Long Island is home to dozens of local, town, county, state and federal parks, as well as numerous private preserves.

Arthur Kunz County Park

Credit: Ian J. Stark

ARTHUR KUNZ COUNTY PARK, off Landing Avenue, Smithtown, 631-854-4949, nwsdy.li/scparks Features 97 acres, Greenbelt Trail; hiking, bird-watching.

Brookside County Park

Credit: Meghan Giannotta

BROOKSIDE COUNTY PARK, 59 Brook St., Sayville, 631-854-4949, nwsdy.li/scparks Features 5.8-acre park was estate of architect Isaac H. Green. Guided nature and bird-watching walks 1-3 p.m. Wed. and Sun. (weather permitting).

Brookside Preserve

Credit: Ian J. Stark

BROOKSIDE PRESERVE, Brookside Avenue, Freeport, nwsdy.li/bside Season All year. Features 22-acre nature sanctuary with natural woodlands, wetlands and more than 50 species of birds.

Caleb Smith State Park Preserve

Credit: Joseph D. Sullivan

CALEB SMITH STATE PARK PRESERVE, 581 West Jericho Turnpike, Smithtown, 631-265-1054. parks.ny.gov. For more, see State Parks.

Calverton Ponds Preserve

Credit: NEWSDAY/BILL DAVIS

CALVERTON PONDS PRESERVE, Old River Road, Calverton, 631-367-3225, nature.org Features 350 acres; pine barrens and coastal plain ponds; woodlands and wetlands; trail maps.

Caumsett State Historic Park Preserve

Credit: Catherine Ahlers

CAUMSETT STATE HISTORIC PARK PRESERVE, 25 Lloyd Harbor Rd., West Neck Road north from Huntington Village, Lloyd Neck, 631-423-1770, parks.ny.gov. For more, see State Parks.

Cedarmere Preserve

Credit: Howard Schnapp

CEDARMERE PRESERVE, Bryant Avenue, just north of Northern Boulevard, Roslyn Harbor, 516-544-3944, info@friendsofcedarmere.org Features Home of William Cullen Bryant, restored gardens, pond. House tours available.

Cow Meadow Park Preserve

Credit: Ian J. Stark

COW MEADOW PARK AND PRESERVE, South Main Street, Freeport, nassaucountyny.gov, 516-571-8685 Season All year. Features 150 acres, ¼-mile hiking trail along saltwater marsh area, 156 species of birds; small bird-watching tower.

Cranberry Bog County Preserve

Credit: Ian J. Stark

CRANBERRY BOG COUNTY PRESERVE, Riverhead-Moriches Road, Riverhead, 631-854-4949, nwsdy.li/scparks Features 460 acres in pine barrens, with wetlands and woodlands, ¾-mile interpretive trail around Sweezy Pond.

David Sarnoff Pine Barrens Preserve

Credit: Ian J. Stark

DAVID SARNOFF PINE BARRENS PRESERVE, Route 104, Riverhead, nwsdy.li/daspreserve, 631-444-0270. Season All year; except Jan. deer hunting Season Access through Department of Environmental Conservation. Features 2,700 acres, bird conservation area; 7 ½ miles of trails; hunters may be present.

Downs Farm Preserve

Credit: Ian J. Stark

DOWNS FARM PRESERVE, 23800 Rte. 25, Cutchogue, 631-765-6450, nwsdy.li/downsfp Features 51 acres, woodlands, tidal wetlands and a historic Native American fort site (permission required from Town of Southold).

Credit: Newsday/John Paraskevas

DWARF PINES PLAINS PRESERVE, Country Road 31, Westhampton, 631-854-4949, nwsdy.li/scparks Features 290 acres, ½-mile hiking trail. Pitch pine and scrub oak with sandy, acidic soil. Rare ecosystem supports uncommon wildlife species.

Edgewood Oak Brush Plain Preserve

Credit: Ian J. Stark

EDGEWOOD OAK BRUSH PLAIN PRESERVE, off Commack Road, Deer Park, 631-444-0270, nwsdy.li/edgewood Features 850 acres of pine barrens vegetation, pitch pine and scrub oak; 50 acres of open field, 5-mile hiking trail, 5-mile mountain biking trail, bird-watching. Access by permit from state DEC (free).

Garvies Point Museum and Preserve

Credit: Ursula Moore

GARVIES POINT MUSEUM AND PRESERVE, 50 Barry Dr., Glen Cove, garviespointmuseum.com, 516-571- 8010. Features 62 acres of woodland, meadow, two ponds, 2,000-foot shoreline along Hempstead Harbor; museum presents LI geology and archaeological history with interactive "woodland village," "Seashells...Nature's Inspired Design" exhibit showing through 2019. 5 miles of trails, self-guided nature trail. Cross-country skiing (weather permitting). Children's Summer Camp Tue.-Fri., 20 sessions, ages 5-11, call for rates. Garvies Point Day 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Aug. 3, nature programs and crafts ($5, free 4 and younger). Summer Saturday Family Programs in July & Aug. of varying topics, 11 a.m. Sat. (except Aug. 3 and 31).

