Central Park Lake and Ponds: Where to Find Them

The lakes and ponds of Central Park are among the park's most visited attractions. They range from small ponds like the Conservatory Water to the huge Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir, Manhattan's great reservoir.

Here they are, listed south to north to make your walk easier (in the Central Park guide you can check out the other points of interest):

1. The Pond

In the southeast corner of the park, at Fifth Avenue and Central Park South, sits The Pond, the fourth largest body of water in Central Park at about 3.5 acres.

This pond sits in a sort of valley below street level, so the city noise fades away and you get a surprising amount of peace in the middle of one of the loudest cities on the planet.

The Pond is known as a haven for migratory birds and for its beautiful views at sunset.

At the north end of The Pond stands the lovely Gapstow Bridge you see in the photo.

2. The Lake

Between 72nd and 77th Streets on the west side of Central Park lies The Lake, one of the biggest bodies of water in the park (second only to the Reservoir).

This is the lake crossed by the romantic Bow Bridge, one of the most photographed bridges in Central Park.

It's part of the original design by landscape architects Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, meant for small boats in summer and ice skating in winter.

Today the little boats still glide across The Lake, but skating has been banned since 1950 when it freezes.

Film history has given us plenty of big-name actors rowing on this lake. Jane Fonda and Rod Taylor in Sunday in New York (1964), for example, or Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford almost a decade later in The Way We Were (1973). Check out other movies filmed in Central Park.

3. Conservatory Water

The Conservatory Water, on the east side of the park around 74th and 75th Streets, is not part of the original design. It was added later for sailing model and remote-controlled boats.

Kids and adults alike come here to play with these scale models. If you're traveling with children, you can rent little boats right by the water and sail them.

Next to the pond you'll find the famous climbable statues of Alice in Wonderland and Hans Christian Andersen.

4. Turtle Pond

At the foot of Belvedere Castle lies Turtle Pond, around 79th Street right in the middle of the park.

The pond gets its name from the five-plus turtle species living in it, many of them former pets that outgrew their tanks and found a bigger home here at Turtle Pond.

It's close to the Delacorte Theater, where the Shakespeare in the Park festival takes place in summer, and to the Shakespeare Garden.

5. The Reservoir

The Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir is the largest body of water in Central Park. It stretches from 86th to 96th Street across the width of the park, ringed by a 1.58-mile track that's popular with runners and walkers.

It was built between 1858 and 1862 as a drinking water reservoir serving New York City. Today it only feeds the park's other lakes.

As you walk the perimeter you'll come across two stone buildings at opposite ends of the reservoir.

These are the structures from which the flow of water from the Reservoir to the city was controlled. There's talk of reusing these spaces as a possible water museum or an education center.

A scenic running track

The Reservoir is known for having one of the most scenic running tracks in the world along its perimeter.

Fun fact: it's named in honor of Jackie Kennedy Onassis, who ran here regularly, as did other famous names like Bill Clinton and Madonna.

Woody Allen fans will remember a key scene in Hannah and Her Sisters (1986) in which Allen walks along this track pondering the meaning of life.

This 1.58-mile loop is runner territory, so watch where you're going if you're walking, because they have the right of way here (read more about sports in Central Park).

6. Harlem Meer

At the northeast corner of Central Park, between 106th and 110th Streets, sits this lake whose name reminds us that before it was an English colony, New York was New «Amsterdam», a Dutch colony we happen to have a travel guide for, packed with things to see.

Harlem Meer is small, only about 11 acres. What makes it interesting is that fishing is allowed, as long as you put the fish back in the water (catch-and-release fishing).

It's also surrounded by enormous trees, which makes it a great spot to escape urban New York for a while. It's a good starting point for a walk through Harlem.

Sometime in spring 2025, the Davis Center will open next to Harlem Meer, a recreation complex with a new ice skating rink replacing the Lasker Rink, plus the eighth largest pool in New York City.

Other points of interest in Central Park:

This park takes many visits to see in full. It's enormous! And every season in New York gives it a different look. These guides will help you get to know it:

🌳 Guide to the green spaces of Central Park

⛲ Discover the most important statues in Central Park

🦁 Did you know there's a zoo in Central Park?

🏃‍♂️ Read where to play sports in Central Park

🎭 Check out the events held in Central Park

🎬 List of famous movies filmed in Central Park