Betty Allen Twin Ponds Nature Park and Phragmites Park

Location: Centerport, NY

Size: 28 acres

Date of hike: Oct. 21, 2017

This is the first time I've included two parks in one blog entry, but it felt like the right thing to do in the case of Betty Allen Twin Ponds Nature Park and Phragmites Park.  For starters, the small parks share a parking lot.  Secondly, Betty Allen Nature Park is also referred to as "Twin Ponds South," and Phragmites Park is also referred to as "Twin Ponds North," according to the Town of Huntington.  So, it makes sense to hike (and write about) this pair of preserves together.

Before exploring, I familiarized myself with the history and habitats of these two tiny parks.  Betty Allen Twin Ponds Nature Park, which is just nine acres, features a picturesque pond with a flat well-maintained trail around it.  "The pond was initially used by Native Americans and was formed by a damming of nearby streams," said the Town of Huntington's trail guide.  The land was named for Betty Allen, who was an environmental activist and a co-founder of the Huntington Audubon Society, and was bought by the town with a 50% matching grant through the Federal Land and Water Conservation Fund in 1972.  Meanwhile, the 19-acre Phragmites Park was created primarily by the deposition of dredge spoil, which was the result of a dredging of Northport Harbor that was conducted by Suffolk County during the early 1960s.  "This is evidenced by the sandy pathways that traverse the site," the town's trail guide said.  Phragmites' parcel also boasts panoramic views of the harbor and a place called "Bird Island," which was also created by the deposition of dredge spoil.  Interestingly, the town has proposed a future restoration of the wetlands in part of Phragmites, according to the guide.  "This would create a tidal impoundment and provide greater habitat diversity, thereby providing a sanctuary for many more species of birds and fish," the guide stated.

The parks are both on Fort Salonga Road (NY Route 25A) just west of Stony Hollow Road.  The parking lot is located on the road's north side by Phragmites Park, but I chose to cross the street and begin in Betty Allen Twin Ponds Nature Park.  Oddly, there was no crosswalk despite a bend in the road that made it difficult to see oncoming traffic.  When I griped about the lack of a crosswalk to a fellow hiker, he laughingly replied: "There is, it's called dodging."  The first thing you'll see in Betty Allen Twin Ponds Nature Park is the aforementioned pond (which is surrounded by a loop trail that covers 0.3 miles) as well as a dam and fish ladder installed in 2011, according to the town's trail guide.  Its purpose is to allow alewife fish to "travel into the pond and provide them with new habitat and spawning grounds, while also offering people new opportunities for fishing," the guide said.  You'll also find fish species including bluegill sunfish, pumpkinseed and largemouth bass, as well as trouts that are stocked each spring by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

 Next, I walked back across the street to Phragmites Park, which has 0.6 miles in trails that offer terrific views of Northport Harbor.  You'll also glimpse gorgeous homes on the opposite side of the harbor, boats floating only a stone's throw away, and the intriguing "Bird Island."  It was all a nice contrast from the landlocked pond at Betty Allen Twin Ponds Nature Park.  As for trees, Phragmites' species range from gray birch to black willow to white mulberry, while its bird life spans from song sparrows to great blue herons to red-winged blackbirds.  For those wondering, I should also note that the Town of Huntington approved an on-leash dog trail there in 2015.  However, "the dog trail does not provide direct access to the water, upon the request of the town's Maritime Services Department," said the website LIDog.org.

My music of choice was The Contortionist's Clairvoyant album, which came out last month.  Although I have a bunch of new records to catch up on, I've continued to listen to this disc from the Indianapolis-based progressive metal band.  It's an emotional collection of songs filled with addictive riffs, atmospheric keyboards and introspective lyrics.  I'd recommend checking out the track "Return to Earth," which is probably my favorite one on the album.  I've probably listened to it at least once a day since I first heard it.  I just can't get enough.

All in all, I'd say Betty Allen Twin Ponds Nature Park and Phragmites Park are worth a visit, especially if you live in the area.  Even though they're both small, the parks are absolutely packed with beauty.  Just be careful crossing the road.  It's a real-life game a "Frogger." 

(Updated: March 11, 2018) 

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