Plan Ahead For your Visit

Gateway National Recreation Area is open. UPDATED October 20, 2024

Hours of Operation

Sandy Hook: 6 am to 9 pm
Canarsie Pier and Jacob Riis Park: 6 am to 10 pm
All Other Jamaica Bay Sites: 6 am to 9 pm
Staten Island Units: 6 am to 9 pm

Jacob Riis Park Beach Information

Due to extremely hazardous conditions Gateway National Recreation Area has restricted access to sections of Jacob Riis Park. Significant erosion has occurred recently along the eastern shoreline of the beach at Jacob Riis Park. This erosion has created unsafe conditions from Bay 1 through Bay 5, exposing deteriorating wooden groins, rockwork, and other structures. Areas of Jacob Riis Park Beach are likely to remain closed throughout the 2024 Summer season for the protection of visitors.

Visitor Centers

Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center: Open 10-4 Saturday and Sunday
Ryan Visitor Center (Floyd Bennett Field): Open 9-12 Sat-Sun. Phone Number is 718-338-3799.
Fort Wadsworth Visitor Center : Open 10-4 Saturday and Sunday. Phone Number is 718-354-4500.
Sandy Hook: Open 10-4 Saturday and Sunday. Phone Number is 732-827-5970.
Ranger program are also available. Visit our event calendar for more information and to see if you need to make a reservation. Reservations are required for many ranger programs.

Camping

PLEASE NOTE: The Sandy Hook Campground will be closed for the remainder of 2024.

Lifeguards and Beaches:

LIfeguards are no longer on duty. Lifeguards are on duty from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. Please do not swim when lifeguards are not on duty.

Beach Parking:

Beach parking fees are collected at Jacob Riis Park and Sandy Hook between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day. Parking is $20 per vehicle per day, or $100 per vehicle per season. Hours of collection are 8 am to 6 pm. Credit and debit cards or contactless payments will be accepted at both sites.
Online sales of Sandy Hook seaonal and daily parking permits are available through recreation.gov. You can also buy seasonal or daily permits in person at he entrance booth.
There are no online sales for Jacob Riis seaonal parking permits at this time.
Advance online sales of daily parking permits are available through recreation.gov for Jacob Riis Park. Advance on-line purchase of the daily parking fee, also known as timed entry permit on rec.gov, doesn’t guarantee parking in any specific parking spot. Once the visitor enters the parking lot with their rec.gov confirmation, they may stay as long as they want. The parking lot closes 10 p.m. daily.
Visitors arriving prior to 8 a.m. can park in a designated fee lot free until 8 a.m. Once the fee is effective at 8 a.m., visitors staying in the park would need to pay the required fee or park in a non-free area.

Permit Updates:

The fall period for fishing permits has ended..The permit sale for Boat Ramp Parking (Great Kills Park) and Archery (Floyd Bennett Field ended on April 30, 2024. The spring permit sales for fishing also ended on April 30, 2024.
2024 Off-Road Vehicle Permits are sold out. More information about 2024 premits can be found here.

Pets

Dogs are prohibited on Jamaica Bay and Sandy Hook ocean beaches from from March 15 -September 15. Service dogs with proper identification are permitted. Dogs are prohibited at all times at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. Dogs must be on leashes at all times. More information can be found on our pets page.

Picnicking

Picnicking is allowed first come-first serve at Jacob Riis Park and Canarsie Pier. Barbecuing and open flames are only allowed in the designated picnic areas.
Permits for group picnicking are available for Fort Tilden and Miller Field. Please call [phone] for Fort Tilden picnic permits, and [phone] for Miller Field picnic permits.

Sports League Permits (Fort Tilden, Frank Charles Park, Miller Field)

Sports leagues permits for low and medium impact sports are now available. Permits are only available through phone call, e-mail, or appointment.

Please contact the Jamaica Bay Unit, Permit Office [phone] or the Staten Island Permit Office [phone] for updated information for sports league permits.