High Rock Park is one of the quieter pieces of the Staten Island Greenbelt, oak woodland and still ponds, and the Urban Park Rangers use it to teach a skill rather than deliver a lecture: how to work iNaturalist well enough to identify the plants and animals you meet without a Ranger standing next to you. The hike runs about ninety minutes and is free. If you want to end the summer knowing the names of things, this is the walk.
What to expect
You meet the Rangers at the Nevada Avenue parking lot and walk the Greenbelt trails at a conversational pace, stopping whenever something is worth identifying. The Rangers show how to use iNaturalist on a phone — framing the photo, submitting it, reading how confident the result actually is. Expect uneven trail, roots and some grade; this is a hike, not a stroll.
Good to know
- Meet at the Nevada Avenue parking lot at High Rock Park in Egbertville; there is on-site parking, and Staten Island buses run along Rockland Avenue nearby.
- Download iNaturalist before you come and charge your phone — that app is the whole tool.
- Trails are unpaved with roots and grade, so hiking or trail shoes beat street sneakers.
- Free with no advance registration listed; call 311 if you want to confirm before making the trip.
- Late-summer woods mean ticks and mosquitoes, so long pants and repellent are worth it.
- Good for families with kids old enough to walk ninety minutes, and for anyone who has wanted to identify things properly.
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Common questions
What is iNaturalist?
A free app that identifies plants and animals from photos you take and logs them to a shared scientific database. The Rangers teach you how to use it during the hike.
How hard is the hike?
Moderate. It's about ninety minutes on Greenbelt trails with roots, uneven footing and some elevation change.
Do I need to bring anything?
A charged phone with iNaturalist installed, water, and shoes you can hike in. Insect repellent is a good idea in late summer.
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