Laurel Lake Preserve

Location: Laurel, NY

Size: 400 acres

Date of hike: Nov. 3, 2019

Laurel Lake Preserve is the largest preserve in the Town of Southold and features a 30-acre kettle hole lake formed more than 10,000 years ago.  I passed the preserve during a recent drive to Orient Point, and I told myself I'd visit it during my next trek to Long Island's North Fork.  Well, having gained an hour the prior night due to daylight saving time, I decided to use those gifted minutes to drive out east.  Needless to say, it was the best decision I could've made.  I loved the lake.

Prior to hiking, I did some research to learn more about the preserve's history and habitats. Laurel Lake Preserve consists of "a complex of properties" owned by the Town of Southold, Suffolk County Parks Department, Suffolk County Water Authority and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, according to the town's trail guide.  Apparently, the Peconic Land Trust facilitated the acquisition of 18 parcels over the course of 15 years – with the last piece being 30 acres from the McFeely family in 2005 – while development of the land's trail system was funded by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.  As for geography, the preserve has a mixed hardwood forest with a relatively large wetland component as well as areas once farmed or cleared for human use.  "These old field successional communities are common on Long Island," the guide stated.  "Most of these old field areas at Laurel Lake Preserve are found north and west of the lake, although some areas can be found in the south and east around the Suffolk County Water Authority property."  In addition to hiking, the scenic preserve is also considered a popular place for fishing, canoeing, kayaking and birdwatching.  Lastly, leashed dogs are allowed.

The preserve's entrance is on the northern side of NY Route 25 just west of the Laurel Links Country Club.  It has about 14 miles of trails, but the current marked route is a 2.2-mile loop that features green and white arrows.  It only took minutes to come across the majestic lake, which is 47 feet deep, according to a sign at the trailhead.  The sign also stated the lake has no inlet or outlet streams and therefore has some of the cleanest pond water on Long Island.  "It was formed by a large chunk of ice partially buried in the ground as the glacier retreated," said a lake profile on the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's (DEC) website.  "After the ice melted the remaining hollow filled with groundwater."  As a lake lover, I couldn't help but venture off the marked trail to find a path leading to the picturesque shore.  Almost immediately, I heard a voice.  "You fishing?" hollered an old man with a fishing pole.  "This is a great fishing spot."  Indeed, Laurel Lake has everything from largemouth bass to brown and rainbow trout – the latter of which is stocked there by the DEC, the guide said. 

After bidding the fisherman farewell, I returned to the marked trail and continued to follow the preserve's green and white arrows.  Within minutes, I found myself walking through wetlands that included red maple and scrub-shrub swamps, vernal pools and even emergent marshes.  My favorite part of the trail though was the hardwood forest, which is dominated by beeches, hickories, maples and oaks.  "Many areas of forest represent communities at their mature, climax stage of development as evidenced by the ease of travel through sparse understory," the guide stated.  "These areas consist of a dense canopy structure with an understory of low-to-medium height shrubs that include low-bush blueberry, sheep and mountain laurels, and witch hazel."  The preserve also has a mixed species forest, where evergreen species include eastern red cedar, northern white cedar and pitch pines mixed with the hardwoods.
 
I ultimately spent about three hours exploring the preserve before retreating to the trailhead.  While I didn't hike all 14 miles of trails, I explored enough to get a good feel for the land and the creatures that call it home.  With regard to wildlife, the preserve features everything from foxes to bullfrogs to woodchucks, while its birds range from falcons to owls to woodpeckers.  "In some of the old field areas, bluebird and purple martin houses have been erected to help encourage these species to nest in this area," the guide stated.  "These areas also support small coveys of quails."  In addition, to further encourage the nesting of wood ducks, wood duck boxes have been set up in several of the preserve's wetlands, according to the guide.

I should also note there are a few signs in the preserve about blue-green algae blooms that have been spotted in the lake.  "Keep kids and pets away from areas with blooms or scum," one sign said.  "If contact occurs, rinse with clean water.  If symptoms occur, contact your medical provider."  From what I read, blooms can look like streaks, spilled paint, pea soup, floating clumps or dots.  While I didn't see any blooms on this particular hike, it's definitely helpful to know what to look for since contact with them can make people and animals ill. 

In closing, I'd certainly recommend the preserve to any hikers who live on – or are visiting – Long Island's North Fork.  I was so swept away by its beauty that I didn't even pull out my beloved iPod.  Also, I gotta give props to those glaciers.  They sure made one lovely lake!

Map: Laurel Lake Preserve (Google Maps)
Parking: 40°58'33.9"N 72°33'07.4"W
Video: Laurel Lake Preserve (360-degree view)
  

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