Designed to blend in with the Park’s natural surroundings, rustic shelters feature beautiful craftsmanship and wood materials that complement the environment. Many of the rustic shelters skirt the Lake shore, providing a shady haven in which to relax and enjoy the view.

One example is the Boulder Bridge Rustic Shelter, which is perched above the Ravine at the edge of the Midwood, a lush wooded area. Octagonally shaped, it consists of logs, pegs and dowels that hold the structure together without the use of a single nail. The newest and largest rustic shelter in the Park is the Arbor, which sits on the bank of the Lullwater along the Lullwater Nature Trail. These new rustic shelters were created from archival photos with the same methods and materials used by Olmsted and Vaux.

There are five additional shelters along the Lake. Two are located near the Parkside/Ocean Avenue entrance. One is next to Wollman Rink, one at the tip of the Peninsula, and one near the Park Circle entrance along West Lake Drive.