Ridgewood Reservoir is one of the city's great accidental wildernesses — three decommissioned basins gone feral into forest and wetland — and its rim path is a fall-migration hotspot where warblers work the treetops and herons stalk the basin below. A guided walk turns the sensory overload into a species list. It's a short, flat loop with an expert doing the spotting: ideal first birding, in a landmark most New Yorkers have never heard of.
What to expect
Expect an easy walk along the paved reservoir path with long pauses at overlooks, guides identifying calls and flybys, and views into the reforested basins. An hour of unhurried looking typically yields a satisfying list.
Good to know
- Meets along Highland Park's reservoir path on the Brooklyn-Queens line
- The J to Cypress Hills or Q56 bus gets you close
- Bring binoculars; guides typically have a scope for shared views
- The rim path is flat and paved — very accessible
- Morning light is best over the basins
- Pair with a walk through Highland Park's upper lawns
Planning Sep 19–20, 2026 in NYC?
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Common questions
What is the Ridgewood Reservoir?
A 19th-century Brooklyn water-supply reservoir, decommissioned and left to rewild — its basins are now forest and wetland ringed by a walking path in Highland Park.
Do I need experience to join?
No — guided migration walks welcome beginners, and the guides handle the identifying.
