Caleb Smith State Park Preserve 

Location: Smithtown, NY 

Size: 543 acres 

Date of hike: Dec. 7, 2014

Caleb Smith State Park Preserve features a series of hilly trails as well as a historic house and multiple ponds along one of the region's busiest roads.  I passed through the park while hiking the Long Island Greenbelt Trail, which is a 32-mile trail that spans north to south (or south to north) across Long Island, in September.  The small section I experienced really left an impact on me, and I pledged to return for a longer stroll before the year's end.  Well, with the holidays here, that left just a few weeks to immerse myself in the pretty preserve.   

Before exploring, I researched the history and habitats of Caleb Smith State Park Preserve, which is one of four state nature preserves on Long Island.  The park has everything from freshwater wetlands to upland woods and was originally part of the estate of Caleb Smith, who died in 1800 and was a great grandson of Smithtown's founder Richard "Bull" Smythe, according to the Friends of Caleb Smith Preserve's website.  Smith, who worked as a judge with the Court of Common Pleas of Suffolk County and was also part of the State Assembly, built the house with his father in 1753.  "Much of the original structure still stands within the present building although it has undergone many renovations," the site said.  The Brooklyn Gun Club purchased the property in 1888 and turned it into a hunting and fishing preserve, renaming it a few years later to the "Wyandanch Club."  The land was later acquired by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation in 1963 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990.  Today, it operates as a passive use park.  "This not only helps protect local plant and wildlife, but also allows visitors to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life and enjoy the quiet serenity," said the state's website.

The preserve's entrance is on the north side of Jericho Turnpike (NY Route 25), just east of Old Willets Path.  After parking, I read some nearby signs and learned there are eight trails that vary from 0.6 to 2.5 miles in length.  My first stop though was the Caleb Smith House, which contains a nature museum with everything from a three-dimensional display of the preserve to an impressive carving of Chief Wyandanch, who had a significant role in the history of Smithtown and Long Island.  There were also several taxidermy pieces of the property's wildlife.  "This preserve is an ideal refuge for wildlife and its diverse habitats support a variety of trees, shrubs, flowers and ferns," stated the Friends of Caleb Smith Preserve's website.  Next, I walked to the panoramic Willow Pond, which is just a stone's throw from the home.  In total, the preserve has three ponds: Willow, Webster and Phillips Millpond – the latter two of which are on the south side of Jericho Turnpike.  The park also hosts part of the six-mile Nissequogue River and a small waterway called Whitman Stream.

The hike's highlights for me were the jaw-dropping views of Willow Pond and a place called High Point, which is a 140-foot hill in the park's northwestern area.  "This hill is the remnant of an ice age when a glacier that was thousands of feet high covered the land," a sign said.  "When the glacier melted, sand and gravel carried in the creeping ice were left behind and formed a high ridge called a moraine."  I should also note that the preserve's various trails were very well-marked, with my favorite one probably being the 0.9-mile-long orange path.  The longest is the aforementioned section of the Long Island Greenbelt Trail at 2.5 miles, followed by the green and red trails at 1.5 and 1.3 miles, respectively.  The preserve also allows cross-country skiing and snowshoeing on particular trails during the winter months, but not permitted are bikes, pets or picnics.  A trail map is available on the state's website.

Regarding wildlife, the park's animals range from red foxes to flying squirrels, while its birds range from ospreys to prothonotary warblers.  Meanwhile, the preserve's plant life includes everything from pink lady's slippers to trailing arbutus.  For those interested, fly fishing is allowed on the property along the Nissequogue River between April 1 and Oct. 15, but a freshwater fishing license and reservations are required.  In addition, children under 15 are invited to fish in Willow Pond from April 1 through Oct. 31, according to the state's website.  As for hours of operation, the preserve and museum are both open from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Wednesdays through Sundays (except for holidays).  The vehicle entrance fee is $8.  

My music of choice was Chroma Key's 1998 album, Dead Air For Radios, which has the silhouette of a bird over an orange sun as its cover artwork.  It seemed like a fitting choice given the number of birds in the park.  For those wondering, Chroma Key is the creation of Kevin Moore, who was the original keyboardist for Long Island's progressive metal legends Dream Theater.  Moore's introspective songs have always touched me deeply, but I hadn't listened to his music in some time.  I highly recommend "Colorblind" and "On the Page."     

In closing, I'd definitely encourage all local hikers to visit Caleb Smith State Park Preserve.  The trails are short enough for people to pop in for quick hike, and then return to conquer another trail on another day.  It'll likely take more than one visit to cover every nook and cranny of this park, but this park is so beautiful that you'll want to cover every cranny.

(Updated: Nov. 26, 2021)

Map: Caleb Smith State Park Preserve (Google Maps image)
Parking: 40°51'06.3"N 73°13'31.2"W
Video: Caleb Smith State Park Preserve (360-degree view)

Click here for more photos