Natural Areas of the South Shore of Long Island

Long Island Greenbelt Trail
(Great River, East Islip, Oakdale and Islandia)

On the 34-mile Long Island Greenbelt Trail, you can actually walk almost entirely within woods, from the Long Island Sound to the South Shore Estuary Reserve. About 12.5 miles of this long-distance trail lies within the watershed of the South Shore Estuary. In this stretch, it passes through five parks: Heckscher State Park (and the Heckscher State Parkway corridor); Bayard Cutting Arboretum; Connetquot River State Preserve, Lakeland County Park, and Islip Greenbelt County Preserve.

Of course, you don’t have to walk a long distance on the trail. In this guide, we suggest return loops for the three major parks it passes through (see those descriptions). The other ideal way is to use two cars to enable you to walk a longer distance one way, without the need to back track on the same trail. Drive one car to your end point, and drive the second car to where you start.

First, contact the Long Island Greenbelt Trail Conference to purchase up-to-date trail maps and membership information: (631) 360-0753, 23 Deer Path Road, Central Islip, NY 11722-3404.

Heckscher to Connetquot Section
The first suggested two-car route is from Heckscher State Park to Connetquot River State Park (5.9 miles). Remember that Connetquot is closed on Mondays. Park your “exit” car at Connetquot River State Park (see that park for directions, including calling in advance for a visitor permit). Drive your second car back to Sunrise Highway west, and then take Southern State/Heckscher Parkway south to Heckscher State Park. Obtain a map and park at Parking Field 8 in Heckscher Park (when the field is closed you must use Field 7 which is unmarked). Park in the southeast corner of the parking lot (far left corner when facing the bay). Look for the sign “Pedestrian Path, No Motor Vehicles Permitted.”

Starting at the Southern Approach: This is a sand trail. In 200 feet, you see large posts with white blazes. You travel through handsome maritime prairie with patches of bayberry, pitch pine and beautiful beach heather. The northward trail parallels Nicoll Bay for a mile before turning west.

About 1.4 miles from where you started, you reach the blue-blazed Timber Point Trail. This trail heads to the right (east) and in 0.3 mile, reaches the canal at the West Marina at Timber Point. This is an alternate place where you can park your car.

In a half-mile from the Timber Point Trail junction, you enter the park’s camping area. Make sure to follow the white-blazes as you pass through the campground. Soon you pass a tall water tower. You leave the park where pines and American holly become common. Soon you cross Timber Point Road (2.1 miles from your start). Follow the parkway ramp shoulder until the trail enters the woods.

For the next 1.4-mile, you pass through the narrow right-of-way along Heckscher Parkway. But treats are in store for you. Watch for osprey and their nests along the route, and displays of wildflowers. After crossing a stream near the end of the parkway stretch, you enter Bayard Cutting Arboretum property, though there is no sign to tell you. You emerge onto the intersection of Montauk Highway (Route 27A) and Connetquot Avenue/Great River Road. Cross at the traffic lights to the northeast corner of the intersection. Continue north paralleling Connetquot Avenue.

Shortly after, cross Union Boulevard. Now you pass through a beautiful white pine plantation called “The Pines.” Carefully follow the blazes through this pine woods as you head east and northeast. Soon you reach Montauk Highway (Route 27A) again. The entrance to Bayard Cutting Arboretum (the formal gardens) is across the street. You may want to include its beautiful landscaped trails as a side trip. It is separately described ahead. The trail heads north via Montauk Highway, going up and over the Long Island Railroad tracks.

The trail passes through a brushy meadow area that was once the Westbrook Farm, which raised racing horses. A sign announces you are passing along the Town of Islip’s Westbrook Soccer Fields. You cross Wheeler Road and in a ¼ mile, you reach the dam of West Brook Pond (4.9 miles from Heckscher State Park). This pond was once used for production of ice and for ice-skating in the old days.

