Nassau-Suffolk Trail (Cold Spring Harbor to Merrick Rd, Seaford – 20 miles)

From steep hills to old fields to quiet wetlands, this 20-mile National Recreation Trail offers surprising diversity. From Cold Spring Harbor, where mountain laurels bloom in June, the trail crosses Long Island to Massapequa Preserve watershed, where dozens of species of birds stop on their fall and spring migrations. Paths for mountain biker’s parallel parts of this trail, and a loop in the Plainview area provides a connection with the Walt Whitman Trail.

3 Mile Hikes

• Walt Whitman Trail (3.7 mile loop) Walk in the footsteps of the poet himself. A network of linear and loop trails begins at the historic Whitman Birthplace in South Huntington and winds through nearby West Hills County Park. A popular 3.7-mile loop begins and ends at the Sweet Hollow Road picnic area. Gaze as Whitman did on a view of the ocean from the top of Jayne's Hill, the highest spot on Long Island. The network connects with our Nassau-Suffolk Trail, making possible walks in many combinations of length and difficulty.

5 Mile hikes

• Bethpage State Park trails: Start in the parking lot at the South end by the entrance road. Start at the RED trail and follow that counterclockwise to the southwest side of the park where you will intersect with the WHITE trail. Take the WHITE trail north. You will cross the ORANGE trail and then the ORANGE trail will run along the same route as the WHITE trail for a short distance. At that point continue along the ORANGE trail going clockwise around the park. The Orange trail ends at the RED trail. Go straight ahead on the RED trail back to the parking lot. Use the Avenza Map App and the LIGTC Bethpage map.

• Cold Spring Harbor & Uplands West Loop (4.8 miles). Start at Cold Spring State Park and follow the Nassau-Suffolk trail south (WHITE blaze). Cross Rt 108 and continue south until you connect with the Uplands Loop Trail (??? Blaze). Follow that loop around Uplands Nature Preserve and back to the Nassau-Suffolk trail (White blaze), Take that back north to the start.

• Caumsett State Park (5 Mile hike) Start out from parking lot and take dirt road by the booth up to Fisherman's Drive. Turn left and stay on Fisherman's Drive all the way to the end. You're now at the beach. Take steps down to the beach and go to the right all along the beach to the end of Caumsett property, then turn right. You'll pass a large pond and come out at the bottom of a steep hill with the mansion at the top. Go up this hill for great view of pond & Long Island Sound. From the mansion go left on the paved service road past the horse pastures to the parking lot. https://parks.ny.gov/parks/23/

• Planting Fields Arboretum (5 Mile Hike) Take Carsharlon Drive by the restrooms left to Memorial Trail entrance on the left. Take that to Oak Trail, turn right to Big Wash Trail. Turn left on Big Wash up to East Trail and go right From East Trail turn right on Little Wash Trail down to Lowland Trail. Turn right on Lowland to Big Wash Trail on your right. Go up to Oak Trail & turn left. Follow Oak to Steep Wash on your left and take that down hill. Watch for Zig Zag Trail on your right and take that to the Carsharlon Gates. Take the paved Carsharlon Drive back to the beginning. https://parks.ny.gov/historic-sites/24/details.aspx

10 mile hikes

• Trail View State Park parking lot on Rt 25 in Woodbury to Cold Spring Harbor. (11.5 miles round trip). The most scenic and hilly section of the trail. Follow the White blazes from the parking lot north to Cold Spring Harbor State Park and return. Use the Avenza Map APP and the LIGTC Cold Spring map.

15 Mile hikes

20 Mile hike

• Start at Cold Spring Harbor State Park. Take the NS trail (WHITE BLAZE) south to Washington Ave. Across Washington Ave and pick up the Blue Dot trail. Follow that counterclockwise back to the NS trail (WHITE BLAZE) and go back north to Cold Spring Harbor State Park.
• Start at the southern end of the NS trail in Massapequa Park at Merrick Rd. Go north following the WHITE BLAZES to Old Country Rd and return.
• Start at the southern end of the trail at Merrick Rd and go north on the WHITE blazed NS trail. In Bethpage State Park pick up the ORANGE trail and follow it east clockwise around the park. It ends at the RED trail. Continue straight ahead on the RED. The RED ends in the parking lot. Cross the entrance road to the parking lot and pick up the YELLOW-ORANGE DOT trail. Follow that back to the Nassau-Suffolk trail and head south. This option gives you a picnic area and bathrooms.
• Start at either end of the Nassau Suffolk trail and follow it to the opposite end.

