Caumsett State Park

Caumsett State Park

25 Lloyd Harbor Road
Huntington, NY 11743
Phone: (631) 423-1770

Only recently have I discovered the hidden mysteries of the North Shore of Long Island. Like many Long Islanders, I knew that the North Shore is filled with affluent neighborhoods, where the value of a casual outfit is worth more than my total net worth. But I was unaware of the rich history here, of wealthy industrialists, bankers, and the likes building excessive mansions to house their massive egos. And as much as it is annoying to think of the poverty and despair that existed during these times, it is awesome to think of the lavish lives that these people lived. It also calls attention to the neglected North Shore of Long Island for its beauty. These people lived up here for a reason.

Caumsett State Park is an interesting drive. A drive through a Brooklyn-like, urban area of Huntington where the streets are filled with people shopping, talking, and enjoying the summer eventually transitions to an uppity area filled with restaurants with $35 appetizers, older women wearing clothes that are 30 years too young, and outdoor Dave Matthew cover bands. Oh yeah...and you have to stop in the middle of the street for jaywalking pedestrians. A quick left then a right and you are on a one lane road filled with beautiful homes, manicured lawns never touched by the owners, a police station whose most vicious crime was an "un-curbed dog," even a wonderful seminary. Eventually the road opens to wonderful vistas, semi-mountainous with odd Super Mario 2-like shrubs protruding from shallow waters. A bit further down the road and you are at the entrance, a time warp of sorts.

Caumsett State Park seems different from the other parks that I have visited. There is no grand entrance...no giant metal sign heralding its greatness...no giant parking lots where the heat blurs the actual amount of vehicles in the lot. You drive to a small parking lot. A large dairy barn can be seen from one angle, a fenced in garden from another. I am going to give you the "all-inclusive" path to follow. Actually, its a result of trial and error by Jess and I in terms of trying to figure out which way was the best. In my opinion, it gives the best overall view of the park in a two hour segment.

After parking in the main lot, walk past the collection booth down a dirt road. At the end, swing a right and continue walking across a large field. You will eventually hit a concrete path. Follow this path into the woods and after the path veers right, you will see some benches on the right and, a bit further up the road, a mini-hut with some park postings. You will see a path that heads back to the left, somewhat in the direction that you came. This is not the right path. Instead, look a bit to the right and you will see a path that heads into the woods (I believe there is a sign here prohibiting horses). Take this path. After a bit of hiking, you will see two giant water towers. Take the path to the right, which is in front of them. Follow this down to the bottom until you hit a clearing. Veer to the left and you will hit another path. Follow it to the left and you will find the promised land. All of a sudden a clearing will appear, where problems cease to exist. This is an ethereal spot; a spot for deep thought; a spot for playing your favorite song and thinking about life. Take a peek at the vivid views of Connecticut, of the beach, of nature. To the right, there is a stairway that heads to the beach. Follow it to the right (east) until you see a large, brick protrusion (reasons for this here have ranged from a place for cannons to a bizarre sex fetish spot - all speculatory of course). There is a path from the beach and make a left. Follow this sandy beach path around through the woods to a clearing where the mansion is in sight. Go up the massive hill (a horror in the summer), head around the mansion, and you are on the main path. You can follow this back to the main lot where your car is.
The beauty of Caumsett is the ability to traverse many areas unfettered. There are a multitude of small paths and interesting nuggets to be traversed. In addition to all of the great paths, there are a houses and mansions dotting the park. One of them, which is on the main path (or you will arrive there if you follow the above path we laid out) is quite majestic. I stood on the back porch of this mansion, admiring the view and wondered what it would have been like to live there "back in the day" to enjoy a coffee and a paper while admiring the view. I imagined a Christmas party, with decorations and food, with a light snowfall. It is impressive to say the least. Just make sure that you somehow make it to the shoreline. Bring a compass and make sure that you are headed north. The views here are tremendous.

Notes:
- Here is the link to the park's website for more specific information.
- As I had stated before, there is a lot of exploring to be done. Our description just gives a nice and scenic way to get to the north shore. Pack a lunch and do some exploring! We would love to hear about some new finds and paths.
- All photos seen here were taken by Dan.

