The brochure for the trail describes it as a 0.7 mile loop, moderate to easy. Some of it didn't seem so easy, not that day. It's an uphill climb. Roosevelt's house sits on top of a hill and the nature trail winds down toward the water.
Here is the sign and description of what lies ahead. You can see the trail starting to slope here. It gets much steeper.
At the very top of the trail, it forks. The sign warns that on the right there is a steep drop. Here is a map and a description of the steep drop.
I followed the recommendations on the sign. Going downhill I knew wouldn't be a problem with a steep drop. But coming back, it might be. I picked the right fork to go down. I had to be careful to keep my footing.
Here I am cooling off with the dog. That's a water bottle I'm sipping from. He is fascinated by the dogs on the beach.
I chose the other fork to come back. We were already quite warm and I would say my pace was more like standing still in some places than walking. Fortunately, they have benches along that path and I was able to sit. Had to examine the benches for ticks, though :)
The trail is groomed...that is, it is mostly clear of debris. However, the woods through which it winds are not groomed. The natural process of growth and decay is allowed to proceed. Here you can see there is a kind of wooden bar placed on the path to break the decline, and yet on the right you see the trees falling into the ground, to decay and become part of the forest floor.
We (my daughter and dog were hiking with me) were hoping to see deer and here you can see we were rewarded. You have to look closely to see they deer. He is well camouflaged in the forest. We got several shots of this animal, and this is the clearest. It seems he is staring back at us.
There are warning signs at the start of the trail about deer and dog ticks. The deer we spotted was probably a white tail deer, which is common on Long Island. Visitors to the trail and Roosevelt's home are also warned that poison ivy is abundant, especially along the sides of the trail. We were careful to stay away from the edges. I don't know if that's poison ivy in the picture above. It's not always easy to identify, and it's not the kind of thing you want to be wrong about. I've had a strong reaction to poison ivy all my life.
Here is the dog, chafing at the bit, as the trail gets steeper.
As we emerged from the woods we were greeted by a walkway that led to the beach and a stretch of sand.
The walkway takes hikers over Eel Creek. Eel Creek is a tidal salt water creek.
This is another view of the walkway over Eel Creek. You can see the Creek on either side. Then the walkway crosses over a saltwater marsh. Finally, the scene opens to the beach, which is on Cold Spring Harbor. Cold Spring Harbor is said to be one of the cleanest estuaries in New York State.
Between the walkway and the beach there was a stretch of flat sand. This area, visitors are warned, can flood during certain seasons and at certain times of day. It was easy walking. However, we didn't realize that the sand was also quite hot. We couldn't feel it through our shoes, but very quickly the dog became uncomfortable. My daughter picked him up and carried him to the beach. There the temperature on the ground was much cooler.
We all cooled our feet in the water. My daughter had the dog on a leash all the time. Dogs are allowed, but they should be leashed. Here is another shot of the long stretch of sand over which my daughter had to carry the dog. He weighs about 35 lbs!
There are always dogs on the beach. Unfortunately, most of them are not leashed, which means we have to be prepared to defend ours from a potentially aggressive animal. You can see in this shot dogs in the background, without leashes. Here I am again, with the dog, cooling off.
The following picture is a shot of the beach--Cold Spring Harbor shoreline--as it leads out to Oyster Bay.
Spotted lantern flies were everywhere. This is considered an invasive species on Long Island. The dog didn't know that, but he was fascinated and spent time chasing and investigating these creatures. Here he is having a closer look. The dog is not even 5 months old, so he is still a curious puppy.
I'll conclude with a sweeping view of the beach, looking inland, in Cold Spring Harbor. This is a beautiful spot. The whole park, Roosevelt's estate and the nature trail, are open to the public. There is only a fee attached to touring the house. The park is open in all seasons. I do recommend a visit for history buffs, nature lovers, and hikers.
The pictures are all mine. They were taken on two subsequent hikes. The second hike, weather was milder, but the dog still had to be carried across the sand :)
Thank you for reading my blog. Hive on!
