Come Hither Hills Campers

By Tien-Shun Lee | Staff Writer

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FIFTY YEARS AGO, Hither Hills State Park attracted mostly local vacationers who set up canvas tents or surplus, reinforced Army shelters on grassy campgrounds behind the beach. Many campers were veterans of World War II who rinsed off after an ocean dip in cold water that streamed out of a pipe in the park bathhouse.

Today, the popular beachfront campground is dotted by mobile accommodations that range from waterproof nylon tents to $100,000 recreational vehicles with high-speed computers and cable television. "You don't see that rough a camping experience anymore," said George Gorman, spokesman for Long Island's state parks.

Although the postwar park offered only cold water, the Hither Hills camping area now has four buildings with hot-water showers and clothes dryers. But modernization has been limited to better bathrooms and tents: There is still wildlife in the water, sand dunes and woods, where wild turkeys and foxes can occasionally be spotted sniffing the aroma of squished wild grapes.

Most campers make reservations in advance; Hither Hills is New York State's most popular campground. There are only 169 campsites available, just four more than in 1949.