The Robert Moses beach State park is spread across 875 acres in Suffolk County, New York. It is an ocean beachfront which attracts millions of tourists every year. The stunning shoreline that goes on for nearly 5 miles arrests the attention of anyone who visits the western end of Fire Island.
The Robert Moses beach state park is located at the southern end of Robert Moses Causeway, which is why it is easily accessible from the Babylon train station. The Robert Moses beach provides immense exciting activities for its visitors, including surfing and surf-fishing, boogie-boarding, and swimming, and the beach is dotted with lifeguard-staffed fields.
Robert Moses beach is a tourist favorite spot as it is equipped with first-aid offices, comfort stations, scenic picnic areas with grills and tables, and beach shops.
Introduction to Robert Moses State Park
The Robert Moses state park is known for its 8 km beach along the Atlantic Ocean. The Robert Moses state park was established in 1908 by the name of Fire Island State Park and is considered the oldest park on Long Island.
Robert Moses, the former president of the Long Island State Park Commission, is the person who influenced the new name given to this park. The five miles of beach hosts several exciting tourist activities, including fishing, surfing, and swimming, and offers scenic views from its white and fine sanded beaches.
A boat basin is also available, which can accommodate 40 boats, perfect for a day’s use as it also contains a pump-out station. With an 18-hole pitch-putt golf course and four bathhouses, Robert Moses beach has something for everyone as no tourists returns from this spot without having a wonderful experience.
Early History of Robert Moses State Park
Fire Island was authorized as a state park in 1908 when Governor Charles Hughes passed a bill naming Robert Moses beach the first park on Long Island.
The Robert Moses state park contains a lighthouse at its western tip, which was constructed by the United States government to reduce the chances of shipwrecks and pirate attacks. The lighthouse structure was created in 1825 and then rebuilt in 1858. The Robert Moses state park lighthouse is one of the most attractive spots on the island.
When Fire Island was converted into a state park, the island’s western was located near the intersection of the Robert Moses causeway. A hurricane destroyed the facilities and settlements in 1938, which was then due for massive repair. Engineers felt that the park facilities must be protected from future damage by storms and hurricanes. As a result, new sand was pumped along the shore to build the height up to 18 feet above sea level.
The immense destruction didn’t reduce the value of Robert Moses beach, as the state park reopened within a year, equipped with new bathhouses and other facilities.
Robert Moses Beach’s Geographical Characteristics
Robert Moses state park, previously known as Fire Island National Seashore, is a narrow island acting as a barrier between the south central coast of Long Island and the Atlantic storms. The beach is considered relatively narrow, as no area along its 32 miles stretch is wider than a mile.
The Fire Island or Robert Moses state park is the southern border of Great South Bay’s most productive shellfish and seafood estuaries along the Atlantic seaboard. Seventeen small beaches along most of the island as used for summer recreation activities.
Experience at Robert Moses Beach
Long Island is famous for its stunning beaches, and Robert Moses beach is no exception. The beach is a great spot for visiting with your family and friends. The clean and well-maintained shore is even more exciting as the attentive lifeguards are vigilant about the safety of beach visitors.
Many people love to stay late and watch the beautiful sunset while enjoying occasional live music. The beach is far away, but this seclusion makes it pristine and unspoiled.
The staff at Fire House lighthouse is very knowledgeable and accommodating. Tourists love to park their vehicles at Robert Moses state park and then walk over to the lighthouse, a stunning piece of architecture looming over the pristine beach.
There is a museum around the lighthouse that hosts tourists interested in learning the former events and history related to the lighthouse. The observation deck offers breathtaking panoramic views of the Robert Moses beach, where you can enjoy the city’s beautiful skyline under clear skies and the white and well-maintained Robert Moses beach around you.
People of Long Island love visiting Robert Moses beach because there are comfortable and safe spots where you can relax with your family and little kids. The lifeguards are always attentive to helping visitors in need, and the bathhouses are as clean and well-maintained as the beach itself.
Plants and Animals on Robert Moses Beach
The stunning beachfront with miles of clean sand, dunes, and salt marches houses several species of plants and animals. There are also a few endangered shorebirds found there occasionally. The most beautiful wildlife to watch out for is the monarch butterfly, as they migrate to Mexico during September and October.
Besides that, you can also find white-tailed deer, hawks, piping plovers, and osprey on the beach.
The wind conditions and salinity of sand make the environment suitable for unique plant species found at Robert Moses beach. The primary vegetation found is beach grass grasslands, pitch pine woodlands, bearberry dwarf scrubs, and various marshes, including salt marshes.
The dunes are stabilized by different plant species, which support the dunes by their roots and underground stems, like Ammophila breviligulata. Another spectacle to watch on Robert Moses beach is how the leaves and stems of these plants help stabilize the windblown dunes, which in turn cover the low vegetation and protect them from harsh climatic conditions.