Central Park's Umpire Rock is located a few feet
south of the Heckscher Ballfields and
to the west of the Heckscher Playground.
In fact, this massive outcropping runs
straight through the Playground, making
it a favorite rock for children who
frequent the area.
Its mass is Manhattan schist, the very
bedrock that runs beneath nearly all of
Central Park. It is a tough exterior that
was formed some 450 million years ago
in the Paleozoic Era.
Many Park visitors climb Umpire Rock
for the magnificent view of the
skyscrapers along Fifth Avenue and
Central Park South.