A Mike Who Likes to Hike

Butler-Huntington Woods

Location: St. James, NY

Size: 67 acres

Date of hike: Oct. 25, 2014

Butler-Huntington Woods is a hilly hiking spot created by glaciers with a short loop trail through shaded woods. It's also one of those places that tons of people probably pass daily without giving it a glance. It was recommended to me by my friend Chris, a big geocaching enthusiast who had described it to me as "a hidden gem." Well, he nailed it. If there ever was a hidden gem on Long Island, it would be these woods.

Before exploring, I briefly researched the history and habitats of Butler-Huntington Woods. Apparently, the preserve's hilly ridges were made thousands of years ago by glaciers that basically bulldozed the woodlands and left "pulverized materials," according to the Nature Conservancy's website. "Butler-Huntington Woods holds the key to Long Island's icy past," the website said. "The parcel's ravines and wooded hills are part of the Harbor Hill Moraine, which is a hilly ridge marking the place where the ice sheets paused." I also read that the property's marshy depressions, or swales, between the high ridges created a natural trail system that lasts several miles and the watershed formed by those glacier-changed hills once supplied water to Mill Creek, which had powered a gristmill and also flowed into the nearby Nissequogue River. Regarding ownership, the lovely land was given to the Nature Conservancy by brothers William R. Huntington and Rev. Christopher Huntington in 1961.

Butler-Huntington's entrance is located on Fifty Acre Road, just south of Branglebrink Road, with a parking area that consists of a dirt patch big enough to fit two cars. The loop trail is 1.6 miles, according to AllTrails.com. As soon as I started on the well-marked path, I felt like I'd been swept away into a private paradise. There were no other cars parked at the trailhead, so I knew I was the only one there. To me, isolation often makes a hike extra special. Or maybe it was just the comfortable fall weather. Whatever the reasons for my extreme peace, I was able to delve into the deepest and darkest caverns of my soul for a moment. My song selection probably helped. I picked Evergrey's Hymns for the Broken album, which explores the concept of inner revolution through a well-crafted war metaphor.

The hike's highlight for me were its ridges that rose and fell like a wilderness roller coaster. The ridges and swales are all covered with mountain laurels below a canopy of beech trees, hickories and black, white and chestnut oaks, according to the conservancy. The trail even leads through stands of young American chestnuts. "These are the struggling remnants of American chestnut trees that once dominated eastern North America's deciduous forests," the conservancy's website said. "You can identify them by their leaves, which are serrated around the edges, and new sprouts often shoot from their roots when the main stem dies."

Regarding wildlife, Butler-Huntington supports many birds, snakes and small mammals – including gray squirrels, woodchucks and red foxes. There are also raccoons, opossums and white-tailed deer. "Keep an eye out for towhees, wood peewees, scarlet tanagers and wood thrushes in spring and summer," the conservancy stated. "In winter and fall, look for white-throated sparrows and juncos on the ground or chickadees and titmice in the trees."

Looking back, I wouldn't drive a long distance to visit Butler-Huntington Woods, but I'd widely recommend it if you're seeking a brief (yet delightful) hike in or near the Town of Smithtown. Luckily, I live close. And now that this "gem" is no longer hidden to me, I'll be back soon.

(Updated: March 24, 2018)