Update: Long Island outdoor/hiking/nature

[Bob W]

My job in New York may be extended for a few days, which leaves me 'stuck' on Long Island for the weekend. Anyone have recommendations for state parks, ocean front areas, nature reserves, etc. for some outdoor time, hiking, walking, photography, etc.?

Specifically, I'm in central Long Island near Coram and Stony Brook.

I was concerned that, being a weekend, all of the parks would be crammed chuck full of people from the city. But the weather is supposed to be cool and rainy so maybe the hoards of people won't be too bad.

So how 'bout it, any recommendations?

 

[Bob W]

80 views and no comments. Guess Long Island is such a desolate remote wilderness that not many people venture there.

The weather today was miserable, 45 degrees and raining nonstop. The weather that I hoped would keep the crowds away mostly succeeded in keeping me away. Plus I was under the weather with a migraine until late this afternoon.

Going to give it a fresh shot tomorrow. Supposed to be cold and windy, but no rain. I have a couple of north shore parks picked out that may or may not offer some outdoor opportunities. So instead of getting recommendations, I'll post some reviews and hopefully a picture or two and let you know what's around here.

 

[Bob W]

UPDATE:

Eight million people all crammed on an island, only 50 miles from New York City, a Sunday at the near-peak of fall colors, and with very little public land or parks to go around... I wasn't expecting much in the way of an authentic outdoor experience. At best case I was hoping to find a nature reserve with an available parking space or an oceanfront area that wasn't literally shoulder-to-shoulder with people.
So it sure was a pleasant surprise, still don't believe it, to find a public access area with hours of complete solitude. Probably the weather had something to do with it, and the lack of publicity (quite an unwelcoming park area, to be honest), explains the anomaly.

Then I headed to a second area, a very small National Wildlife Refuge, in time for a late afternoon walk on the limited hiking trails. Only a couple of other cars there even though the sun had nearly come out and the temperature had warmed.

I'll have to give more details and post up some pics later when I have time to crop and edit them. :thumbup:

 

[president ebrmc]

I grew up at the base of janes hill in huntington station.
Had some great hikes up there running around.

 

[president ebrmc]

Jaynes

 

[Bob W]

The first potential outdoor area visited appears on Google Maps as "MCAllister County Park." It's just east of Port Jefferson, the entrance to the harbor. The area consists of a long cobble/sand beach, cobble and sand dunes, ruins of an old load-out of some sort, and a tidal marsh area. The main park feature is a nicely-landscaped overlook and circle turnaround. Of course there are "NO Parking Anywhere" signs everywhere, making it impossible to actually stop and view the overlook, and cameras in the trees making sure no one disobeys the signs. Access to the mapped park is limited to four parking spaces on a side street, where more posted signs offer this friendly and inviting information, "Residents Only."

According to ArcGIS software, a loop hike around the park measures 3-1/4 miles. All together I spent perhaps 3 hours in the park and there was not a single other person in the area the entire time. Although there are houses nearby (historic estates and modern "McMansion" monstrosities), the area certainly offers solitude and independent wandering opportunity.

 

[Bob W]

The second area that looked worth checking out is a very small bit of federal land called the Target Rock National Wildlife Refuge. It's quite a bit west of the first park, and near a town/area called Lloyd's Harbor. At only 80 acres, the main attraction (I thought) was the Target Rock itself. Imagine a geologic feature so outstanding that the entire Refuge is named after it...
And imagine my disappointment at learning that Target Rock is a boulder only slightly larger than all of the other cobbles and boulders in the area.

I drove an hour each way through heavy traffic to see this?

Still, the walk to the waterfront was nice.

 

[lazy otter]

Looks like you found some nice spots! Cool to see pics from that area definitły different! Looks cool!

 

[FeralGentleman]

Glad you were able to find some quiet spots. Unfortunately the traffic keeps me away from LI so I could not offer any suggestions.

 

[Bob W]

Glad you were able to find some quiet spots. Unfortunately the traffic keeps me away from LI so I could not offer any suggestions.

It's not so bad getting there via Staten Island. Some of the guys at the job would come and go using the ferry to Connecticut.