Governor Alfred E. Smith/Sunken Meadow State Park

Governor Alfred E. Smith/Sunken Meadow State Park
Rte. 25A and Sunken Meadow Parkway (northern end of Sunken Meadow Parkway)
Kings Park, NY 11754
Phone: (631) 269-4333
Secondary Phone: (631) 269-5351
Vehicle Fees:
5/29 through 9/12 - $10
9/18 through 11/14 - $8
Unlimited access with Empire Pass



The ride north on the Sagtikos (however you say it) Parkway until the eventual flow into the Sunken Meadow Parkway is an ominous one but for no apparent reason. Once referred to as "Creepy Parkway" by a defensive driving instructor, there are quick glimpses of the ruins of Pilgrim Psych Center and the rusted signs that announce the exits to Pilgrim and Kings Park Hospitals. I guess if you spent time thinking...many people in the past may have realized at this point that thing were really going to suck for a while as they gazed from the passenger seats at these exit signs. But its true...the highways lend themselves to deep thought as you travel along mundane landscapes as the unpaved road underneath you hums a similar tune for miles. But like a beacon (or bacon) of hope, there is a glimpse of the magnificent Long Island Sound right before you get to a group of retro toll booths much unlike the wire shacks manned by angry college kids that "herald" the entrance to Jones Beach. It makes one think that way before the advent of I-Pads, wine-pairing dinners, and easy national and international travel via airplane, this was "the place to be" (if I may quote Frank Costanza).

I have always been a "South Shore" kind of guy. As I write that last sentence, I realize I have no idea what that means. I guess I refer to the beaches. But being overweight and pale, the beach oddly never appealed to me. However, I think that when one thinks of South Shore beaches, one thinks of miles of tree-less land, beautiful beaches, and slightly better parking than at Yankee Stadium. And this was the striking juxtaposition of the "North Shore" beach; lush greenery and forest, lush greenery and forest...BOOM...beach. And it really is just like that. You will drive amongst beautiful trees, park in the lot, and then be able to walk to a beach. For most of us South Shore people, this is quite odd. But this is where the "awesomeness" lies; you can hike for the day and then jump straight into a beautiful pool of water with no one else in sight. I will get into this more later.

You will drive not far from the entrance and see the picnic area to your right. Jess and I had lunch here one day. I actually had salami and provolone, a tribute to my ancestors came to America with a salami in one arm and a provolone (?) in the other. Either way, there are tons of picnic benches in a nice, shady wooded area. There are some concessions stands but they were not open so you should plan on bringing your own lunch just in case. I have to mention that the smells at this place would drive any foodie nuts. And if I had a big enough "set," I would have gone up to a ton of people to ask them what they were cooking. Jess and I were amazed by the mix of ethnicities here. People of all races and creeds were spending time relaxing with family and friends, taking advantage of the beauty of Long Island. It was, for a lack of a better word, "cool," since Long Island is so separate when it comes to neighborhoods. Some of the foods being grilled up were foreign to me but I would have loved to sample them. At many points, I was tempted to grab something from the grill and run away.

If you continue past the picnic area, you will cross a small bridge and be at the parking area for the beach. For our purposes, make a quick right into the picnic area and park there. Grab some lunch and then get ready to hike. Walk east past the picnic area and follow a path that gradually increases in grade until you reach a fence. This will take some navigating around a deep "hole" in the ground until you come around to the part of the trail where you walk way up above the Long Island Sound. It's a bit of a walk but eventually you will reach the area of Zen, seen below:
After a long hike, you will enter a clearing and will see this; a beautiful vista of the Sound. All of your hard work and sweat toiling through tight corners and dangerous, narrow corridors way above sea level will be worth it. Take a seat here; grab a Gatorade and eat an apple; ask yourself why people feel a need to leave Long Island for beautiful views and relaxation. Now, the best part; you will now head down a steep slope of soft dirt. If you have any sort of hockey skills, now is the time to use them. At the bottom, you will walk through the reeds to an inlet from the Sound and Nissequogue River. A shallow inlet of water separates you from the main beach. Jump in here - the water is warm, there is never more than a couple of people (and the occasional old dude with a Speedo), and the serenity is invigorating. You can float in the currents but be sure to wear flip-flops as the North Shore beaches are known for their rocky terrain beneath the water. I even floated in the warm water with a fellow explorer (Tony B's) in the midst of a storm, one that we found out that was much worse than we had thought and probably should not have been in the water.

You can traverse the inlet during low tide and walk along the beach until you reach the main beach. Or you can walk back along the inlet side to the parking area. There is some nice wildlife to be seen here. Eventually, you will find yourself on the other side of the beach. Walk along the left side of the parking lots and you will eventually see a bridge. Cross this bridge and you will be be back at the picnic area. You can eat again here - I probably would!

There is a list of quite a few other things that can be done at the park, including fishing and access to a golf course. I have to admit that this is one of those places that is an essential visit during the summer months. It lacks that burning sun/long lines/no space/coconut smell that permeates Jones Beach and Long Beach. It is a completely different experience. It is much more relaxed and, although at times can be crowded, it never seems like it is excessive. But I grew up in Queens and now live in a basement apartment. I appreciate things like this.

