Go early or go late — there's no shortcut.

The only reliable way to skip the elevator line at Prospect Point is to be there when nobody else is.

Summer weekends are a zoo. The elevator line builds up by 10 AM and stretches all the way through the afternoon. If you arrive right when the tower opens (usually 9 AM), you’ll walk right on. Same deal if you show up an hour before closing — most people are heading out, not in.

There’s no secret entrance, no fast pass, no hack. The stairs are an option if you’re in decent shape (it’s a lot of steps), but that’s avoiding the elevator, not the line. For most people, timing is the only honest answer.