Target Rock National Wildlife Refuge
Location: Lloyd Harbor, NY
Size: 80 acres
Date: April 3, 2020
Target Rock National Wildlife Refuge is a small hiking spot along the Huntington Bay that features a boulder on its beach that was used for target practice during the days of the Revolutionary War. I discovered the pretty refuge while perusing a list of trail guides on the Town of Huntington's website and it seemed like an ideal location to visit during the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, which has left residents quarantined for weeks now. Needless to say, the refuge really hit the mark for me in every way. Target Rock was a straight-up bullseye.
Prior to hiking, I researched the history and habitats of Target Rock National Wildlife Refuge, which is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The U.S. Department of the Interior acquired the property as a donation from the family of financier Ferdinand Eberstadt, who had kept it as a garden estate, through the Migratory Bird Conservation Act in 1967. The refuge's name comes from the fact that British soldiers used the 14-foot boulder along its shore for target practice during the War of 1812, according to the town's trail guide. "Perhaps we should be glad they missed more often than not since the rock still serves as a local landmark," said a profile of the refuge on Patch.com. The land itself has a mature oak-hickory forest, a half-mile of rocky beach, several vernal ponds and a brackish pond. It is located on the Harbor Hill Moraine and was created by glacial activity that formed much of the hilly terrain on Long Island's North Shore, according to a sign. "The deposits left by the glaciers made way for soils deeper and richer than those found on the South Shore," it said. "The end result of this succession is the landscape before you: a mature oak-hickory forest and a rocky beach dotted with large boulders. Ideal for warbler and waterfowl, respectively."
The refuge's entrance is located near the eastern tip of the Lloyd Neck peninsula and a short drive past Caumsett State Historic Park Preserve on Lloyd Harbor Road, where it turns into Target Rock Road, according to Google Maps. Upon parking, I strolled over to a series of signs that included a trail map and a description of the refuge, which is apparently one of seven national wildlife refuges on Long Island. There, I mapped out my route. Warbler's Loop Trail is one mile long and winds through some moderately rough and steep terrain. Rocky Beach Trail is three-quarters-of-a-mile long and contains an overlook with stairs leading down to the sand, giving its visitors a closer look at the legendary Target Rock. Lastly, Gardener's Path is a "gentler, smoother walk" where you'll pass remnants of the gardens once grown by the previous owners, the Eberstadts. "Hints of their work bloom every spring with flowering daffodils, azaleas and rhododendrons," a sign said. "Today, the old gardens and natural habitats provide excellent food and shelter to many wildlife species."
The refuge's highlights for me were the brackish pond and the rocky beach. Interestingly, Huntington Bay floods the pond regularly and merges with freshwater from the surrounding watershed, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's website. "The result – a pond with salinity lower than that of the bay, teeming with life ranging from plants to birds to fish," the website stated. The pond is also bordered by smooth cordgrass, whose roots filter out excess salt from absorbed water by secreting it through leaf pores. As for the rocky beach, if offers a sweet view across the bay of Hobart Beach in Eatons Neck. If you visit in spring, you'll find a fence restricting beach access to protect breeding migratory birds. "You might notice the federally threatened piping plovers raise their young on the refuge's rocky beach, while other wildlife find critical habitat in its mix of forest, beach and wetland," a sign said.
Regarding wildlife, the refuge has everything from red foxes to salamanders to harbor seals, which sometimes use the beach and nearby rocks for resting sites. As for birds, about 200 species – including egrets, herons and osprey – have been seen in the refuge, according to the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference's website. "From briars and brambles to forests, ponds, beach and bay, Target Rock provides critical habitat for wildlife amidst Long Island's urban development," a sign said. Tree species include eastern white pines and red cedars, which bear bluish berries for robins and mockingbirds, while fish include flukes and porgies. "Striped bass and bluefish are the catch of the day from the refuge shoreline," a sign said.
To enter the refuge, visitors must fill out a special envelope, deposit it into a payment slot, and leave the stub on their vehicle's windshield. Private vehicles including motorcycles are asked to pay $4, while pedestrians and bicyclists are asked to pay $2, according to a sign. Non-private vans and buses of up to 20 people are asked to pay $15, while non-private vans and buses of over 20 people are asked to pay $25. Annual passes are $12. The refuge is open a half hour before sunrise and closes a half hour after sunset. No dogs are allowed.
All in all, I'd say that Target Rock is worthwhile for hikers who like Long Island's North Shore. It shares some of the cool qualities and views of its popular neighbor, Caumsett State Park, but in a more concise and manageable package. And it's a treat to experience a piece of military history in the process. In my opinion, you can't miss with a visit to Target Rock.
Parking: 40°55'37.8"N 73°26'18.1"W
Video: Target Rock National Wildlife Refuge (360-degree view)
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