Fort Wadsworth is a former military installation on Staten Island’s North Shore. Fort Wadsworth dates to the 1600’s when Dutch settlers first inhabited Staten Island. Its strategic location at the entry to New York Harbor has given it a long history of defending New York City, through the American Revolution until after World War II.
Currently, the National Parks Service maintains Fort Wadsworth. The Coast Guard still uses many of the buildings for offices and housing. The buildings are closed to the public, but the park space is free and open. It’s a great recreation spot, with trails, bike paths, and a nearby campground. Fort Wadsworth is a popular spot for Staten Islanders to learn a little bit about American history while also appreciating the natural beauty of New York’s coast and waterways.
There is a bike path that connects Fort Wadsworth to Staten Island’s south beach. I like to bike over to Fort Wadsworth is on a Sunday afternoon, when the cruise ships sail out of New York harbor under the Verrazano bridge. The path can be a little steep and hilly, but it concludes at a beautiful spot right over the ruins of Battery Weed (pictured above), where you with great views of Brooklyn, lower Manhattan, and the Verrazano Bridge.