Notes:
- Visit the Governor Alfred E. Smith/Sunken Meadow State Park website for a list of all the activities that you can take part in here.
- Apparently, the Long Island Greenbelt Trail continues from Nissequogue Park along the beach to Sunken Meadow Park (not far from where you go from the trail to the water) but I have yet to find the connection. You can buy a map here but I am too cheap. I mean my dad had a marble notebook mapping out all the caves from the Nintendo game Ultima from years ago. The thrill is in the chase, the unknown.
- I would like to organize a group trip here next year for some grilling and chilling. Many people set up shop a few steps from the beach - It would please even the crabbiest of people. This would be the ultimate day-trip experience.
- All photos seen here were taken by Dan.

Nissequogue River State Park

Nissequogue River State Park
799 St. Johnland Road, Kings Park, NY 11754
$8 Car Entrance Fee (during the spring and summer months)

There are certain times where the preservation of land for the use of recreation by the public makes a tremendous amount of sense. One’s thoughts on this topic will most definitely vary by where one lives and how much space is available to “get out and enjoy the outdoors.” For those who live in small apartments with little light, having the opportunity to spend a day at the park is more than a necessity. The name of this park is misleading; yes, it does access the Nissequogue River but most of the park consists of the abandoned Kings Park Psychiatric Center which closed its doors in December of 1996. One building remains occupied, run by the Pilgrim Psychiatric facility.

I am not really sure how to put to words the emotions and feelings that one gets when visiting this park. The first thing that hits you is the sheer magnitude of the facility, how many buildings exist which all served the purpose of rehabilitating (?) those with severe disabilities. Kings Park existed during a time when “warehousing” those with severe disabilities seemed like the only option, where jamming as many people as humanly possible into buildings served the purpose of getting these people out of society. I think it is important that I mention that I speak historically as I have read many accounts and am completely sickened by the ways things were. As a counterpoint, most of these large facilities were extremely understaffed and it is a shame that the stories of abuse overshadow the stories of employees who truly worked on rehabilitation and getting patients back into society.

As you wander around the main section of the park, it is like visiting Chernobyl. Once a place filled with humans is now abandoned yet the historical significance remains. Doctors and nurses lived here. For a long period of time, this facility was self-sufficient with its own power, water, and even food. This is not a park to visit for a picnic. Rather, it is a place to go for contemplation about one’s own existence.

This is the place to go to with your I-Pod with a familiar, contemplative song on loop (I like Shadez of Brooklyn’s “Change (instrumental)” or Bobby Hutcherson’s “Montara”). Wander around the main section of the park, examine the buildings, and imagine what had gone on there. Revel in irony as you reach the bluff where panoramic vistas of the Long Island Sound are quickly shrouded by boarded windows, crumbling brick, and the musty smell of urban decay. Take a seat on a bench on the now defunct Soundview Court, watch the birds, and think about life in general as you stare at Building 93 looming in the distance. Imagine a day in the life here. Imagine your day in a life here.

Spending a day here on a humid July afternoon will give you perspective. There is access to the Long Island Greenbelt Trail and there are some interesting nuggets along this trail such as building foundations, chairs, and other items representing buildings since destroyed before worries of asbestosis. Walk back to your car and stare in amazement at the window boards of some of the buildings (plywood boards over the windows to prevent vandalism and trespassing) as they display the artwork of children in an effort to soften the “edges’ of the place. Take a peek at the medical/surgical building, notice the gated-in fire escapes rusting, and ponder the many then-breakthrough electro-shock treatments and lobotomies that took place there. A quick turn to the left and you are at a playground. Sit on the slide and wonder, “What the #$%& were they thinking?” Exit the park on Kings Park Boulevard and revel in the shadow of Building 93, a thirteen-story monstrosity that must have struck fear into all those who passed through its doors for the first time. People fly gas-powered model planes and helicopters in a field adjacent to the Wisteria building, a place where the most violent patients were rumored to have lived (opacity.us). Irony is the key word here. You will leave this place feeling quite different than when you came and not in a cheesy, “Ghost Hunters” way. It will affect the way you think about the world around us, the people that exist in it, and the hidden history of Long Island.

Notes:
• I must emphasize that you do not attempt to enter any of the buildings. Disregarding a trivial anecdote of a shotgun being pointed out through a window, there are a myriad of reasons not to trespass. These include asbestos, lead paint, vagrants, mold, weak floors and ceilings, rodents, and a small item known as the police who levy severe penalties to those who are caught.
• If you need a fix of what the interiors look like, visit Opacity. Here you will find awesome photos, videos, news items, and archival photos. All photos seen here were taken by Dan over a period of two years.
• Visit the Nissequogue River State Park Foundation to see some ideas on how locals would like to further develop the land as a functioning (and accessible) park while keeping the historical integrity of the facility
• I have left a lot to be explored. This is a large place and many interesting things abound.