Hell Gate: New York’s Forgotten Islands Walking Tour

Explore the perilous history of Hell Gate and the East River on a walking tour of shipwrecks, pirates, and hidden islands.

Discover the history and mysteries of Hell Gate, the East River’s most notorious mile. This guided walking tour explores the treacherous waters between Manhattan and Astoria, where deadly currents, hidden reefs, and tragic shipwrecks shaped New York’s maritime past. As you walk along Randall’s Island, uncover stories of explosions, river pirates, and vanished quarantine sites that reveal how danger, ambition, and engineering transformed this stretch of river into one of the city’s most legendary places.