Places / Street / Washington Heights
8.5 / 10The 187th Street Steps
A street that gave up and became a staircase, climbing the ridge in one go.
- Where
- W 187th St at Overlook Terrace, Washington Heights Open in Google Maps ↗
- Cost
- Free
- Good with
- Solo
- Go when
- Going down, unless you mean it
Upper Manhattan rises fast enough that the grid simply gives up in places, and the city builds a step street instead — legally a street, functionally a staircase. This is the long one at 187th, climbing the ridge between Overlook Terrace and Fort Washington Avenue in a single flight. It reminds us of staircases in Europe more than anything in New York.
What to know
If you’re in the area, it’s worth the detour. Steeper than it photographs — going down is a pleasant two minutes, going up is a climb. It sits three blocks from the 190th Street station and the southern end of Fort Tryon Park, so the stairs, the station and the park are one short walk rather than three trips.