Take a Hike - Tip# 55

Saturday night Chris and I are attending the Annual Dinner Dance on Shelter Island to benefit the Mashomack Preserve.  The Benefit, held under a huge tent on the grounds of the Manor House located on the Preserve, is widely popular and tickets sell out fast.  Chris and I met on Shelter Island at Mashomack Preserve while attending a weekend retreat offered by the Nature Conservancy's Young Professionals Group of New York City.

This year, we have another couple coming to the Benefit with us, Eliza and Joel, who also met on the same retreat at Mashomack but a few years later and just got married this summer. So single friends - take note! Just kidding...  even if your are not in the market for a husband, or attend a Benefit, the Preserve is definitely a must-do on my list.

First of all Mashomack is nearly 2,100 acres of preserved land - that is 1/3 of Shelter Island!  The Nature Conservancy acquired the preserve in 1980 and protected it from any future development.  Today, it is home to one of the most dense populations of breeding ospreys on the east coast.  This place is a bird watchers paradise as migrating birds use the area as a stop-over and it is home to endangered species such as the piping plover and least tern.

There are 5 well-marked trails that total 20 miles of varying length and difficulty. While hiking you'll see freshwater wetland, salt marshes, grassy meadows, oak & beech forest, as well as 10 miles of coastline. In the winter we've hiked the yellow and green trails in snowshoes and seen cross-country skiers glide by. 

In the summer, a nice day trip is to hike the blue trail - but take plenty of water and snacks as it is a 12 mile loop with magnificent views along coastal bluffs. The one caveat is that ticks can be a problem in the summer so check yourself when you get home.  And don't walk off-trail in the tall grass even if you want to check out the view from a very scenic lookout. Trust me, I'll tell you my lone star tick story some time. I still shiver to think about it.

The Preserve is easy to find - from the Greenport/North Ferry, follow Route 114 three miles south to the Preserve. If you come by way of the North Haven/South Ferry, follow Route 114 one mile north to the Preserve. The entrance is marked by a large wooden sign on the east side of Route 114.



The Preserve is open 9am to 5pm March - September, 9am to 4pm October - February. The Preserve is closed on Tuesdays except in July and August when it is open 7 days/week. There is a Visitor Center run by volunteers to provide guidance and answer questions daily in the summer and on weekends the remainder of the year.


Mashomack also offers nature programs and guided hikes throughout the year. Call the Preserve office for information and reservations at (631) 749-1001.

For more information on the Nature Conservancy visit www.nature.org and for information on the Young Professionals Group (YPG) visit http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/unitedstates/newyork/youngprofessionals/