Who doesn't enjoy a day at the park? Silver Lake Park is located on the north shore of Staten Island. If you need an outdoor getaway, there are all kinds of things to do here!
Located in the center of the park is a good sized lake. Trails go all the way around the lake for running and walking. It is one of my favorite places to run on Staten Island. You are away from traffic and the scenery is lovely. How far of a run is one circuit around Silver Lake Park? One complete loop around (lower trail) is about 1.6 miles. My typical target distance is 5K so I do a double loop. You can get creative with running the upper and lower trails, crossing the mid-lake pedestrian bridge, etc to make your course interesting and challenging.
For those that want to do some cycling or roller blading. Since COVID started, the vehicle road has been closed to cars every day until further notice to keep the park as a fully open NYC space for people to enjoy. (in "normal times", the road is closed to vehicles only on the weekends)
There are many park benches throughout if you'd like to sit by yourself to read a book or just relax a bit. The large grassy spots on the north side of the park are great spots to throw down a picnic blanket and enjoy some good family time.
Along the southwest and western borders of the park you will see the golfers hitting the links of Silver Lake Golf Course. Also NYC Parks Department has tennis courts and a playground for the toddlers and young children to play at. There is also a field for baseball games.
The dog run at Silver Lake is a popular hangout space for folks with canine family members. The area is fenced off in dual areas so you can feel free to let the pups run off some of their energy. Meanwhile you have a scenic spot to get some outdoor time yourself while you enjoy watching the dogs play and exercise.
The seasons of Silver Lake are spectacular! In springtime all the cherry blossoms adorn the hilly terrain. Summer comes with with the bright blue skies and the lush green all around. Autumn is truly a time not to miss, the golden and red foliage is breath-taking! Winter too is a beautiful time with the slopes covered in fresh snowfall. Bring your sled, those hills are a great time!
Summertime view of Silver Lake and mid-lake pedestrian bridge
Sunsets in silver lake are spectacular. If you plan to visit in the evening on a clear sky day, you won't be disappointed. As the sun sets in the west, it paints the sky in brilliant and beautiful colors to enjoy!
There are many interesting historical facets to Silver Lake. Originally called Fresh Pond, by the mid 1800s it became established under the new name of Silver Lake. In the 19th century, before modern refrigeration, can you imagine the ice harvesting that took place on this lake and the other lakes of Staten Island? Want to buy a block of ice to keep your food refrigerated? A 50 pound block of ice would have cost you 15 cents. What about the ice skating that was a routine sight on the lake? In 1897, the lake was the site for the National Skating Amateur Championship races. You can read more about these times, in the two Staten Island Advance articles linked above. Also, you can find out more of the lake's history by reading the "History of Silver Lake Park" post by the NYC Parks department including how it was endpoint reservoir at the end of the Catskill water supply system until underground tank system was completed in 1971.
I have lived in a Silver Lake neighborhood now for over 20 years. I have really enjoyed having a home that is under a 10 minute walk away from the park. This has allowed us to spend many enjoyable days there. Silver Lake neighborhoods on all sides are terrific place to live. If you are looking at neighborhoods to live in Staten Island for your next move, you should definitely consider looking at what houses might be available in this area.
About the author: I provide technical support to real estate agents both locally and around the country. If you need a recommendation for an excellent agent, I work with several amazing agents in the Staten Island area that I'd be glad to recommend to you! So if you are looking to buy or sell a home in Staten Island or know somebody who is, please feel free to reach out to me via the contact form located on the top right side of this page. I'd love to help you make a great connection for buying or selling a home!
For my regular blog subscribers: This localism post was an opportunity for me to stretch my blogging muscles a bit (especially with all the AR editor and styling changes lately. ...plus a few April challenge bonus points that I don't mind 😉) The teacher needs to practice once in a while too! There are several takeaway teaching points here that I look forward to teaching in future classes including SEO research and targeting, working with images, showcasing via Google Earth, etc. Stay tuned for future teaching posts to discuss more!
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