Indian Island County Park

Location: Riverhead, NY 

Size: 275 acres 

Date of hike: Jan. 16, 2016

Indian Island County Park is a popular spot for camping, hiking and picnicking at the estuarine mouth of the 15-mile-long Peconic River.  I stumbled across the park last year when I made a wrong turn in Riverhead, and I knew I had to come back and explore it one day.  It's name was too unique to ignore.  Little did I know it would end up becoming one of my favorite places on Long Island.  I should make wrong turns more often.
 
Before exploring, I did a little research to educate myself on the park's history and habitats.  Indian Island lies along the north side of the mouth of the Peconic River, where Long Island's two forks intersect and the river's freshwater converges with the saltwater from Flanders Bay, according to the Suffolk County Park Department's website.  "What was formerly the 'island' at Indian Island County Park is now connected to the mainland by a causeway comprised of entirely white sands," the website stated.  Apparently, that land has yielded pieces of stone tools that are deemed evidence of prehistoric people existing there thousands of years ago, with Native Americans known to have occupied the property as recently as the early 1700s.  With the arrival of colonists, the bay became used for its sea life with fisherman employing seine nets to catch up to 15,000 fish in one haul and much of the excess catch serving as fertilizer for local farms, the website said.  By the early 1900s, a man named Hollis Warner established what eventually became the world's largest duck farm at the site of the current Indian Island Golf Course, which is only a stone's throw across the river, and many of the farm's laborers lived on the island itself in small houses, tents and cars until the 1950s.  

The park's entrance is located on the east side of Cross River Drive, aka County Road 105, south of Hubbard Avenue.  Upon entering, I drove around to get a sense of the land's layout.  It seems the park's playground and activity fields are on the left and the camping areas are on the right, with charming pavilions and volleyball courts scattered throughout the grounds.  The hiking trails can be found on the park's north and east edges along the water.  I started out by exploring the southern portion of the park adjacent to the glistening river, which had caught my eye during my drive.  A skinny trail took me right alongside the pretty riverbank, and I was instantly in heaven.  I navigated that narrow path for roughly a quarter mile or so, taking advantage of every opening in the vegetation to approach the water.  Several swans stared at me as I snapped some shots.  I waved at them and moved along moments later, eager to see what else the park had in store for me.  If the rest of the area was anywhere near as beautiful as this idyllic little trail along the water, then I was in for a special treat.

From there, I headed east along a dirt path called Indian Point Road to access the "island."  To my delight, I was the only one around when I arrived, making me feel like Tom Hanks in "Cast Away."  The bay's tide was just low enough for me to explore the picturesque beach, except for several sections where I had to stomp atop a frozen marsh or through high grass.  On the island's north shore, a row of awesome waterfront homes stood about a football field away on the opposite side of what's known as Meetinghouse Creek.  There were also signs promoting the Peconic Blueway Paddling Trail, a 9.5-mile kayak route on the Peconic River, and picnic areas for groups of up to 10 people.  "Remote, yet easily accessible, this island – complete with picnic tables, grills, comfortable benches and peaceful views of Flanders Bay – offers one of the finest picnicking sites available in Suffolk County," the county's site said.

After exploring the "island," I hiked a waterfront trail located just west of the island itself that took me around the rest of the park – or rather, the non-island part of the park, I should say.  The beautiful views just never stopped.  Even when I reached the end of that trail and found myself at the park's management building, I did an about-face and re-hiked it all over again.  It was like getting seconds at Thanksgiving dinner.  The park was simply too impressive to not partake in another helping.  I also threw on Darkwater's 2010 album Where Stories Die and let music and nature join forces to soothe me.  For those who aren't familiar with them, Darkwater is a Swedish progressive metal band that specializes in dark and melodic songs.

When I got home, I learned that the park often has issues with algae known as brown tide, which is a microscopic plant that is brown in color and only visible when there are at least one million cells in each teaspoon of water.  I also recalled a story in which thousands of dead fish emerged from the Peconic Estuary last year and washed up on local beaches – including on Indian Island.  The photos were horrifying.  Anyway, other wildlife at the park ranges from red fox to songbirds.  If you're a plant lover, look for some prickly pear cactus. 

Needless to say, I recommend all Long Islanders make a trip to Indian Island County Park sooner or later.  You can almost feel the vast history and beauty oozing from the land with every step.  And if you pick the right day, you can star in your own version of "Cast Away." 

(Updated: June 2, 2019)

Map: Indian Island County Park (Google Maps image)
Parking: 40°55'40.1"N 72°37'50.3"W
Video: Indian Islands County Park (360-degree view)

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