Are you looking for a beach to visit this summer but can’t find the perfect place that offers all kinds of beach activities and more? Here’s a place that will be a perfect option to visit this year if you are in the New York state.
Heckscher State Park includes a boat dock, a beach, picnic tables with pavilions, a playground, fields for playing sports, a disc golf area, recreation programs, hiking and bicycling, fishing, and cross-country skiing. A dedicated disc golf course, the Heckscher Forest, was built there in the summer of 2014. Before financial restrictions, the park had an Olympic-sized swimming pool and a campsite with tent and trailer sites.
Due to the white-tailed deer’s high density across the park is also called the “Home of the White-tailed Deer.” A total of 280 bird species can also be seen in the park.
In this post, learn about Heckscher State Park, from its history to its geology, types of wildlife, and a list of things you can do there and, most importantly, how to get there.
The History And Geology
Currently, a 1,469-acre (5.94 square kilometers) park is situated on the 19th-century lands of J. Neal Plum and George C. Taylor. Here, Islip’s creator, William Nicoll, first built his estate. The area was taken in 1924 by the Long Island State Park Board, which Robert Moses led. The law banned such confiscation when the Council lacked the finances to purchase the land; nevertheless, in the meantime, the Council maintained the land under its control.
The state’s highest court determined this was unconstitutional because the Commission was still in control of the land. Despite opposition from wealthy locals, the region was ultimately purchased by the State of New York with the aid of a gift given by August Heckscher. In February 1929, the park had its official premiere.
Hiking Around The Heckscher State Park
There are three beautiful and easily accessible trails that you can use in the park. The first one is the 5.5-kilometer-long paved bike path and a neat trail to stroll on, unlike the other two, which have mud along the way. People with walkers, wheelchairs, and bikes can easily navigate their way because of no dirt on the road. However, there might be bugs on the road during the summers.
The Greenbelt Trail is a bit rugged and approximately 14 kilometers long; this one goes to the south. The other Greenbelt Trail is the longest among the three, about 17.2 kilometers, and connects this state park to the Lakeland county State Park.
Discover Wildlife
Fishing in Heckscher State Park
There is plenty of fish to catch at sea, and events are also held to promote the activity.
Animals In Heckscher State Park
The white-tailed deer is a common occurrence on Heckscher beach. Other than that, the gulls, blue-claw crabs, ospreys, pipefish, red foxes, and much other wildlife are seen when walking on the trails or paved roads leading to the beach.
Birds in Heckscher State Park
Around 280 species fly near the Heckscher beach because of the availability of food on the shore.
Activities To Do And Important Places To Visit In Heckscher State Park
The 1600 acre land is perfect for various outdoor activities; particularly, the hooded areas designated for picnics are the best spots in the park for families. Open-field sports such as cricket and lacrosse can be played in these areas.
Bicyclists, nature enthusiasts, and hikers love to use the paved paths surrounding the park that are 4 miles long. Tourists can watch various birds, deer, and other animals, along with the mesmerizing views of the beach with Fire Island in its back.
The Great South Bay offers many bay swimming, canoeing, boat launching, and kayaking opportunities. Other than that, there are recently constructed waterfront villas giving three seasons of accommodation; the modern cottages are equipped with bedrooms, living areas, fully furnished kitchens, and functioning bathrooms. These cottages are big enough to accommodate a family of six.
Apart from the camping, people here come to observe nature, rare birds and wildlife species, and obviously the scenic views. The park is also great for holding picnics, conducting sports field day, or having an early jog or a quiet stroll.
How To Get There?
The beach of Heckscher is easily accessible to all those beach lovers throughout the year. It frequently rains heavily in this location, with November seeing the greatest rain and February seeing the least precipitation. Average January temperatures in the region are higher than 22 °F (above -6 degrees Celsius). Average summertime temperatures surpass 72 degrees Fahrenheit (above 22 degrees Celsius). Long Island often experiences a growing season with more than 200 days without a frost.
The state park address is Heckscher Parkway Field 1, East Islip, NY 11730.
From New York City, there are five ways to easily travel to the destination: subway, car, train, and bus. It takes an hour to reach New York City in a car. At the same time, there are alternate ways, such as a direct bus to the park or choosing a train and a bus to the park. The maximum time to reach there depends on the transport methods used for traveling; however, the maximum time using the longest route is about two hours and 45 minutes.
Wrapping Up
Heckscher state park is an exciting beach to visit on Long Island. There are several things that a person can do to keep themselves occupied. There is camping, picnicking, hiking on the trails, bird watching, fishing, hunting, and much more activities on the beach. The picturesque view of the beach is the perfect background for your pictures, videos, and live chats. Not only this, but it is a to go for a recreational retreat with friends and family.