Location: Oyster Bay, NY
Size: 200 acres
Date of hike: Jan. 16, 2021
Tiffany Creek Preserve features trails that traverse hilly forests and rolling meadows along Long Island's Gold Coast. It was recommended to me by a reader of my blog named Leonard, who called it a "fantastic park" and "one of his favorites on Long Island." His e-mail excited me to the point where I decided to make the preserve my first hike of 2021. Needless to say, I'm glad I did.
Before exploring, I familiarized myself with the history and habitats of Tiffany Creek Preserve, which is located within the biggest Special Groundwater Protection Area in Nassau County. "A mix of various ecological communities can be found on this spectacular parcel of land – such as old-growth woodlands and oak forests, extensive fields, freshwater wetlands and a large pond," stated the North Shore Land Alliance, which stewards 14 meadow acres of the preserve and calls it a "magical place." The property is comprised of 45 acres just west of – and 155 acres just east of – Sandy Hill Road and surrounded with an additional 250 acres of privately protected lands that "enhance the conservation values here," the alliance's website said. It was apparently "cobbled together" by Nassau County from portions of three former estates with help from the Nature Conservancy in 1992, according to the county's website. As for Tiffany Creek, I noticed on Google Maps that the tiny waterway lies a short distance north of the preserve itself on the opposite side of Cove Road. Lastly, dogs are not allowed.
The preserve's entrance is on the west side of Sandy Hill Road, just north of the intersection with Berry Hill Road. The 45 acres of land just west of Sandy Hill Road features a forest and a yellow loop path called Chipmunk Trail, according to a trail map. Meanwhile, the 155 acres of land just east of Signal Hill Road include a purple loop called Meadow Trail and a blue loop called Fox Trail – the latter of which passes through both meadow and woodland and seems to be the longest trail. There are also a few unmarked paths that branch off here and there, but none of the preserve's trails are more than a mile or two long. "Strolling through some parts of the preserve transports visitors back to the days of Long Island's Gold Coast era," said a 2010 article on the Oyster Bay Enterprise Pilot's website. "They can still glimpse majestic mansions, rambling paddocks and grazing horses on adjacent estate parcels."
The hike's highlights for me were the hills and horses, as well as the wide variety of wildlife. Visitors will see everything from opossums to gray tree frogs, while birds include red-bellied woodpeckers and white-throated sparrows, according to eBird.org. "The preserve provides a critical habitat for migratory songbirds and other wildlife," said the alliance's site. You'll also find plants like green milkweeds and tree species like red maples and Atlantic white cedars, according to the alliance. "Descending through glacially formed ravines, the oak hilltop and upland meadows provide excellent examples of the mid-slope community," said the county, adding that a wet meadow with diverse plant life is located by the park's "northeast border."
My music of choice consisted of Faith No More's 1989 breakthrough album, The Real Thing. The California-based funk metal band has been once of my favorite groups since I was a kid, and I even made a collage on my college wall of vocalist Mike Patton. It's also safe to say I started to play the keyboard as a teenager because of the band's synth man Roddy Bottum. Anyway, most people know of the album's biggest hit "Epic," but the entire disc kicks ass – right down the cover of Black Sabbath's "War Pigs." My favorite is "Woodpecker from Mars."
All in all, I'd definitely suggest checking out Tiffany Creek Preserve if you live in or around the Town of Oyster Bay. The trails are short enough that you can hike the whole thing in an hour or two if time is tight, and you'll even see some awesome mansions in the distance. I mean, who doesn't like seeing an occasional mansion? It's what I love most about the Gold Coast!
Size: 200 acres
Date of hike: Jan. 16, 2021
Tiffany Creek Preserve features trails that traverse hilly forests and rolling meadows along Long Island's Gold Coast. It was recommended to me by a reader of my blog named Leonard, who called it a "fantastic park" and "one of his favorites on Long Island." His e-mail excited me to the point where I decided to make the preserve my first hike of 2021. Needless to say, I'm glad I did.
Before exploring, I familiarized myself with the history and habitats of Tiffany Creek Preserve, which is located within the biggest Special Groundwater Protection Area in Nassau County. "A mix of various ecological communities can be found on this spectacular parcel of land – such as old-growth woodlands and oak forests, extensive fields, freshwater wetlands and a large pond," stated the North Shore Land Alliance, which stewards 14 meadow acres of the preserve and calls it a "magical place." The property is comprised of 45 acres just west of – and 155 acres just east of – Sandy Hill Road and surrounded with an additional 250 acres of privately protected lands that "enhance the conservation values here," the alliance's website said. It was apparently "cobbled together" by Nassau County from portions of three former estates with help from the Nature Conservancy in 1992, according to the county's website. As for Tiffany Creek, I noticed on Google Maps that the tiny waterway lies a short distance north of the preserve itself on the opposite side of Cove Road. Lastly, dogs are not allowed.
The preserve's entrance is on the west side of Sandy Hill Road, just north of the intersection with Berry Hill Road. The 45 acres of land just west of Sandy Hill Road features a forest and a yellow loop path called Chipmunk Trail, according to a trail map. Meanwhile, the 155 acres of land just east of Signal Hill Road include a purple loop called Meadow Trail and a blue loop called Fox Trail – the latter of which passes through both meadow and woodland and seems to be the longest trail. There are also a few unmarked paths that branch off here and there, but none of the preserve's trails are more than a mile or two long. "Strolling through some parts of the preserve transports visitors back to the days of Long Island's Gold Coast era," said a 2010 article on the Oyster Bay Enterprise Pilot's website. "They can still glimpse majestic mansions, rambling paddocks and grazing horses on adjacent estate parcels."
The hike's highlights for me were the hills and horses, as well as the wide variety of wildlife. Visitors will see everything from opossums to gray tree frogs, while birds include red-bellied woodpeckers and white-throated sparrows, according to eBird.org. "The preserve provides a critical habitat for migratory songbirds and other wildlife," said the alliance's site. You'll also find plants like green milkweeds and tree species like red maples and Atlantic white cedars, according to the alliance. "Descending through glacially formed ravines, the oak hilltop and upland meadows provide excellent examples of the mid-slope community," said the county, adding that a wet meadow with diverse plant life is located by the park's "northeast border."
My music of choice consisted of Faith No More's 1989 breakthrough album, The Real Thing. The California-based funk metal band has been once of my favorite groups since I was a kid, and I even made a collage on my college wall of vocalist Mike Patton. It's also safe to say I started to play the keyboard as a teenager because of the band's synth man Roddy Bottum. Anyway, most people know of the album's biggest hit "Epic," but the entire disc kicks ass – right down the cover of Black Sabbath's "War Pigs." My favorite is "Woodpecker from Mars."
Parking: 40°51'35.7"N 73°31'04.7"W
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