David Overton Trail

Location: Coram, NY

Size: 450 acres

Date of hike: May 27, 2017
  

David Overton Trail is a hilly hiking and biking path that winds through a forest filled with makeshift barriers and structures once used by a paintball business.  I stumbled across it after trying to visit a recently deceased friend at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, which is located at the intersection of Granny Road and NY Route 112 in Coram.  Since the cemetery was already closed because it was late in the day, I decided to find a nearby place to hike.  Luckily, the trail's sign caught my eye a few minutes later.  And off I went to explore.

Prior to hiking, I familiarized myself with the history and habitats of the David Overton Trail, which is apparently also known as Coram Ponds Preserve.  "The Overton, or Coram Ponds, Preserve consists of woodlands, wetlands and meadows that stretch on for about 450 acres miraculously undeveloped and undiscovered," said a preserve profile posted on LIParks.com.  "This property is a natural treasure which overlies the source of some of Long Island's purest drinking water."  The multi-use trail, which was officially opened by the Town of Brookhaven in 2015, traverses a triangle-shaped parcel that borders Granny Road to the south, Mill Road to the east, and Route 112 to the west.  The property boasts four ponds – three of which breed endangered tiger salamander – and an oak-pine heath featuring the "largest significant area of pine barrens found outside the core preserve," the website said.  As for the trail's name, David Overton was among the triangle's earliest settlers and built his home around 1740, according to the Long Island Neighborhood Network.  Lastly, leashed dogs are allowed.

The preserve has entrances on Granny Road, Mill Road and Route 112, the former of which was where I parked.  It was near the intersection with Middle Island Road and had a gravelly patch large to fit half a dozen cars or so.  Upon parking, I read on the website All Trails that the preserve has a 3.9-mile loop path, but I decided to just wander.  And since there was no trail map online or in the parking area, I used my geocaching app to follow my whereabouts.  I started by walking north along a paved path named David Overton Road that had openings in the greenery to access the forest.  Immediately, I realized the preserve is a popular spot for mountain biking as the trail markers all displayed images of bicycles.  From what I read, there are four levels of difficulty.  The easiest trails feature a green circle, then a blue square for moderate routes, and single and double black diamonds for the most challenging paths. 

The hike's highlights for me were seeing the cool objects scattered throughout the property.  For example, the first item I encountered was an old military-looking weapon on two wheels.  I later came across an abandoned pickup truck with "smoke pot" written in red spray paint, and then a broken boat just sitting amidst the sea of trees as if a tornado dropped it at that very site.  But the best stuff was the makeshift structures and barriers used for paintballing – including wooden platforms, rusty barrels and fragments of fences propped up for protection against incoming fire.  My research revealed the land was once used by Cousins Paintball, according to Newsday.  But all that remains now are its apocalyptic remnants.  It's chilling.

Regarding wildlife, the property is home to a variety of birds like bobwhites, scarlet tanagers and myriad warblers, according to LIParks.com.  However, all I saw on this day were deer.  The forest is so dense that, if you're quiet, you can get pretty close before they see you.  The wooded density also provided a lot of privacy enabling me to intensely headbang to Australian progressive metal group Voyager, which recently released their sixth record, Ghost Mile.  My favorite song is probably the second track, "Misery is Only Company." 

In closing, I definitely recommend that local hikers and bikers visit the David Overton Trail.  The property offers a unique mix of man and nature that you don't find in other preserves.  There's also so much stuff hidden within it that I feel like I barely scratched the surface.  Thank you to my late friend for guiding me toward Overton.  Rest in peace, Dominick.

(Updated: Dec. 23, 2018)
    

Map: David Overton Trail (Google Maps image)
Parking: 40°50'55.5"N 72°59'13.8"W
Video: David Overton Trail (360-degree view)
   

Click here for more photos