Hart Island Gravesite Visitation

The City offers gravesite visits to Hart Island twice a month, on select weekends, for people who were close with someone who has passed away.

Reservations to Visit Hart Island

Gravesite visits are reserved for those people who were closest to the person who passed away, including family members, chosen family members, close friends, and partners.

Reservations to visit Hart Island may be scheduled by calling 212-360-3428, or by submitting a Visit Request Form online.

If you ask to visit a grave, you may bring up to four guests with you. If you would like to bring more than four guests, you may make a special request using the request form.

All visits must be scheduled at least 5 business days in advance, but we encourage you to submit your request at least 2 weeks in advance due to the volume of requests that we receive. 

Availability for Gravesite Visits

We offer 2 chances to visit a gravesite each scheduled day, one beginning at 10:00 a.m. and one beginning at 1:00 p.m. Each gravesite visit lasts approximately two hours, including ferry trips to and from Hart Island.

When you submit the visit request form, you must first state if you have a close personal relationship to the person who has passed away. We do not require documentation unless we have a reason to believe that there is no relationship between the guests and the deceased person. In that case, we may require additional documentation if we are unable to confirm the relationship.

You must submit the full names of all the visitors and guests who will be attending with you, including children, when you request the reservation.

2025 Visit Schedule

• Saturday, December 7, 2024
• Sunday, December 15, 2024
• Saturday, January 4, 2025
• Sunday, January 19, 2025
• Saturday, February 1, 2025
• Sunday, February 23, 2025
• Saturday, March 1, 2025
• Sunday, March 23, 2025
• Saturday, April 5, 2025
• Sunday, April 13, 2025
• Saturday, May 10, 2025
• Sunday, May 18, 2025
• Saturday, June 14, 2025
• Sunday, June 22, 2025
• Saturday, July 12, 2025
• Sunday, July 20, 2025
• Saturday, August 9, 2025
• Sunday, August 24, 2025
• Saturday, September 6, 2025
• Sunday, September 21, 2025
• Saturday, October 4, 2025
• Sunday, October 19, 2025
• Saturday, November 8, 2025
• Sunday, November 16, 2025
• Saturday, December 6, 2025
• Sunday, December 14, 2025

What to Expect on the Day of Your Visit

Gravesite Visitors should arrive 30 minutes before the ferry departure time. Upon arrival at the City Island dock, all visitors and guests must present a valid photo ID, sign the Hart Island Visitor Log, as well as sign and submit a liability waiver. All visitor and guest names must match with the names submitted on the reservation form. No unconfirmed visitors will be allowed to board the ferry to Hart Island.

The island is accessed by a brief ferry ride from a dock on City Island. On the island, there will be a bus to take visitors to the gravesites. Urban Park Rangers will guide all visitors to their designated locations and will maintain a respectful distance to allow for a peaceful visit. When visiting Hart Island, please consider any inclement weather conditions, especially during the summer and winter seasons, and dress accordingly.

Visit Availability and Limitations

NYC Parks will sometimes be unable to accommodate your visitation request due to bad weather, reaching capacity, or other issues beyond the agency’s control. In these cases, the agency will make every effort to reschedule your visit for the next date that you have requested.

If a deceased person's specific gravesite is either unidentifiable or inaccessible, NYC Parks will notify you in advance of the visit and you may be asked to reschedule. Alternatively, you may choose to visit an alternate gravesite or another location near to the requested gravesite.

Directions and Transportation

The ferry to Hart Island departs from the Hart Island Ferry Terminal dock on City Island located at 299 Fordham Street, Bronx, NY 10464. 

There is no parking on the City Island dock and parking near the dock is extremely limited. All visitors are strongly encouraged to take public transportation or carpool if possible. The Bx29 bus stops at the intersection of City Island Ave and Fordham Street, which is a 10 minute walk to the dock. All visitors are reminded to follow local parking regulations.