The stretch along the pond’s east bank is especially scenic because of tall pines. In 0.3 mile, you go under Sunrise Highway (Route 27) by crossing a catwalk. You soon reach a wooden platform overlooking Westbrook Pond. A few minutes after leaving the pond, you exit Arboretum land and enter Connetquot River State Park. A bit further, you arrive at your car.

Connetquot to Islip Greenbelt Preserve Section
To hike the second two-car route, drop your “exit” car off at the Terry Road access to Islip Greenbelt County Preserve, just north of the Long Island Expressway. To get there, take the Long Island Expressway to exit 58. Take the eastbound Service Road to Terry Road. Turn left onto Terry Road. Cross under the expressway. In exactly 0.2 mile, park where power lines cross the road. (A third longer option is to combine the two routes for a 12-mile one-way hike from Heckscher State Park to Terry Road. This means you would traverse the entire length of the Connetquot River!) For this leg of the trail, park your “start” car at Connetquot River State Park.

Starting at the Southern Approach: Before you set off on the trail, make sure to check out the huge, historic park building. It was the Southside Sportsmen’s Club before this became a park. Before that, it was a country inn and stagecoach stop. Part of the building was built in 1820. It is now the park’s headquarters, museum and educational classroom. Next to it is Oakdale Grist Mill, built in 1760.

Find the trail behind the headquarters where it follows a paved road, Hatchery Road, northward. Look for the crossing about halfway between the stables and the hatchery. The trail runs north along the east side of Hatchery Road. In about one mile you arrive at the fish hatchery, rest rooms and picnic tables. Be sure to check out the trout in the hatchery’s pools.

North of the restrooms, cross a creek channel, and ¾ mile from the hatchery, cross Connetquot River on Bunces Crossing. From here on, you are in classic Pine Barrens forest, one of the features that make this park famous. You are in the middle of the single largest expanse of wild land entirely within the South Shore Estuary Reserve’s watershed! Sense the solitude, even a feeling of having walked back into an earlier century.

In 1.75 mile, you cross (with great caution!) Veterans Highway. The trail now follows an old road made of crushed seashells (taken from Great South Bay). Soon you enter Dismal Swamp, crossing it on boardwalks. One mile from the last road, you go through a tunnel under the Long Island Railroad (10.1 miles from Heckscher State Park). On the other side, you have left the state park and entered Lakeland County Park. Walk around Honeysuckle Pond, the highest lake (elevation 43 feet) in the Connetquot River watershed. Only Carmans River penetrates further north within the South Shore Estuary watershed. When you cross over the brook before it enters the pond, compare it to where it enters Great South Bay, a half-mile wide. The trail joins a network of attractive boardwalks and emerges at rest rooms, a parking lot, and picnic tables.

The trail exits Lakeland County Park, then crosses Johnson Avenue. Between two houses, the trail re-enters the woods that are part of the 153-acre Islip Greenbelt County Preserve. This park was established for the sole purpose of ensuring a corridor for this trail. If you see a ditched brook, it is the headwaters of Connetquot River!

In 0.4 mile follow the chain link fence. In 0.3 mile, you reach the south service road of the Long Island Expressway between exits 58 and 59. Follow the service road east for 0.2 mile. When you reach Terry Road, turn left. Watch for white blazes on the telephone poles. After you cross under the Expressway, your car is a few minutes ahead. If you wish to go further, the Greenbelt Trail continues on Terry Road for 0.3 mile, before turning left (west) and following Long Island Power Authority right-of-way and power lines. Soon, it re-enters the woods near a scenic horse farm. In 0.4 mile, it crosses Old Nichols Road and re-enters woods within view of some greenhouses. Watch for wooden steps, which take you up a steep hill. You are climbing the Ronkonkoma Moraine, the gravel line of hills deposited by the Ice Age glaciers 15,000 years ago. Soon, you reach power lines. Turn around here, for you can see for several miles downhill toward the south shore. You are now at the furthest north the trail reaches before actually leaving the South Shore Estuary watershed. After this, it is “all downhill” to the Sound, 22 miles away!