Long Island Greenbelt Trail (Sunken Meadow State Park to Heckscher State Park – 32 miles)

Follow the courses of the Nissequogue and Connetquot rivers on all or part of a 32-mile adventure from Long Island Sound to Great South Bay. Bluffs and beaches, ponds and pines, history and diversity - this National Recreation Trail has it all. Pass through spectacular Sunken Meadow, Caleb Smith, Connetquot and Heckscher state parks, and traverse the Ronkonkoma Moraine - and stop in to visit us in our office at Blydenburgh County Park. Hikers have been enjoying this true cross-section of Long Island since 1978.

5 mile hikes

• Blydenburgh County Park – Stump Pond Loop (5.4 miles). Start at the Blydenburgh House. Stop in to the LIGTC office on weekends for a tour of the house (1 pm on Saturdays only) or to buy maps and patches. From the house head towards the pond and you will see the WHITE blazed Long Island Greenbelt trail. Turn left (east) and follow the WHITE blazes along edge of the pond. Just before the paved road (Brooksite Dr.) take the BLUE trail on the right. The BLUE trail heads west and loops around the pond connecting again with the Long Island Greenbelt trail (WHITE blaze). Turn right on the WHITE trail and follow it back to the Blydenburgh House.

10 Mile hikes

• Lakeland County Park to Connetquot River State Park Office and back (10.3 miles). This hike has bathrooms at each end (in season) and at the fish hatchery. Start at the parking lot in Lakeland County Park. Follow the WHITE blazes south to Connetquot State Park. The trail goes by Hidden Pond, crosses Vet’s Hwy and enters Connetquot River State Park. The trail passes through old pine and oak forests and along the Connetquot river and trout stream. Stop by the fish hatchery on the way to the park office.

15 mile hikes

• Heckscher State Park to Connetquot River State Park fish hatchery and back (15.8 miles). Start at Heckscher State Park field 7 and follow the Greenbelt trail north (WHITE blaze). A mostly level trail through oak and pine forests. One short section of road hiking by West Hills Park. Trail passes through the outer section of Bayard Cutting Arboretum with old stands of white pine. Exits onto Montauk Hwy and over the LIRR bridge to Westbrook Soccer field. Heading north you again enter a forest and field area, passing a very old American Basswood tree, and then travel along Westbrook Pond. At the northern end, you go under Sunrise Hwy on a narrow catwalk and then enter Connetquot River State Park. Continue along the WHITE trail to the Fish Hatchery. There are rest rooms at the hatchery and at the park office.

20 mile hikes

• Heckscher State Park to LIGTC offices at Blydenburgh County Park (22 miles).
• Lakeland Park to Sunken Meadow State Park trailhead (21 miles).

32 mile hike

• The entire length of the LI Greenbelt Trail.

Pine Barrens Trail (Rocky Point to Hampton Bay – 47 miles)

Leave suburbia behind and experience the "other Long Island" by exploring the heart of the nation's second-largest pine barrens. The 47-mile route from Rocky Point to Hampton Bays traverses pristine woodlands and passes rare coastal plan ponds. Opened in 1994, the Pine Barrens Trail offers unusual flora and fauna, excellent vistas and wonderful aromas.

5 mile hikes

• TRAIL CENTER LOOP: (5 miles) mostly flat. Hike a beautiful trail starting at the Greenbelt Trails Information Center, connecting to the Paumanok Path and looping back.
• PINE TRAIL OUT-AND-BACK (5.2 miles). A pine barrens walk to Sandy and Grassy Ponds and a little beyond, viewing burn areas from the 2012 wildfire, then returning on the same route.

10 mile hikes

• Rocky Point DEC Preserve loop trail (10.2 miles) Blue trail to Red trail or visa versa. Trailhead on Route 25A in Rocky Point.

15 mile hikes

20 mile hikes