Grace Estate Preserve

Credit: Handout

GRACE ESTATE PRESERVE, Northwest Road, East Hampton, 631-324-7420, nwsdy.li/grace Features 516 acres of wetlands, trails and oak pines. Parking along Northwest Road. Open to East Hampton Town residents and their guests.

Hempstead Plains

Credit: Ian J. Stark

HEMPSTEAD PLAINS, Nassau Community College, Garden City, 516-572-7575, ext. 26531, friendsofhp.org Features 19-acre, tall grass prairie. Tours, volunteer workdays, poetry and art workshops. Rare and endangered plant species, Education and Research Center displays solar energy and environmental features.

Hoyt Farm Park Preserve

Credit: Thomas A. Ferrara

HOYT FARM PARK PRESERVE, 200 New Hwy., Commack, 631-543-7804, smithtowninfo.com Available only to Town of Smithtown residents with proper ID. Features 133 acres, reproduction of Long Island Indian wigwam, animals, nature center (1-4 p.m. daily Memorial Day-Labor Day), playground, picnic areas. Hoyt House Museum open 1-4 p.m. weekends Memorial Day-Labor Day. Free concerts (residents only) July-Aug. (631-360-7644); maple sugaring Sun. (1:30-3 p.m., call) late-Feb. to mid-March. Water park 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Memorial Day-Labor Day.

Inlet Pond County Park

Credit: Ian J. Stark

INLET POND COUNTY PARK, Main Road, access off Route 48, Greenport, 631-854-4949, nwsdy.li/scparks Features 39 acres on Long Island Sound.

Islip Greenbelt County Park

Credit: Steve Pfost

ISLIP GREENBELT COUNTY PARK, Islip, 631-854-4949, nwsdy.li/scparks Features 153 acres; access to Greenbelt.

Leeds Pond Preserve

Credit: Ian J. Stark

LEEDS POND PRESERVE, 1526 N. Plandome Rd., Plandome, 516-627-9400, nwsdy.li/leeds Season All year. Features 35-acre site with 16 acres of forest (oak, maple and tulip trees); 40-minute trail along pond and beachfront.

Lido Beach Passive Nature Preserve

Credit: Ian J. Stark

LIDO BEACH PASSIVE NATURE PRESERVE, Lido Boulevard, Point Lookout, 516-431-9200, nwsdy.li/lido Season All year (except holidays). Features 40 acres, indigenous plants, tidal wetlands, vegetation and marine life, birds, path.

Linda Gronlund Memorial Nature Preserve at Barcelona Neck

Credit: Ian J. Stark

Route 114, Sag Harbor, 631-444-0270, nwsdy.li/lgpreserve Season All year except Jan. (deer season) weekdays. Features 300 acres of woodlands and tidal marshes, fresh and tidal wetlands; 4 miles marked hiking trails; bird-watching. Hunters in preserve Oct.-Feb.

Long Island National Wildlife Refuge Complex

Credit: Ian J. Stark

LONG ISLAND NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE COMPLEX, 340 Smith Rd., Shirley, nwsdy.li/refcomplex, 631-286-0485. Season Refuges have public trails, accessible during day all year, except for parts of Morton Refuge in nesting Season (April 1-Aug. 30). Features (a) Target Rock Refuge, end of Target Rock Road, Lloyd Neck; 80 acres, through hardwood forest, ponds and along rocky shore; bird-watching; fishing from shore; self-guided interpretive hikes. (b) Wertheim Refuge, 340 Smith Rd., off Montauk Highway, Shirley; 2,550 acres; interactive visitor center, hiking trails through oak and pine forest, grassland and wetland; canoeing on Carmans River (launch site at Montauk Highway and Smith Road). Fishing permitted from boat; interpretive hikes; cross-country skiing; bird-watching; wheelchair-accessible trail. (c) Elizabeth A. Morton Refuge, 2595 Noyack Rd.; nature trail through forests; bird-watching; self-guided hikes; wheelchair-accessible trail. Open sunrise to sunset. More than 250 bird species.

Mill Pond Park

Credit: Tara Conry

MILL POND PARK, Merrick Road (east of Bellmore Avenue), Wantagh, nassaucountyny.gov Features 54 acres, pond, waterfowl, trails through a wet woodland with native plants.

Muttontown Preserve

Credit: Howard Schnapp

MUTTONTOWN PRESERVE, Muttontown Lane, East Norwich, 516-782-0174, nassaucountyny.gov Season All year. Features 550 acres, 10 miles of nature trails, 20 miles of bridle paths, ponds and woodlands, ruins of King Zog's estate.