Access Guide Introduction :: Map and Guide :: More Estuary Site Information
	Long Island Greenbelt Trail (Great River, East Islip, Oakdale and Islandia) On the 34-mile Long Island Greenbelt Trail, you can actually walk almost entirely within woods, from the Long Island Sound to the South Shore Estuary Reserve. About 12.5 miles of this long-distance trail lies within the watershed of the South Shore Estuary. In this stretch, it passes through five parks: Heckscher State Park (and the Heckscher State Parkway corridor); Bayard Cutting Arboretum; Connetquot River State Preserve, Lakeland County Park, and Islip Greenbelt County Preserve. Of course, you don’t have to walk a long distance on the trail. In this guide, we suggest return loops for the three major parks it passes through (see those descriptions). The other ideal way is to use two cars to enable you to walk a longer distance one way, without the need to back track on the same trail. Drive one car to your end point, and drive the second car to where you start. First, contact the Long Island Greenbelt Trail Conference to purchase up-to-date trail maps and membership information: (631) 360-0753, 23 Deer Path Road, Central Islip, NY 11722-3404. Heckscher to Connetquot Section The first suggested two-car route is from Heckscher State Park to Connetquot River State Park (5.9 miles). Remember that Connetquot is closed on Mondays. Park your “exit” car at Connetquot River State Park (see that park for directions, including calling in advance for a visitor permit). Drive your second car back to Sunrise Highway west, and then take Southern State/Heckscher Parkway south to Heckscher State Park. Obtain a map and park at Parking Field 8 in Heckscher Park (when the field is closed you must use Field 7 which is unmarked). Park in the southeast corner of the parking lot (far left corner when facing the bay). Look for the sign “Pedestrian Path, No Motor Vehicles Permitted.” Starting at the Southern Approach: This is a sand trail. In 200 feet, you see large posts with white blazes. You travel through handsome maritime prairie with patches of bayberry, pitch pine and beautiful beach heather. The northward trail parallels Nicoll Bay for a mile before turning west. About 1.4 miles from where you started, you reach the blue-blazed Timber Point Trail. This trail heads to the right (east) and in 0.3 mile, reaches the canal at the West Marina at Timber Point. This is an alternate place where you can park your car. In a half-mile from the Timber Point Trail junction, you enter the park’s camping area. Make sure to follow the white-blazes as you pass through the campground. Soon you pass a tall water tower. You leave the park where pines and American holly become common. Soon you cross Timber Point Road (2.1 miles from your start). Follow the parkway ramp shoulder until the trail enters the woods. For the next 1.4-mile, you pass through the narrow right-of-way along Heckscher Parkway. But treats are in store for you. Watch for osprey and their nests along the route, and displays of wildflowers. After crossing a stream near the end of the parkway stretch, you enter Bayard Cutting Arboretum property, though there is no sign to tell you. You emerge onto the intersection of Montauk Highway (Route 27A) and Connetquot Avenue/Great River Road. Cross at the traffic lights to the northeast corner of the intersection. Continue north paralleling Connetquot Avenue. Shortly after, cross Union Boulevard. Now you pass through a beautiful white pine plantation called “The Pines.” Carefully follow the blazes through this pine woods as you head east and northeast. Soon you reach Montauk Highway (Route 27A) again. The entrance to Bayard Cutting Arboretum (the formal gardens) is across the street. You may want to include its beautiful landscaped trails as a side trip. It is separately described ahead. The trail heads north via Montauk Highway, going up and over the Long Island Railroad tracks. The trail passes through a brushy meadow area that was once the Westbrook Farm, which raised racing horses. A sign announces you are passing along the Town of Islip’s Westbrook Soccer Fields. You cross Wheeler Road and in a ¼ mile, you reach the dam of West Brook Pond (4.9 miles from Heckscher State Park). This pond was once used for production of ice and for ice-skating in the old days. The stretch along the pond’s east bank is especially scenic because of tall pines. In 0.3 mile, you go