Day Hike: Shadmoor State Park

Living inside of the densely populated New York Metro region it can be hard to remember that beautiful pristine environments to be enjoyed are only a short trip away.
One such location is Shadmoor State Park in Montauk, NY. Shadmoor was recently acquired by a joint effort of the Nature Conservancy, New York State Department of Parks and Recreation and East Hampton Town, the details of which are summed up well in this New York Times article. Despite offering amazing views and great natural scenery, there isn’t much out on the internet about Shadmoor, so I wanted to take a moment and offer a bit of commentary.

How to Get There
Shadmoor is less than half a mile east of Montauk Village on the east end of the south fork of Long Island. Montauk is serviced infrequently by the LIRR, and it is possible to walk from the Montauk train station to Shadmoor. Bicyclers are very common out on the east end and the terrain relatively flat. The easiest way to get there however is by car. Take Rt. 27 east from Montauk Village, there is a parking lot a little less than half a mile out of Montauk, that serves as a trail head to Shadmoor’s trails.

Little Bit of History

The grounds of Shadmoor State Park have served two major purposes. The first is as Camp Wikoff, the landing place and quarantine for Theodore Roosevelt and his soldiers as they returned from the Spanish American War. The second major use of the land is as an observation point and coastal defense bunker during World War II. These bunkers still exist on the premises and trails lead directly to the bunkers for up close inspection.

Recommendations

• Bring sunscreen. The landscape is covered with barrier island type vegetation, as such there is a dearth of trees, and virtually no shade during the middle of the day.


• Go to the bathroom before you enter the park. The park has no infrastructure other than trails, trail markers and a few signs. Hit the head in Montauk before venturing to the park.


• Bring a blanket for a picnic. The park offers truly amazing vistas of the ocean and surrounding lands. Bring a blanket, pack a lunch and make an afternoon of it.

Park Features
Day Hikers Delight
The park, although small in size, offers over 3 miles of hikes. We covered most of the park and sat down for a lovely picnic lunch in just over 2 hours. It’s a great stop on your way east to the lighthouse, but not enough to fill up your day.


The hikes are very easy, although there is are quite a number of small hills and ridges to cover. There is no shade from the sun, so you do tend to get warm quickly. As you get nearer to the ocean refreshing ocean breezes act to cool you off.

Hypothetically you can get down to the beach via a series of staircases. We did not find said staircases, and they are not located on the map at the trailhead. We did see folks hiking down with surfboards and later saw them on the beach, so it is indeed possible to do so!

Flora

The vegetation you view is very different than that one might observe in a deciduous or coniferous forest. The New York State Parks website says there are black cherry trees and the endangered species gerardia in the park. Being not a botanist, I can’t tell you what was there – but it was enjoyable to inspect such unique plants.






Bunkers

The World War II bunker relics are a neat look at history. World War II is fading in prominence in American memory, partly due to the fact that the war took place mainly on foreign ground. The bunkers right here in the backyard bring the war home to a certain extent. This article from Newsday reports that the bunkers were built to look like cottages from the water, and I have to say it’s true, it doesn’t feel like you are in the midst of the military-industrial complex while you are in the park.




Vistas

The parks most attractive feature by far is the amazing bluffs that the trails end at. The park is home to Long Islands highest bluffs, and it’s possible to walk right up to the edge and take a peek! The views are stunning, the pictures presented here don’t to the park justice.








In Conclusion
The park is definitely worth a stop if you are in the area. However it’s small size prevents it from being a destination in and of itself. As part of a tour of the east end, perhaps on bicycle, it is however highly recommended.

And, don't forget the picnic!