Hike Description:

This 15-mile hike traverses about half of the 32-mile-long Long Island Greenbelt Trail. Except for one section in the middle of the hike, where the route crosses the Ronkonkoma Moraine, the trail is nearly level. There are a few short roadwalks, and some sections of the trail are adjacent to developed areas, but for the most part, the hike proceeds through pleasant wooded areas. A special feature of this hike is its accessibility by public transportation, as both ends of the hike are situated at stations of the Long Island Rail Road.

From the Great River railroad station, head south on Connetquot Avenue for about 500 feet to Union Boulevard. Turn left and head east on Union Boulevard until you see a white blaze of the Long Island Greenbelt Trail on a signpost. Turn left and follow the white-blazed trail into the woods. After passing through a pine grove, the trail reaches Montauk Highway (NY 27A). It turns left, follows the highway overpass over the Long Island Rail Road tracks, then turns left onto Wheeler Road at a sign for the Westbrook Sports Complex. At a “stop” sign, the trail turns right, crosses the road at a crosswalk, and reenters the woods.

After following a grassy path through thickets, the trail crosses the West Brook, turns left and follows along the east side of the brook. It then turns left again and parallels the busy Sunrise Highway (NY 27). It soon turns right and crosses under the highway on a catwalk with a low clearance (you will have to duck when passing under a pipe), then climbs a flight of stairs and turns left onto a wide pathway, again paralleling the highway.

At the eastern end of the bridge, the trail turns sharply left and descends into the woods, entering Connetquot River State Park. For the next four miles, you’ll traverse this beautiful preserve. Just ahead, the trail turns right, briefly paralleling a pond on the left. It soon turns right onto a woods road. After crossing a grassy area, the trail turns left onto a paved road at a traffic circle, turns left again and crosses another grassy area, then turns left onto a paved service road.

To the right, you’ll notice a large wooden building. You may wish to take a short detour to the right to get a better look at this building, the oldest portion of which was built as a tavern in 1820. Subsequently, the property was acquired by the South Side Sportsmen’s Club of Long Island, which enlarged the building and used it as their headquarters. A visitor center and museum, where maps and information are available, is in the northeasterly part of the building. The park office, which is open Tuesdays through Sundays, is in a smaller building to the southwest.

After turning right and passing a barn, the Long Island Greenbelt Trail bears left, leaving the paved road, and follows a wide wood-chip path in the woods parallel to the road. For the next mile, the Greenbelt Trail is coaligned with the park’s Yellow Trail (the route is marked with both yellow and white blazes). Interpretive signs along the path provide information on the park and its flora and fauna, with particular emphasis on how the vegetation has regenerated following a fire in April 1977.

Soon after crossing the road, the trail approaches the park’s Fish Hatchery. Here, at a group of benches, the yellow blazes depart to the right. Follow the white-blazed Greenbelt Trail, which continues ahead, then bears left, passing a restroom building on the left and a gravel parking lot on the right. The trail briefly follows a gravel road, then turns right, leaving the road, and begins to parallel the Connetquot River.

In another two miles, you’ll begin to hear the sounds of traffic on Veterans Memorial Highway (NY 454). As it approaches the highway, the trail turns right onto a sandy road and reaches a fence. Hikers go through a gate in the fence, cross the busy highway at a pedestrian-actuated traffic light, and proceed through a gate on the other side, where the trail continues on a wide woods road. In a short distance, the trail crosses an abandoned paved road and continues on a footpath.

In another third of a mile, the trail turns left and descends to cross a boardwalk over a wet area. In a short distance, it turns right onto a woods road, with houses visible on the right. It then curves sharply to the left and immediately turns right onto a wider woods road. The trail now crosses under the Ronkonkoma Branch of the Long Island Rail Road, leaving Connetquot River State Park Preserve and entering Lakeland County Park.

Just ahead, you’ll reach Honeysuckle Pond, which feeds the Connetquot River. The trail turns right to skirt the pond, continues onto a long boardwalk, then bears left at a fork in the boardwalk. At the end of the boardwalk, the trail continues on a wide path. It turns left onto a wide grassy road, then turns left again at a T-intersection. Before reaching a basketball court, the trail turns right onto a paved road, passing a parking lot for the park on the left.

The trail now leaves the park and turns right onto Johnson Avenue. It follows the street for only 250 feet, then turns left at a sign for the Greenbelt Trail and reenters the woods, proceeding through a pine grove. Soon, the trail bears left at a chain-link fence and follows along the fence for about a quarter mile (large portions of the fence are missing).

Upon reaching the service road for the Long Island Expressway, the trail turns right and follows along the service road to the underpass at Terry Road. You’re now at the halfway point of the hike. The trail turns left, goes under the expressway, and continues ahead on Terry Road until it reaches a power line right-of-way. Here, the trail turns left and follows under the power lines for about 500 feet. Just beyond the second power line tower, the trail turns right and reenters the woods. It bears right at the next two forks and passes a horse farm on the left.

In about half a mile, the trail crosses Old Nichols Road. A 7-11 convenience store is located a short distance to the right, and you might want to stop at the store for refreshments. The trail reenters the woods, passing the back yards of homes on the left.

Soon, the trail turns right and climbs a small hill. The ascent is relatively minimal, but this is the first time on the hike that you’ve encountered a climb of a natural feature. You’re now crossing the Ronkonkoma Moraine, a glacial moraine that runs the length of Long Island. At the top of the hill, the trail bears left and begins to descend.

Next, the trail climbs another hill. With houses visible ahead at the top of the hill, the trail bears left and descends to power lines. It turns right and follows the power lines, climbing a little, then bears right at a fork in the power lines and reaches the Long Island Motor Parkway.

The trail crosses the road and reenters the woods at a gate. You’ll notice that a separate route is provided for mountain bikes here. The trail now climbs once more and reaches three viewpoints, marked by benches. The view from the first bench has largely grown in, but there are limited views to the north and northeast from the next two benches.