Norman J. Levy Park

Credit: Ian J. Stark

NORMAN J. LEVY PARK, 1600 Merrick Rd., Merrick, 516-804-2000, toh.li. Season All year. Features 50 acres surrounded by tidal wetland. Hiking trails, guided kayak tours, 18 exercise stations, dwarf goats, fishing pier, canoe and kayak launch.

Northwest Harbor County Park

Credit: Ian J. Stark

NORTHWEST HARBOR COUNTY PARK, off Swamp Road, East Hampton, nwsdy.li/scparks, 631-854-4949 Features 337 acres along a salt marsh. Migratory waterfowl; bow deer hunting with Season al and daily permit and key card.

Oceanside Marine Nature Study Area

Credit: Julie Cappiello

OCEANSIDE MARINE NATURE STUDY AREA, 500 Slice Dr., Oceanside, 516-766-1580, mnsa.info Season All year; open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tue.-Sat. except holidays. Features 52 acres, mainly salt marsh; trails; 10 displays, bird-watching, tours.

ORIENT POINT COUNTY PARK

Credit: Joseph D. Sullivan

ORIENT POINT COUNTY PARK, end of Route 25 near the Orient Point ferry, Orient, 631-854-4949, nwsdy.li/scparks Features 48 acres, mile-long beach, 1⁄2-mile trail, bird-watching.

Otis Pike Fire Island High Dune Wilderness

Credit: Newsday / John Paraskevas

OTIS PIKE PRESERVE AND PECONIC HEADWATERS NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT AREA, between Route 25A and Long Island Expressway, Calverton, 631-444-0270, nwsdy.li/otispp Season All year except during Jan. deer season, seasonal access permits available from state DEC. Daily hunting access permit (free) required Nov.-Dec. and Jan. deer hunting season. Features 4,500 acres of pine and oak forest, fields, wetlands, ponds. Peconic River runs through area. Bird-watching, fishing and canoeing. Unmarked roads and trails. Hunters may be present.

Peter J. Schmitt Massapequa Preserve

Credit: Brittany Wait

PETER J. SCHMITT MASSAPEQUA PRESERVE, Merrick Road and Ocean Avenue, Massapequa Park, 516-572-0200, nassaucountyny.gov Season All year. Features 423 acres of freshwater wetlands; 4 ½ miles of Bethpage bikeway (starts south of Merrick Road to Bethpage State Park), 5 miles of the Greenbelt hiking trail.

Poxabogue County Park

Credit: Daniel Brennan

POXABOGUE COUNTY PARK, Old Farm Road, Bridgehampton, nwsdy.li/scparks, 631-854-4949, Features 26 acres, ½-mile nature walk; winter waterfowl.

Prosser Pines County Park

Credit: Carl Corry

PROSSER PINES COUNTY PARK, Yaphank-Middle Island Road, Middle Island, 631-854-4949, nwsdy.li/scparks Features 56 acres; white pine; trails, bird-watching.

Quogue Wildlife Refuge

Credit: Randee Daddona

QUOGUE WILDLIFE REFUGE, 3 Old Country Rd., Quogue, 631-653-4771, quoguewildliferefuge.org Features 305 acres, 7 miles of trails; outdoor wildlife complex; all-year ice harvesting exhibit. Nature center, library (11 a.m.-4 p.m. Tue., Thur., Sat. and Sun); summer camp for grades pre k-10th. Trails open sunrise to sunset. Free, no dogs.

Robert Cushman Murphy County Park

Credit: Ian J. Stark

ROBERT CUSHMAN MURPHY COUNTY PARK, off River Road at Swan Pond, Manorville, 631-854-4949, nwsdy.li/scparks Features 2,200 acres, bird-watching, fishing (license needed) on Swan Pond (free canoe ramp).

Rocky Point Natural Resources Management Area

Credit: Ian J. Stark

ROCKY POINT NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT AREA, between Routes 25 and 25A, Rocky Point, 631-444-0270, nwsdy.li/rppbarrens Season All year except in Jan. deer season. Access is by seasonal permit from state DEC and a daily- access hunting permit Nov.-Jan. (free). Features 5,800 acres, pitch pine and oak, 13.8 miles of trails, trailhead for Paumanok Path to Montauk Point (suffolkcountyny.gov), 6½ miles of bridle trails, 30 miles of bike trails (April 1-Oct. 31).

Sands Point Preserve

Credit: Ken Spencer

SANDS POINT PRESERVE, 127 Middle Neck Rd., Sands Point, thesandspointpreserve.org, 516-571-7901 Features Nature programs, fitness activities, cultural arts and historic mansions: Hempstead House, Castle Gould and Falaise on 216 acres; wooded trails, beachfront, pond

Sans Souci County Park

Credit: Ian J. Stark

SANS SOUCI COUNTY PARK, Broadway Avenue, Sayville, 631-854-4949, nwsdy.li/scparks Features 316-acre nature preserve featuring bird watching and hiking; educational trail markers.

