Fort Tilden is a former US Army coastal defense installation on the western Rockaway Peninsula, now preserved as part of the Gateway National Recreation Area and beloved by New Yorkers for its wild, undeveloped beach and the eerie ruins of its Cold War-era bunkers and gun batteries. The area is a haven for beachgoers seeking an escape from crowded public beaches, as well as for birdwatchers and urban explorers drawn to its overgrown, post-industrial landscape.