The High Line is a 1.45-mile elevated park built on the old West Side Line, a freight railroad spur that once belonged to the New York Central Railroad. It runs from Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District, north through Chelsea, up to 34th Street at Hudson Yards. The park opened in phases between 2009 and 2014 and now draws several million visitors a year — published counts vary widely depending on who is doing the counting, so treat any single figure with caution. Friends of the High Line runs it day to day, working with the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation, and there's no charge to walk it, ever.
What is the High Line and why is it special?
These tracks hauled meatpacking and industrial freight from the 1930s up until the last train ran in 1980. After that, the structure just sat there, rusting, for two decades. Two neighborhood residents, Joshua David and Robert Hammond, founded Friends of the High Line in 1999 and pushed back against plans to tear it down. What they got instead — a design from James Corner Field Operations and Diller Scofidio + Renfro, with plantings by Dutch garden designer Piet Oudolf — turned into a reference point cities everywhere now study when they're figuring out what to do with old industrial infrastructure.
Key sections and highlights of the High Line
Gansevoort Street to 14th Street (Section 1 south end)
Come in at Gansevoort Street and you're a few steps from the Whitney Museum of American Art. This stretch cuts through the Meatpacking District, with the Sundeck and Reflecting Pool near 14th Street — a good spot to sit down if the sun's out.
14th Street to 30th Street (Section 2, Chelsea)
This middle stretch runs through Chelsea, home to Manhattan's gallery scene. The 10th Avenue Square amphitheater — tiered wooden seating with a big window looking straight down at 10th Avenue traffic — is the one photo everyone takes, and it's a fine spot to just watch the street below. Past that, the Chelsea Thicket, the Wildflower Field, and the Rail Yards section keep the gravel-and-steel look that sets this park apart from a typical green space.
The Spur (Hudson Yards, 30th Street)
At 30th Street, the Spur breaks off westward into Hudson Yards, one of the newer corners of the city. From this elevated plaza you get open views of The Vessel — Thomas Heatherwick's climbable sculpture — The Shed, and the Hudson River. This is also where High Line Art tends to install its bigger commissions.
High Line Art installations
The park runs a serious public art program. High Line Art commissions site-specific pieces — murals, sculptures, video projections, the occasional performance piece — and rotates them through the year. Kara Walker, Taryn Simon, and Jenny Holzer have all had work shown here. None of it costs extra; it's just part of the walk.
Piet Oudolf's planting design
Dutch designer Piet Oudolf did the plantings, using the same naturalistic style he's known for at Chicago's Millennium Park and London's Hauser & Wirth garden. Over 500 species of perennials, grasses, shrubs, and trees grow here, chosen to echo the wild plants that took over the tracks after the trains stopped. The look changes a lot by season — spring bulbs, then summer prairie grasses, fall seed heads, and finally the bare, sculptural stalks of winter.
What's nearby: Whitney Museum and Hudson Yards
- Whitney Museum of American Art — right at the Gansevoort St end. Renzo Piano's 2015 building holds the country's best collection of 20th- and 21st-century American art.
- The Vessel, Hudson Yards — Thomas Heatherwick's 16-story, 150-foot climbing structure near the High Line's northern end. It closed in 2021 after a series of suicides, then reopened in October 2024 with floor-to-ceiling steel mesh barriers installed on the stairways and platforms. As of 2026 it's open again: free to view from outside, but climbing it requires a timed ticket (general admission from around $17 on vesselnyc.com; NYC residents get free entry Thursdays with ID — check current pricing and hours).
- Chelsea Galleries — West 20th–27th Streets pack in more contemporary art galleries than anywhere else in North America, and most don't charge admission.
- Little Island — a newer park on the Hudson at Pier 55, about a 15-minute walk south of Gansevoort Street.
The High Line also sits right alongside Hudson River Park, which runs the length of Manhattan's west side waterfront — the two are physically adjacent for most of the High Line's route, and combining a walk on both is probably the single best way to spend a full afternoon on this side of the city.
Getting to the High Line
For the southern section, take the A/C/E to 14th Street, which drops you close to mid-park access. For the Spur up north, it's the 7 train to 34th St-Hudson Yards. If you're headed straight for the Gansevoort/Whitney end, the L to 8th Avenue is your best bet. Access points run the length of the park, but only five have elevators — Gansevoort Street, 14th, 16th, 23rd and 30th — plus a ramp at 34th Street. The entrances at 18th, 20th, 26th and 28th are stairs only, so plan your entry point before you set out if you need step-free access.
Tips for visiting the High Line
- Go early on a weekday if you want the plantings mostly to yourself. Weekend afternoons get packed.
- Walk it south to north, Gansevoort to 34th St — you'll end at Hudson Yards, which has the better views to finish on.
- The High Line runs a free event calendar: yoga, plant talks, film screenings, family workshops. Worth a look before you go.
- Pack your own snacks. The kiosks work fine but charge tourist prices.
- Dogs on leash are fine on the High Line.
Frequently asked questions about the High Line
Is the High Line free to visit?
Yes. No ticket, no gate. Walk on at any entrance, any day. If you want to chip in, there's a donation box near the entrances, but it's not required.
What are the High Line hours?
7 AM to 10 PM from April through November, 7 AM to 8 PM from December through March. Special events can shift things, so it's worth a quick check on thehighline.org if you're planning around closing time.
Where does the High Line start and end?
It runs 1.45 miles, starting at Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District and ending at 34th Street by Hudson Yards, cutting straight through Chelsea in between. Since 2023, a separate structure called the High Line – Moynihan Connector extends the walk two more blocks north from 30th Street to Manhattan West and Moynihan Train Hall, if you want to keep going past the original endpoint.
How do I get to the High Line by subway?
A, C, or E to 14th Street gets you the southern entrance. For the north end, take the 7 to 34th St-Hudson Yards. If you're aiming for the Meatpacking side specifically, the L to 8th Av works too.
Can you see the Whitney Museum from the High Line?
You don't just see it — the Whitney Museum of American Art sits right at the park's southern end on Gansevoort Street. Plenty of people do both in a single afternoon.
Who designed the High Line?
James Corner Field Operations led the design, working alongside architects Diller Scofidio + Renfro. The plantings — the part most people remember — came from Dutch designer Piet Oudolf.
What is the Spur on the High Line?
It's the branch that peels off westward at 30th Street toward Hudson Yards. Wide-open plaza, long sightlines, and it's where you'll usually find the bigger public art pieces.
Is the High Line stroller and wheelchair accessible?
Yes, the path itself is fully paved and step-free once you're on it. Elevators are at Gansevoort Street, 14th Street, 16th Street, 23rd Street, and 30th Street, plus ramp-level access at 34th Street. A handful of entrances in between — 18th, 20th, 26th, and 28th Streets — are stairs-only, so pick one of the step-free entrances above if you need it.