Stillwell Woods Preserve

Credit: Ian J. Stark

STILLWELL WOODS PRESERVE, South Woods Road, Syosset, nwsdy.li/stillwell Features 270 acres. Greenbelt Trail; bike and equestrian trails.

Suffolk Hills County Park

Credit: Ian J. Stark

Off County Road 51, Riverhead, suffolkcountyny.gov/parks, 631-854-4949. Features 985 acres; site of Bald Hill, highest point on the East End; bow deer hunting in season.

Tackapausha Museum and Preserve

TACKAPAUSHA MUSEUM AND PRESERVE, 2225 Washington Ave., Seaford, 516-571-7443, nassaucountyny.gov Hours Museum: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Thur.-Sun.; Preserve: Sunrise to sunset. Features 84 acres, natural history museum, 5 miles of nature trails. More than 170 species of birds in spring.

Tanglewood Preserve

Credit: Center for Science Learning and

TANGLEWOOD PRESERVE, 1450 Tanglewood Rd., Rockville Centre, 516-764-0045, cstl.org Features 17 acres, two ponds and home of the Center for Science Teaching and Learning.

Terrell River County Park

Credit: Ian J. Stark

TERRELL RIVER COUNTY PARK, off Montauk Highway, Center Moriches, 631-854-4949, nwsdy.li/scparks Features 260 acres; hiking trails, bird-watching.

Tiffany Creek Preserve

Credit: Ian J. Stark

TIFFANY CREEK PRESERVE, Sandy Hill Road, Oyster Bay, nwsdy.li/tiffcreek Features 197 acres, oak forest; trails.

Twin Lakes Preserve

Credit: Photo by Julie Cappiello

TWIN LAKES PRESERVE, Old Mill Road, Wantagh, 516-766-1580, nwsdy.li/twinlakes Features 57 acres; red maple, sweet gum, hawthorn, sycamore, tulip trees; freshwater fishing; 4 ponds; birding.

Uplands Farm Sanctuary

Credit: Meghan Giannotta

UPLANDS FARM SANCTUARY, 250 Lawrence Hill Rd., Cold Spring Harbor, 631-367-3225, nature.org/longisland Features 97 acres of old fields, deciduous hardwoods, grasslands. Marked hiking trails, daily from dawn to dusk.

Welwyn Preserve

Credit: Michael E. Ach

WELWYN PRESERVE, Crescent Beach and New Woods Road, Glen Cove, 516-572-0200, nwsdy.li/welwyn Features 204 acres, four trails in a swamp forest of tulip trees. Home to the Holocaust Memorial and Educational Center.

Westhampton Management Area

Credit: Ian J. Stark

WESTHAMPTON MANAGEMENT AREA, Route 31 between Suffolk County Airport and Sunrise Highway, Westhampton, 631-444-0270, nwsdy.li/whma. Season All year except Jan. deer hunting season. Access by State DEC permit (free). Features 420 acres of dwarf pitch pine and scrub oak.

William Cullen Bryant Preserve

Credit: Meghan Giannotta

WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT PRESERVE, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn, 516-768-1542, nwsdy.li/wcb Features 145 acres with sculptures and formal gardens; home to the Nassau County Museum of Art.


Preserves Not Pictured:

Goldsmith's Inlet County Park, off Mill Road, Peconic, 631-854-4949, nwsdy.li/scparks. Season- All year. Features- 60 acres; 1/2-mile hiking trail leads to Long Island Sound.


KINGS PARK UNIQUE AREA PRESERVE, Meadow Road, Kings Park, 631-444-0270, nwsdy.li/kparea Features Access by permit from New York State DEC. Hiking, bow hunting and wildlife viewing; 69 acres, 0.3-mile accessible trail and 1.1-mile hiking loop. LINDA GRONLUND MEMORIAL NATURE PRESERVE AT BARCELONA NECK, Route 114, Sag Harbor, 631-444-0270, nwsdy.li/lgpreserve Season All year except Jan. (deer season). Features 300 acres of woodlands and tidal marshes, fresh and tidal wetlands; 4 miles marked hiking trails; bird-watching. Hunters may be present.smith


Smithtown Greenbelt County Park, off Route 347 at Nissequogue River, Smithtown, 631-854-4949, nwsdy.li/scparks. Season- All year. Features- 118 acres, part of Greenbelt Trailer.


WAWAPEK PRESERVE, Mowbray Lane North, Cold Spring Harbor, 516-922-1028, northshorelandalliance.org Features 32-acres opened to the public in June 2015; predominantly forest with a central trail and contains remnants of a Colonial garden with specimen trees. Small parking area on Mowbray Lane North in Cold Spring Harbor.

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