New York City is offering residents a chance to camp overnight in Central Park through a free summer program run by the Urban Park Rangers. The initiative will take place at parks across all five boroughs between Aug. 8 and Sept. 18, with participants selected via weekly lottery. Registration opens each Monday and closes four days later.
The Central Park camping event is set for Friday, Aug. 14, near West 106th Street and Central Park West. Registration opened Monday, with selected participants to be notified by Aug. 6.
The program features ranger-led night hikes, storytelling, wildlife observation and s'mores. The Parks Department supplies tents, while campers must provide their own sleeping bags, bedding and food.
Additional camping locations include Salt Marsh Nature Center in Brooklyn, Blue Heron Nature Center on Staten Island and Rockaway Beach in Queens. Each overnight session accommodates approximately 30 participants, typically five to eight families, though groups of friends and individuals may also apply.
Since camping is ordinarily banned in city parks, the ranger-led program represents one of the few legal ways to camp overnight in New York City parks. Operating for more than two decades, the program aims to introduce first-time campers to outdoor recreation, with some participants subsequently camping in state and national parks.