Glacier Preserve Trail a Hidden Gem

It's March and it's nearly 65 degrees. For those who aren't quite ready to hit the golf course or start spring cleaning, there are other things to do around town. One is to grab your walking shoes or bicycle and hit the trails.

I went to the Glacial Ridge Preserve in Farmingville yesterday and hiked for miles in a patch of land tucked away behind Brookhaven Town Hall and next to Sachem High School East (the cross-country team uses it for practice).

Lined with 240 acres of preserved open space, the wooded area was saturated with different trails, hills, rocks and shrub to keep you occupied for hours. Don't worry, it's hard to get lost since North Ocean Avenue is just west of the brush.

Though lacking water or fun historical monuments in the actual woods, it was spacious enough to get a good workout and take in the sun that was bleeding through the trees. At times, you can catch a glimpse of the Bald Hill monument on the other side of North Ocean. 

According to a statement released in 2006 when the area was originally dubbed a preserve, the Glacial Ridge properties are extensively wooded, consisting of a pitch pine–oak forest with an understory of shrubs and wildflowers, including blueberry, huckleberry, and pink lady's slipper. The assemblage provides wildlife habitat value to a wide variety of mammal, bird, reptile, and insect species. It's only March, so there were no critters crawling.

The property is situated on the Ronkonkoma Terminal Moraine and the topography is quite rolling with some slopes in excess of 25 degrees, the statement said.

Perhaps it's best to hit this trail in the fall when the foliage's beautiful orange and red undertones are being struck by the gleaming beams of sun. Either way, it's close for Sachemites to take a drive and get some physical activity in for the day.

For a complete list of trails to hike and bike on Long Island, click here.

Periodically, Sachem Patch editor Chris R. Vaccaro will post columns about interesting things to do in town with his own perspective, assessment and vibrant critiques.