Four Choice Places to Hike on the East End
Can anything beat the tranquility of a hike in the Hamptons? Below is a sampling of popular East End trails. For more, check out southamptontrails.org, ehtps.org or montauktrails.com.
Sears Bellows County Park
This trail system attracts hikers, horseback riders and bikers. Rowboat rentals and campsites are also available. Freshwater fishing is permitted, too. Bellows Pond Road, Hampton Bays
Emma Rose Elliston Park
This bird and wildlife sanctuary on the shore of Big Fresh Pond offers a short hiking trail through native trees and a footbridge over a stream. Parking at Elliston Park is for Southampton Town residents only. If you’re not one, head down the road to the Scott’s Road intersection to park. Enter at Wolf Swamp, another well-marked loop trail connected to more challenging trails. 40 Millstone Brook Road, Southampton
Cedar Point County Park
The 607-acre preserve offers gorgeous views of Gardiner’s Bay, picnic areas, boat rentals, nature trails, surfcasting and camping areas. The Cedar Point Lighthouse, built on an offshore island, was once a guide for whaling ships. The 1938 hurricane transformed the shore, connecting the lighthouse to the mainland. Great for families, the park has a general store and snack bar. Cedar Point Road, Northwest Harbor
Cranberry Bog Preserve
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, the wetlands of eastern Long Island were harvested as cranberry bogs. At one time Suffolk County was the third-largest producer of cranberries in the U.S. at 390 acres. Take a walk on the trail around Sweezy Pond, where you’ll see remains of a pump house from the days of the cranberry business, sights of Little Peconic River, various plants and wildlife. Riverhead Moriches Road, Riverhead