4 parks that transform for free winter fun on Long Island
Denise DiLiberti and Thad Demos, of Seaford, ski on fresh snow with fellow members of the Long Island Cross Country Ski Club during an outing at Bethpage State Park in Farmingdale. Credit: Daniel Brennan
Get ready for red cheeks, hot cocoa and outdoor adventures unique to a Long Island winter. When the snow piles up and temps plunge, Long Island state parks turn into winter wonderlands where you can glide over hills on a legendary golf course, ice skate on a scenic pond, or trek through silent snow-covered, wildlife-filled woods.
Here are state parks that, under the right conditions, turn into free-admission winter fun zones.
If you like trekking through wintry scenery
Peep birds at Connetquot River State Park Preserve in Oakdale.
Connetquot River State Park and Preserve, Oakdale
"Connetquot is beautiful in every season, but the winter is a special time," park manager Susanne Wuehler says of the 3,500-acre preserve where snow sets the scene for hiking, cross-country skiing and snowshoe trekking.
The preserve’s 50 miles of trails run through pine barrens, oak forests and maple-tree-covered wetlands. In winter, "the air is crisp and cool, the trees have lost their leaves and lay dormant, so you can get a glimpse deep into the forest," Wuehler says.
For winter sports enthusiasts, "gliding on top of skis or crunching through the snow with snowshoes awakens all your senses and is exhilarating," Wuehler adds.
Bring along field glasses to spot deer, red fox, wild turkey, hawks, woodpeckers, waterfowl and other winter wildlife. Brook and rainbow trout play year-round in the raceways at the preserve’s historic fish hatchery.
INFO: 631-581-1005, parks.ny.gov/parks/connetquotriver. Open Tuesday to Sunday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nature Museum open Tuesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sign up for interpretive programs and tours at parks.ny.gov Call 631-581-1005 for trail conditions.
If you’re a year-round beach lover
Kathie and Bob Juergens, of Merrick, take a winter walk on the boardwalk at Jones Beach. Credit: David L. Pokress/David L. Pokress
Jones Beach State Park, Wantagh
Here’s a fun fact: Winter is the only season when you can see sunrise and sunset over the ocean at Jones Beach State Park, says George Gorman Jr., regional director of the state parks office. Winter also turns the 6.5-mile beachfront into a living nature exhibit where beachcombers can collect starfish, crabs and seashells that wash up from the surf onto the sand, Gorman says.
For more science lessons, this is the first winter that the new Jones Beach Nature & Energy Center is fully accessible since it debuted in late 2020, Gorman says. Exhibits exploring the interplay between human action, energy use and environmental conservation can be visited as long as you wear a face covering. Behind the center, a new nature trail runs through the dunes area and beachfront affording views of the "coastal environment, the ocean and the wind-driven dunes," Gorman adds.
INFO: 516-785-1600, parks.ny.gov/parks/jonesbeach. Jones Beach Nature & Energy Center, 150 Bay Pkwy., West End 2, 516-809-8222, jonesbeachenc.org. The center offers educator-guided seal walks, $4 per person, register (required) at jonesbeachenc.org/programs, 516-809-8222.
If it snows (a lot)
Bethpage State Park, Farmingdale
Soaring over snow-covered hills is a quintessential Long Island thrill when the right conditions turn the park’s championship golf course into a winter fun zone.
When the hills are completely covered with a minimum of three to six inches of snow, sledding is permitted around the first holes of Bethpage’s Red and Green golf courses, says Scott Matson, park director. Only steerable sleds can be used, Matson says. "Nothing inflatable is permitted."
Snowboarders have their own hills to perfect Olympic skills, with that sport designated for the area around the 18th hole of the Green course, Matson says.
Safe conditions also depend on wind direction and snow cleanup, so call the park office ahead for up-to-date information and opening times. Refreshments and restrooms will be open for rest stops in the park clubhouse.
INFO: 516-249-0701, parks.ny.gov/parks
If you want to skate on a scenic pond
Jack Flatley, of Rockville Centre, left, and Richard Guido, of Long Beach, go after the puck as they play ice hockey on McDonald Pond in Hempstead Lake State Park. Credit: Barry Sloan
Hempstead Lake State Park, West Hempstead
McDonald Pond doesn’t open for ice skating very often — the last time was about three years ago, according to state parks officials — but when the ice thickens to six inches, skaters can indeed lace up and do figure eights on the natural one-acre rink.
Ice hockey is also allowed, "if it isn’t too crowded and depending on how much ice is open/safe for skating," says Jessica Anderson-Ruiz, director of recreation services.
You’ll need to bring your own equipment (no rentals are available) and follow CDC guidelines at the park.
INFO: 516-766-1029, parks.ny.gov
