Bronx County Highpoint Trip Report
Date: November 8, 2007
Author: John Mitchler
I provide the following update, along with the "subway" approach to this hanging
hill, set in an very nice neighborhood, north of Manhattan.
If you're ever caught in boring Manhattan during a convention and you've seen
all the sights and all the shows, consider riding the New York City subway to
the Bronx highpoint. The quiet of the tree & mansion neighborhood is a nice
contrast to the hustle and bustle of downtown Gotham. It's a 30 minute walk
from the end of the red 1 line to Cortlandt Park. I caught this train at
Columbus Circle (southwest corner of Central Park) and it was a 45 minute ride
up past the west side of Central Park to the line's terminus at West 242 Street.
The subway becomes elevated at Dyckman Street. It's $2 per ride and there's a
24/7 Dunkin Donuts at the end of the line. On the topo map, this station is on
Broadway just east-northeast of Manhattan College.
From the elevated train platform, exit to the west side of Broadway. Take the
right set of stairs to be able to take a left on Manhattan College Parkway or
take the left set of stairs to be able to take a right on West 242 Street
(and merge into the parkway after a block). Either way, follow the parkway a couple
blocks as it winds its way up through the college and past a guard-house
entrance on the right. Stay right (north) on Waldo Avenue and walk this to West
246 Street (just before an athletic field on your right, shown on the topo).
Turn left (west) on 246th and proceed a couple blocks and turn right (north) on
Fieldston Avenue. Once on Fieldston, you want to reach West 250th Street which
forms the south boundary of the highpoint hill area. Do this by walking along
Fieldston to 250th, or you can angle left at Goodridge Avenue (not Road) and
take that uphill to West 250th Street. From 250th, you can approach the
highpoint area by Goodridge Avenue (dead end at an overgrown gate) or Grosvenor
Avenue one block west (dead end at the construction entrance).
Current Conditions: There is a gap in the fence where Goodrige Avenue hits the
highpoint development. During the weekday when there's construction, Grosvenor Avenue
is wide open with a trailer on the right inside the fence. Workers were
busy on one building near the entrance, although these homes look huge and solid,
and will take time to build. The highpoint rock and tree are still visible.
They may actually survive the construction and landscaping, although they're
doomed to end up in someone's yard. The time of easy access for this
highpoint may be limited, although the new home could be owned by a
cohp-friendly person, or even a cohper. Let's hope.