Quick Facts
| Free? | ✅ |
| Parking ? | ✅ (street) |
| Facilities? | ❌ |
| Dogs Allowed? | ✅ (un-leashed before 9am, leashed all other times) |
? Click here to see IG Story Videos from our trips here
The Waterhole in Forest Park is an incredible place to see a large variety of migrating warblers. It’s so incredible that we visit almost every day during migration and many people even bring chairs – it’s like a warbler theater!
How to get there – Parking & Entrances
There is free street parking on all streets surrounding the park but be sure to read the signs. There is not only alternate side parking rules, but no standing during certain times of the day.
We park on Metropolitan Ave, before reaching Park Lane South, as shown by the blue car above (although we are usually facing the other way)! You can also park on Park Lane South. We enter the park at the star, walk down the road and enter at the first trail with a sign:
This is the path we take to get to the waterhole. It’s only a couple minute walk from here. Need more help? Here are the exact GPS Coordinates!
40.7066° N, 73.8402° W
Although it’s called the waterhole, the level of water varies drastically throughout April to May. There can be so much water that Mallards are swimming and so dry that water has to be brought in to sustain the warblers.
The water level was nice on this date!
Garbage lids were placed in the middle and filled with water. This is the same spot as the pic on the left.
When To Go:
SPRING!: This is a fantastic spot for Warblers and Thrushes, as well various Woodpecker species and other Spring Migrants. Popular for Orioles (Orchard & Baltimore!), Grosbeaks, Towhees, Tanagers, Wrens and Flycatchers as well. Chipmunks are abundant – which means so are passing hawks!
We found that you don’t need to go at the crack of dawn and sometimes peak activity isn’t until after 8am.