the plan for the park came together, much discussion had been given to ripping down the old elevated train route. Thank goodness that didn't happen. 

The narrow park runs from Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District north to 34th Street at the West Side Highway (12th Avenue) along the Hudson River Park. The design of the whole parks integrates the old disused New York Central Railroad spur, called the West Side Line. It's fascinating to see old railway along the path now filled in with flowers, wild grasses and trees.

You'll have to get to the park to see for yourself all the wonderful details and unique views of the city and river at every turn. Here are some photos to help give you an idea of what to expect.

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High Line Park is filled with numerous places to plop down to relax. You'll find benches, chairs, a green lawn expanse and several loungers.

Stadium-style seating gives visitors a view through large windows out onto the traffic flowing along 10th Avenue.

The park features elevator access from the ground level, which is about 30 feet below the park. Multiple elevators are found along the route.

The old railbed is used as garden space along the park's path.

Art installations pop up along the trail. This, from artist Kris Martin, is called The Altar, a steel replica of the Van Eyck brothers' Ghent Altarpiece.

This stretch overlooks a train yard.

The park trail wends toward the Hudson River waterfront.

The park is narrow and gets very busy on nice days and weekends. So, if you want to go for a jog there, be careful and get out early before it gets crowded.

Thanks for reading.

Travel fit. Travel happy. 

JR