Western Shore Boat Landing

Just steps away from the busy West Drive, Western Shore Boat Landing is surrounded by trees and other greenery along the Lake shore.

Four other similar structures offer quiet spots for enjoying the Lake’s scenery, and this one provides particularly stunning views of Bow Bridge.

The Western Shore Boat Landing seen today is a modern reconstruction of a historic structure built in the 1860s. Soon after the Park opened, boating on the Lake became a popular pastime, and the Park’s designers added a series of six unique structures that served as scenic lookouts and small docks. A passenger boat made a circuit around the Lake transporting visitors between the landings and Bethesda Terrace.

First constructed of wood, the original boat landings deteriorated over time and were periodically rebuilt during the 19th century. Most of them were removed during the 20th century. In 2016, the Central Park Conservancy reconstructed five of the landings based on careful analysis of historic drawings and photographs.

Bow Bridge can be seen in the distance through the structure of the landing.

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Things you can do here

  • Self-Guided Tours

    A Walk Around the Lake

    Visit the newly rebuilt boat landings around the Lake — recreated with their original designs from the 19th century in mind.

    Tags: Art & Architecture

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    Whether we're improving access or rebuilding infrastructure, the Conservancy works year-round to preserve the Park.

  • Park History

    See Newly Digitized Images of Winter in Central Park

    Snowy scenes from the 1980s and 1990s are some of the Central Park Conservancy's recently digitized images.

    Tags: Conservancy Staff / History