How to Travel New York's Henry Hudson Parkway

Travel in New York County.

In New York County, this route travels as NY-9A, staying just west of the cross streets going through Manhattan's central villages north of the transport hubs, into Harlem, and through the other parks in Fort Washington Park, Fort Tryon, and Inwood Hill Parks. It travels northward on Manhattan's west side while connecting to its next exit - a large interchange - and other exits along the way, then continues north, almost paralleling Riverside Drive, until it passes I-95/US-1 and the George Washington Bridge, where it runs across past the parks. In New York County, expect exits for Riverside South (NY-9A) where it continues south to Battery Park, Riverside Park's exit 10 and 11 (W 79th St and W 95th St), Harlem's W 125th St (exit 12) Hamilton Heights W 158th St (exit 13), I-95/US-1/US-9 (exit 14) and Riverside Drive (exit 15), Fort Tryon Park (exit 16), and Inwood Hill Park/Dyckman Street (exit 17). In this span, not only does this route seem to stay just east of civilization with major developments to its east, but it has several parks to its west as it travels through many parks. It passes the Miller Highway Remnant near its onramp at its southern terminus (better seen from southbound before it changes names to the Joe DiMaggio Highway while staying NY-9A), but it also features cut-offs to/from many of these parks, where these exits can be reached via the street's cross-streets near the parks. Before getting on at exit 8, you can visit the Eleanor Roosevelt Memorial off 72nd Street, less than one block, from the onramp to the highway heading northbound. Between Exits 10 and 11, you'll encounter the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, along with the Joan of Arc Monument, closer to the onramp to exit 11, off the highway and not viewable from there. Near exit 12, you'll have access to the General Grant National Memorial Visitor Center and National Memorial, and the Amiable Child Memorial. Just off the highway inside the Trinity Church Cemetery (exit 13), you'll find the gravesite of John Jacob Aster IV. The area of exit 15 is a criss-cross area with Riverside Drive with streets going everywhere. Just be careful to follow signage to ensure you stay on the route. Between exits 15 and 16, you'll spot the Inspiration Point (monument) between the northbound and southbound lanes of the highway, however, there is no direct connection from the highway. The Met Cloisters can be spotted and accessed from exit 16.

Cross the Spuyten Duyvil Creek.

The Henry Hudson Parkway travels northeast across Spuyten Dyvil Creek as a double-decked steel arch bridge, just south of the Spuyten Dyvil Metro-North (Hudson Line) rail station. It travels across it as the Henry Hudson Bridge. It has a $8.25 Toll by Mail toll or a $3.18 toll through any state's E-ZPass. These toll rates are for one-way travel and are taken from both directions through overhead gantries near the bridge's TBTA building (in Manhattan) and just southwest of Edsall Avenue in Bronx, NY. This bridge has a walking path, which is mostly untolled. But taking this path will then still require you to come back to claim your car.

Travel in Bronx County.

In Bronx County, it travels mostly northeast until reaching the exit for W 253rd St, then it curves more east and travels through a few more exits through Van Cortlandt Park, where it curves more to the north than east and continues past the Mosholu Parkway exit as the Saw Mill Parkway. In this span, you'll encounter exits for Spuyten Duyvil's Kappock St (18) and W 232nd St (19), Riverdale's W 237th/239th Sts (20), W 246th St (21) and W 253rd/W 254th/Riverdale Ave (22), as well as Fieldston's US-9/NY-9A (23), and Van Cortlandt Park's Mosholu Parkway/I-87 as the Major Deegan Expressway (exit 24) and terminus as the Saw Mill Parkway (exit 25). This part of the route has few recreation spots. However, exit 22 has access to the Lou Gehrig home.