Caumsett State Park awarded $100,000 for trail restoration

A popular walking trail in Caumsett State Historic Park Preserve in Lloyd Harbor is about to be renovated thanks to a $100,000 state grant.

The Caumsett Foundation has been awarded the money from the Park and Trail Partnership Grant program to restore the historic Fresh Pond Trail, which has been closed since August 2022.

Originally constructed in the 1920s, the trail serves as an access point from the Main House down to the 14-acre Fresh Pond, according to the foundation’s website.

Access to the pond was closed because of erosion created by heavy foot traffic on the steep hill between the Main House and the pond. The foot traffic increased during the pandemic, which exacerbated the situation, said George Gorman, Long Island regional director of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation.

More visitors to the trail compacted the soil, which in turn created conditions that pushed the soil downhill toward the pond and helped eliminate the native grasslands.

The plan is to restore two paths along the slope, stabilizing it and bringing back native plants, Gorman said. An educational viewing site is also planned.

“It’s a great stabilization project,” Gorman said. “Going down that slope is dangerous; that’s why it was closed off. This will open up that area of the park so park visitors going down to the beachfront can enjoy a nice, pleasant walk.”

The Foundation will formally receive the award at a ceremony Thursday. It will supplement the grant with $169,000 in private funds. 

The Park and Trail Partnership Grants program was established in 2015 and supports nonprofit organizations in maintaining, improving and promoting the state’s public lands, according to its website.

The grants program is administered by Parks & Trails New York with the state Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation and the Department of Environmental Conservation.

The program has awarded over $12.1 million in funding since it was established, said Jonathan Duda, its grants manager, adding that the program is funded by the state.

This is the second grant the program has bestowed upon the Caumsett Foundation for restoration of the trials. A $55,000 grant was awarded for design plans for the project in 2022, Duda said.

“What we really like is that this is the physical portion of something we already funded, which is always a plus," Duda said. "We like to see the plans being carried out into reality.”

Gordon said the project is expected to begin this summer and be completed by year's end.

By Deborah S. Morris

deborah.morris@newsday.comdsvmorris

Deborah Morris is a native Long Islander and covers the town of Huntington.