under Sunrise Highway (Route 27) by crossing a catwalk. You soon reach a wooden platform overlooking Westbrook Pond. A few minutes after leaving the pond, you exit Arboretum land and enter Connetquot River State Park. A bit further, you arrive at your car. Connetquot to Islip Greenbelt Preserve Section To hike the second two-car route, drop your “exit” car off at the Terry Road access to Islip Greenbelt County Preserve, just north of the Long Island Expressway. To get there, take the Long Island Expressway to exit 58. Take the eastbound Service Road to Terry Road. Turn left onto Terry Road. Cross under the expressway. In exactly 0.2 mile, park where power lines cross the road. (A third longer option is to combine the two routes for a 12-mile one-way hike from Heckscher State Park to Terry Road. This means you would traverse the entire length of the Connetquot River!) For this leg of the trail, park your “start” car at Connetquot River State Park. Starting at the Southern Approach: Before you set off on the trail, make sure to check out the huge, historic park building. It was the Southside Sportsmen’s Club before this became a park. Before that, it was a country inn and stagecoach stop. Part of the building was built in 1820. It is now the park’s headquarters, museum and educational classroom. Next to it is Oakdale Grist Mill, built in 1760. Find the trail behind the headquarters where it follows a paved road, Hatchery Road, northward. Look for the crossing about halfway between the stables and the hatchery. The trail runs north along the east side of Hatchery Road. In about one mile you arrive at the fish hatchery, rest rooms and picnic tables. Be sure to check out the trout in the hatchery’s pools. North of the restrooms, cross a creek channel, and ¾ mile from the hatchery, cross Connetquot River on Bunces Crossing. From here on, you are in classic Pine Barrens forest, one of the features that make this park famous. You are in the middle of the single largest expanse of wild land entirely within the South Shore Estuary Reserve’s watershed! Sense the solitude, even a feeling of having walked back into an earlier century. In 1.75 mile, you cross (with great caution!) Veterans Highway. The trail now follows an old road made of crushed seashells (taken from Great South Bay). Soon you enter Dismal Swamp, crossing it on boardwalks. One mile from the last road, you go through a tunnel under the Long Island Railroad (10.1 miles from Heckscher State Park). On the other side, you have left the state park and entered Lakeland County Park. Walk around Honeysuckle Pond, the highest lake (elevation 43 feet) in the Connetquot River watershed. Only Carmans River penetrates further north within the South Shore Estuary watershed. When you cross over the brook before it enters the pond, compare it to where it enters Great South Bay, a half-mile wide. The trail joins a network of attractive boardwalks and emerges at rest rooms, a parking lot, and picnic tables. The trail exits Lakeland County Park, then crosses Johnson Avenue. Between two houses, the trail re-enters the woods that are part of the 153-acre Islip Greenbelt County Preserve. This park was established for the sole purpose of ensuring a corridor for this trail. If you see a ditched brook, it is the headwaters of Connetquot River! In 0.4 mile follow the chain link fence. In 0.3 mile, you reach the south service road of the Long Island Expressway between exits 58 and 59. Follow the service road east for 0.2 mile. When you reach Terry Road, turn left. Watch for white blazes on the telephone poles. After you cross under the Expressway, your car is a few minutes ahead. If you wish to go further, the Greenbelt Trail continues on Terry Road for 0.3 mile, before turning left (west) and following Long Island Power Authority right-of-way and power lines. Soon, it re-enters the woods near a scenic horse farm. In 0.4 mile, it crosses Old Nichols Road and re-enters woods within view of some greenhouses. Watch for wooden steps, which take you up a steep hill. You are climbing the Ronkonkoma Moraine, the gravel line of hills deposited by the Ice Age glaciers 15,000 years ago. Soon, you reach power lines. Turn around here, for you can see for several miles downhill toward the south shore. You are now at the furthest north the trail reaches before actually leaving the South Shore Estuary watershed. After this, it is “all downhill” to the Sound, 22 miles away!