Trail View State Park

Location: Woodbury, NY

Size: 400 acres

Date of hike: April 13, 2019

Trail View State Park is a narrow tract of land open to hiking and biking that sits between Bethpage State Park and Cold Spring Harbor State Park.  I passed through the park a few years ago when I hiked the Nassau-Suffolk Greenbelt Trail, and I told myself I'd return one day to explore it in its entirety.  Well, with my schedule empty and the sun brightly shining on a Saturday, it felt like the right time to revisit.

Prior to hiking, I learned about the history and habitats of Trail View State Park.  Apparently, the land was purchased by New York State with the intent to connect Bethpage State Park and Caumsett State Historic Park Preserve in the 1960s, according to the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation's website.  "During summer of 2002, the property was dedicated as a state park, offering a variety of recreational opportunities including trails for hiking and biking on its hilly terrain and open fields," the website said.  The park's linear layout spans more than seven miles and boasts a lengthy section of the Nassau-Suffolk Greenbelt Trail, a 20-mile path that runs north to south (or south to north) from the Massapequa Preserve to Cold Spring Harbor State Park.  In addition, the terrain ranges from hardwood forests to marshes to succession fields, with elevations that reach 300 feet.  It's also a popular spot for birdwatching and is open to cross-country skiing and horseback riding on a limited basis, according to the website.  Lastly, no dogs are allowed.

The park's entrance is along the north side of Jericho Turnpike (NY Route 25) just west of Woodbury Road, with a parking lot big enough for a few dozen cars.  No fees are collected.  While hiking, you'll notice the parcel is intersected by multiple roads.  The northern section that stretches to Lawrence Hill Road is overseen by Caumsett State Historic Park Preserve, while the southern section that goes to Haypath Road is overseen by Bethpage State Park, according to the state's website.  I started in the northern portion, which skirts the Stillwell Woods Preserve.  Since Trail View's hiking and biking paths stay parallel to each other for much of the way, I strolled north using the white markers of the Nassau-Suffolk Greenbelt Trail and returned south using the blue markers of the Bethpage Bikeway.  One highlight along the northern trails was hiking atop a big hill overlooking Syosset-Woodbury Road.

After retreating to the entrance, I crossed Jericho Turnpike for the park's southern section.  This appeared to be the less-trafficked portion of the park (likely due to the road crossing), but it was still peaceful and pretty.  To cross the road, I walked a stone's throw west to the turnpike's crosswalk near the exit for Stop & Shop.  A short while later, I also had to cross Woodbury Road, which didn't have a crosswalk.  There, I basically waited for a lull in traffic and dashed across the street.  Sadly, I passed a badly decomposed deer on the trail near Woodbury Road.  It was clearly struck by a passing car and I could see her ribs and skull.  Poor girl.  Anyway, since it's over six miles to Bethpage State Park, I only hiked half way.

My music of choice was a mixture of progressive metal including a lot of Dream Theater, which is my all-time favorite band.  For those who don't know, Dream Theater originated on Long Island in the mid 1980s, with three members graduating from Kings Park High School and one member graduating from Long Beach High School.  Since I missed their show the previous evening in Manhattan, I was itching to rock out on the trails.  If you're not familiar with the band, listen to their 1992 breakthrough album Images and Words.  It's a classic.

In closing, I wouldn't recommend driving far for Trail View State Park, as its primary function is linking other popular parks.  Plus, you'll experience it if you ever hike the Nassau-Suffolk Greenbelt Trail.  But its trails could come in handy if you're cranking out miles while biking, hiking or jogging.  Just be ready for those road crossings.  And, of course, cross carefully!

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