A new outdoor location officially opened up to the public Tuesday when the New York State Parks Department hosted a grand opening for the Hallock State Park Preserve in Northville.
The Sound Avenue park is approximately 15 years in the making and features 225 acres of land, including hiking trails, a pond and a mile-long stretch of soundfront beach.
An indoor visitor center also greets passers by from the road.
Here’s what you’ll find at the park:
Trails
Two different hiking trails are now open to the public. The larger trail measures a little over a mile and the shorter path stretches about a half mile. Along both trails visitors will see Hallocks Pond. The trails are an ideal spot for birdwatching or horseback riding and in the winter they can be used for cross-country skiing or snow shoeing. Both trails lead to a beach view of the Long Island Sound.
Beach
A quarter-mile gravel path leads to a beach along the Long Island Sound. The mile-long beach area will be open to the public for paddle boarding, kayaking and salt-water fishing.
Visitor center
The visitor center, which will be run by the state parks department, will also serve as an education facility for students and tourists. Inside the center are touch screens that not only give information about the history of the land and activities at the park, but also nearby attractions to visit.
Guests can browse through a community directory where they can find recommendations for hotels and B&Bs, restaurants, museums, farm stands, wineries and breweries.
The visitor center also has two rooms that will be used by the community. One will serve as a meeting room for environmental groups. The other room is currently displaying photographs, but will house different activities.
There are also North Fork historic artifacts on display.
Hallock State Park Preserve is located at 6062 Sound Avenue in Riverhead.
