Summit Rock — Attraction in New York

This is a lovely place for a sit-down at any time of day, perched up high on a small bluff—diagonally situated just across from the landmark Beresford apartment house, one of the jewels of Central Park West—about five or six stories above street level, with a clear view all the way down 83rd St. to the Hudson on a clear day. The fact that it's essentially a sheer rock face down to CPW means that it isn't as quiet as some other places farther into the interior of the park (bit of horn-honking at rush hour, etc.), but that hardly matters. When the trees are bare, you can see the whole of the skyline, from the San Remo sweeping west past Columbus Circle, all of Central Park South, and clear on over to prominent buildings like the Citigroup Tower (a.k.a. 601 Lexington Avenue) on the East Side. It's...

Visitors can journey up the south slope’s carved stone stairs to enjoy the vista at the peak, sunbathe on the lawn, or sit at the stone “amphitheater” with views to the wooded slopes to the south and east. Before the creation of Central Park, Summit Rock was a prominent feature in Seneca Village, the predominantly African-American community that existed in the West 80s from 1825 to 1857. The rock outcrop commanded views in all directions, including of Seneca Village and west to the Hudson River and beyond to the hills of New Jersey. You can still see the river though the corridor of 83rd Street. When Central Park was constructed, the elevation made it a natural place for designers Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux to build a carriage and...

Summit rock is a beautiful place for small dogs, large dogs, dogs that just like to sit, and dogs that like to play ball or Frisbee or whatever. Before 9 AM and after 9 PM (in the summer when it's light enough) it's a great place to go and let your dog off leash and just let your dog be who he or she is. In addition there are all kinds of interesting people up on Summit Rock, occasional performances, and it's really a...