Here are the top pedestrian paths on Long Island to take a spring hike on!
BAYARD CUTTING ARBORETUM
Address: 440 Montauk Hwy., Great River, bayardcuttingarboretum.com
Length: 2.3 Miles
About: This 691-acre state park blooms with gorgeous flowers in the spring, and overlooks the Connetquot River.
BROOKHAVEN TRAIL
Address: 2500 William Floyd Pkwy., Ridge, parks.ny.gov/parks/brookhaven
Length: 3.9 Miles
About: Perfect during every season, Brookhaven State Park’s Pine Barrens and wetland scenery provide a unique experience.
CEDAR CREEK PATH
Address: 3340 Merrick Rd., Seaford, nassaucountyny.gov/2792/Cedar-Creek-Park
Length: 9.2 Miles
About: The Ellen Farrant Memorial Bikeway is a paved path that parallels Wantagh State Parkway, from Cedar Creek Park to Jones Beach. To one side is the highway and to the East are marshes, waterways and tidal flats, as well as lush greenery.
COLD SPRING HARBOR TRAIL
Address: 95 Harbor Rd., Cold Spring Harbor, parks.ny.gov/parks/coldspringharbor
Length: 5.4 Miles
About: The Cold Spring Harbor trail to Uplands Farm Sanctuary, also known as the Nassau-Suffolk Greenbelt Trail, is known as one of Long Island’s toughest.
FLOWER HILL VILLAGE PARK
Address: For Main Trail: Webster Ave Bridge, Bridge Road, Manhasset, villageflowerhill.org/flower-hill-historic-trail
Length: 16.8 Miles
About: The quaint village of Flower Hill boasts a variety of trails, with the chief one being the main route.
HITHER HILLS LOOP TRAIL
Address: 164 Old Montauk Hwy., Montauk, parks.ny.gov/parks/hitherhills
Length: 8.2 Miles
About: Hither Hills State Park offers visitors scenic picnic areas and fireplaces, sport fishing, a sandy ocean beach, a 168-site campground on the ocean, and unique walking dunes. The nearby woodlands are filled with Russian olive and oak trees.
MASSAPEQUA LAKE TRAIL
Address: The Intersection of Ocean Ave and Merrick Road, Massapequa, themassapequas.com/massapequa-preserve-overview
Length: 6.3 Miles
About: Features several rivers and a lake with an abundance of ducks and other waterfowl. There is also an option to go off the paved trail onto a dirt trail.
MONTAUK POINT LOOP
Address: 1995 Montauk Point State Pkwy., Montauk, parks.ny.gov/parks/montaukpoint
Length: 5.92 Miles
About: See the iconic Montauk Point Lighthouse during this leisurely hike through the easternmost part of the Island.
OCEAN PARKWAY PATH
Address: Jones Beach Field 5, Off of Wantagh State Parkway, traillink.com/trail/ocean-parkway-coastal-greenway
Length: 20 Miles
About: This walk is long, but is peppered with bathrooms, restaurants, and beach access, so you can take your time.
SAGAMORE HILL NATURE LOOP TRAIL
Address: 12 Sagamore Hill Rd., Oyster Bay, nps.gov/thingstodo/hike-sagamore-hill-s-nature-trail
Length: 0.7 Miles
About: Take a walk in the footsteps of President Theodore Roosevelt, and explore the woodlands and beach of Sagamore Hill on this easy nature trail, with sights including an oak-tulip forest, a salt marsh and beach, and a variety of wildlife, such as songbirds, herons, egrets, osprey, bald eagles, fiddler crabs, white-tailed deer, and ducks.
SANDS POINT PRESERVE LOOP TRAIL
Address: 127 Middle Neck Rd., Sands Point, sandspointpreserveconservancy.org
Length: 1.9 Miles
About: Get an amazing look at Hempstead House, also known as the Gould-Guggenheim Estate or Sands Point Preserve, the large, castle-like estate built for Howard Gould and completed for Daniel Guggenheim in 1912.
STUMP POND LOOP TRAIL
Address: Veterans Memorial Highway, Smithtown, suffolkcountyny.gov/Departments/Parks/Our-Parks/Blydenburgh-County-Park
Length: 6.1 Miles
About: The Stump Pond boardwalk encloses the trail within Blydenburgh State Park. The park rents classic rowboats and allows for your dogs to run off-leash, while the trail runs along adjacent horse trails.
THE SUNKEN FOREST AT SAILORS HAVEN
Address: Across the Great South Bay, From Sayville, nps.gov/fiis/planyourvisit/sunken-forest
Length:1.5 Miles
About: The Sunken Forest at Sailer’s Haven, Fire Island, is filled with lush vegetation and leads you to the pristine beaches of the Fire Island National Seashore.
