SAT OCT 24 – CONNETQUOT RIVER STATE PARK PRESERVE:

10:00AM – 4-5 MILES. Prior registration requested. CALL or E: Sal, 631-235-2059, or sailingsals60@gmail.com

One of the crown jewels of the Long Island Greenbelt system, this preserve maintains 3473 acres of land & water for the protection & propagation of game birds, fish, animals, & 50 miles of trail through the park. Formerly a private sportsman's club, this lightly used area is a classic pine barrens system, featuring a canopy of pitch pine and several varieties of oak. The Connetquot River flows gently through the center of the park, affording opportunities to observe ospreys, herons, egrets, kingfishers, River Otter, & a host of other species. Near the entrance is a grist mill from the early 1700s & the large Sportsmen's Club, parts of which were built in the early 1800s. A mile north, a trout hatchery built over a century ago is still in operation. We will meet at Westbrook Sports Complex Ball Fields and follow the L.I. Trail to a catwalk under Sunrise Hwy and into Connetquot River State Park Preserve. After a rest stop at the Main House, we'll continue North on trails paralleling the river. We will visit the hatchery before continuing to Bunces Bridge, then head South to complete the loop. Bring ample water, snack. There is no parking fee at Westbrook. GPS Address: 1 Wheeler Rd. Great River, NY 11739. Heavy rain cancels; light rain does not. Optional lunch afterwards.

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