Central Park Mall

The Central Park Mall is a formal pedestrian promenade that runs through the park, shaded by towering American elm trees with dense canopies overhead. The wide paved path leads southward to Bethesda Terrace, while open lawns flank both sides as you walk northward.

The path was designed in 1858 by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux as part of their Greensward Plan and intended as a gathering place for park visitors. The elm-lined promenade was deliberately created to bring a formal European-style walkway into the park's landscape.

The southern end features Literary Walk, where statues of poets and writers like William Shakespeare and Robert Burns stand along the path for visitors to encounter while strolling through.

The path is accessible year-round and offers shade beneath the trees, which is especially valuable on hot days. The southern section toward Bethesda tends to be busier, while the northern area feels quieter and less crowded.

The promenade contains one of the largest remaining collections of American elm trees in North America, having survived despite widespread Dutch elm disease affecting similar trees elsewhere. Their persistence here makes them botanically noteworthy for visitors interested in the park's natural heritage.