The Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge is a 9,155-acre tract within the Gateway National Recreation Area, a preserve of some 26,000 acres of waterways, wetlands, beaches, woodlands, and historical areas in New York and New Jersey.

The refuge is a natural wonder within the city that was never completely “paved over.” The views of massive housing blocks and the Manhattan skyline hovering on the horizon will make you appreciate this all the more. The refuge is an important example of how natural wonders may be not only preserved in a city, but also made easily accessible by public transportation.

As you exit the back of the Visitor Contact Station, head west (clockwise) along the 1.5-mile path that circles the pond. The flat gravel trail that you will follow is renowned for bird-watching—swans, egrets, herons, osprey, and owls among them—and it may make you feel you are closer to the Florida Keys than to Times Square. The trail is dotted with numerous bird houses and bat sanctuaries that have been built to attract local birds and bats whose domiciles elsewhere have been diminished by the encroachment of human civilization. Your stroll may be interrupted by the occasional gaggle of geese making their way across the path, and you may need to skirt dozens of nesting spots marked by flags and covered with steel cages to protect the terrapin eggs within. The full trail comprises a 1.5-mile loop. Remember: You need a free permit from the Visitor Contact Station to explore Jamaica Bay.

For more-rugged walks with children who are older, visit the East Pond (Trip 52). If you are traveling by car, you can also take in Floyd Bennett Field (Trips 38 and 39) or Marine Park (Trip 40).

Some food establishments are along Cross Bay Boulevard.