Hallett Nature Sanctuary
This four-acre woodland is located on a rocky hill overlooking the Pond in the southeast corner of Central Park.
The smallest of the Park’s three woodland landscapes, the Hallett Nature Sanctuary offers visitors an intimate experience of nature just steps from the busy streets of midtown. Rustic trails wind up and down the hill, leading to various overlooks and sitting areas near the shore of the Pond.
Originally called “The Promontory” by the Park’s designers, the rocky hill was a prominent feature in the landscape, but without any walking paths it was not a place that visitors could explore. In the 1930s, it was fenced off and designated a bird sanctuary. In 1986, it was renamed in honor of George Hervey Hallett, Jr., an activist, nature enthusiast, and birder. Still closed to the public and very minimally cared for, it became overrun with invasive plants and feral cats. In the early 2000s, the Central Park Conservancy began a program to restore the Hallett, which included the removal of invasive plants, the addition of more native plants, and the creation of trails for public access. We completed this major restoration project in 2016.
Stroll around the Hallett Nature Sanctuary
Join us for a virtual stroll through this woodland landscape and listen for the calls of some of the hundreds of bird species that fly through the Park each year.
