New York City is home to a number of parks, most notably Central Park in Manhattan. Other prominent parks such as Prospect Park in Brooklyn and Corona Park in Queens garner a significant amount of attention in the city. Even Zuccotti Park, though privately owned, has made quite a name for itself lately.

But what about the “forgotten” borough? Staten Island has the Greenbelt, the largest collective area of wildlife and park area in New York City, but it doesn’t get much press. Great Kills Park, which is a piece of Gateway National Park, is an underexposed plot of reed fields and forests. One could drive straight through Gateway completely unaware of Great Kills’ secrets.

A quiet harbor rests inside the cape, well-hidden from the world. A prominent local restaurant, the Marina Cafe, is perched on Mansion Road, overlooking the ocean.

Unfortunately, not all of Great Kills’ secrets are pleasant. Several years ago, the Department of the Interior chose to close much of Great Kills off after high radiation levels from decades of toxic waste dumping.