Prosser Pines Nature Preserve

Location: Middle Island, NY 

Size: 56 acres 

Date of hike: April 30, 2016

I'll probably never see a pine tree again without thinking of Prosser Pines Nature Preserve.  It's just one of those places I loved from the moment I set foot on the trail.  For me, it doesn't get any better than walking under a canopy of towering pines.  And, when it comes to towering pines, Prosser Pines is one of the top spots I have seen so far on Long Island.

Before exploring, I learned about the history and habitats of Prosser Pines Nature Preserve.  Apparently, the preserve is the only white pine forest on Long Island and one of "the oldest surviving white pine plantations on the Eastern Seaboard," according to the Suffolk County Parks Department's website.  It originated when a man named William Dayton planted the first white pine seedlings on his farm in 1812, securing them from one of his neighbors who served as an officer in the French and Indian War and brought them from Quebec.  In 1889, Dayton sold his acreage to a man named George Prosser, who would continue to cultivate the pine plantation, and the pretty property was later purchased by Suffolk County in 1967.  "As the years passed by, the pine trees grew to be almost 100 feet and eventually seeded themselves," the county's website said.  "Today, Prosser Pines is a rare and unique forest."

The preserve's entrance is along the east side of Yaphank Middle Island Road, just a stone's throw north of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, and the parking area is a patch of dirt that fits a dozen cars or so.  The main trail is an unmarked 0.7-mile loop that's "moderately trafficked" and features a "great forest setting that is good for all skill levels," according to the county.  As soon as I stepped onto it, I felt like I'd been transported to some pine tree wonderland.  The trees stretched for the sky in majestic fashion and their limbs tried to hug the clouds.  "As you hike through the quiet solitude of the pines on a thick carpet of pine needles and look up into their treetops, the outside world seems far away," the county's website stated.

The preserve's highlights for me (aside from the impressive pines) were makeshift teepees made of fallen tree limbs and a neighboring farm with a field big enough to fit a few dozen football fields.  Regarding the teepees, I went inside each one and admired the time and effort it took to make them.  I must admit, they emit quite the ethereal feeling.  The field, meanwhile, featured a cool irrigation system that seemed to go on forever.  I'm sure the parcel was off limits to hikers, but I couldn't resist slipping onto it to enjoy the epic view.

My music of choice on this day was Haken, a UK progressive metal band founded in 2007.  Their new album, Affinity, was released the previous day, but my pre-order had yet to arrive.  In anticipation, I listened to the band's 2013 masterpiece, The Mountain, and their 2014 EP, Restoration – the latter of which contains the 20-minute epic, "Crystallised."  What a song.

Without a doubt, I suggest Prosser Pines Nature Preserve to anyone looking for a little hike that packs a big punch.  A very big punch.  These pine trees are something special that all local hikers should experience at least once.  It's as close as you'll get to a pine paradise. 

(Updated: June 28, 2020)

   
Map: Prosser Pines Nature Preserve (Google Maps image)
Parking: 40°52'17.6"N 72°56'06.2"W
Video: Prosser Pines Nature Preserve (360-degree view)

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