Fort Washington Park Tennis Courts

Fort Washington Park Tennis Courts offer 10 hard-surface courts tucked along the Hudson River Greenway at 172nd Street in Washington Heights, Northern Manhattan. The facility sits directly beneath the George Washington Bridge, with open views of the Palisades cliffs across the river. The Little Red Lighthouse, a designated NYC landmark, stands immediately adjacent to the courts, making this one of the most scenically distinctive public tennis locations in the five boroughs.

These are the only public outdoor tennis courts in Northern Manhattan north of 135th Street, serving Washington Heights and Inwood residents who would otherwise have no local option. The site has a genuinely remote feel: it is accessible primarily via the Hudson River Greenway path running along the riverfront, or by descending from Riverside Drive above. The nearest subway stop is the A/C/1 trains at 168th Street and Broadway, roughly a 10-minute walk away. The facility is also reachable by bike via the Greenway from points south.

Fort Washington Park Tennis Courts operate under the standard NYC Parks permit system. The facility is unstaffed and runs on a first-come, first-served basis during the permit season. No court reservations are available.

To play, you need either a season permit or a single-play day pass purchased through NYC Parks. A season permit costs $100 for adults ages 18 to 61. A single-play day pass costs $15. The season runs from April 1 to the Sunday before Thanksgiving, which aligns with the standard NYC Parks tennis season. Playing without a valid permit is not permitted; this is not a free facility.

Because the site is unstaffed, permit enforcement relies on the honor system and periodic checks. Arrive early on busy weekends, particularly in summer, as the remote location and strong community demand from Washington Heights and Inwood can make courts competitive to secure.

The setting alone separates Fort Washington from almost every other public court in New York City. Courts sit in the shadow of the George Washington Bridge, with unobstructed sightlines to the Palisades and the Hudson River. The Little Red Lighthouse sits directly next to the courts, and the surrounding Fort Washington Park feels far removed from the density of upper Manhattan despite being a short walk from the A/C/1 trains.

After years of deferred maintenance, the courts won $500,000 in city capital funding to fully resurface all 10 courts. Surface conditions can still vary, so it is worth a look before a long trip.

The Riverside Tennis Association operates lessons and a summer camp at this location. Instructor Gilbert Butcher has run programming at the site for over 15 years. A summer camp operating under the name Little Red Lighthouse Tennis Camp has also been in development at the facility, drawing on the landmark next door as a community identity anchor.

For anyone living in Washington Heights or Inwood, this is the home facility by default. For visitors coming from elsewhere in Manhattan, the combination of the GWB backdrop, the lighthouse, and the Palisades view across the river makes the trip worthwhile on its own terms, surface conditions permitting.

For more places to play, see the best public tennis courts in NYC or browse every court in the city. Then find a partner at your level on Doyouplay before you go.