Long Island Greenbelt
Trail Conference
Preserve, Protect, Explore
200+ miles of trails
Founded in 1978, the Long Island Greenbelt Trail Conference is a unique non-profit grassroots organization that has created more than 200 miles of hiking paths on Long Island, including three National Recreation Trails. We are dedicated to protecting open space and our scenic Greenbelt trails for all to enjoy.
Since our founding, we have led more than 7,000 guided hikes, and now lead more than 200 free guided hikes each year. Our volunteers have donated a total of 500,000+ volunteer hours to Long Island’s parks and trails.
Find a Trail, Take a Hike
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Find a Trail, Take a Hike —
Long Island
Greenbelt Trail
Bluffs and beaches, ponds and pines, history and diversity — the 32 miles of trails from Long Island Sound to Great South Bay inspire adventure. Follow the courses of the Nissequogue and Connetquot rivers on this National Recreation Trail, pass through spectacular Sunken Meadow, Caleb Smith, Connetquot and Heckscher state parks, and traverse the Ronkonkoma Moraine. Begin or end your hike with a visit to our office at Blydenburgh County Park.
Nassau-Suffolk Trail
From steep hills to old fields to quiet wetlands, this 20-mile National Recreation Trail offers surprising diversity. From Cold Spring Harbor, where mountain laurels bloom in June, the trail crosses Long Island to Massapequa Preserve watershed, where dozens of species of birds stop on their fall and spring migrations. Paths for mountain bikers parallel parts of this trail, and a loop in the Plainview area provides a connection with the Walt Whitman Trail.
Walt Whitman Trail
Walk in the footsteps of the poet himself. A network of linear and loop trails begins at the historic Whitman Birthplace with a 0.6-mile road walk on West Hills and Reservoir Roads. A popular 3.7-mile loop begins near the top of Reservoir Road and winds through West Hills County Park. It is also accessible from the Sweet Hollow Road picnic area. Gaze as Whitman did on a view of the ocean from the top of Jayne's Hill, the highest spot on Long Island. The network connects with our Nassau-Suffolk Trail, making possible walks in many combinations of length and difficulty.
Long Island Seashore Trail
New York State's only Federal Wilderness Area beckons visitors to the barrier island of Fire Island National Seashore. Drive to Smith Point in the "off season" or take the summer ferry from Patchogue. Dayhike or backpack amid beach plums, holly, pines and sassafras. (Trail is open but unblazed; follow National Seashore maps. Limited wilderness camping administered by Fire Island National Seashore.)
Pine Barrens Trail
Leave suburbia behind and experience the "other Long Island" by exploring the heart of the nation's second-largest pine barrens. The 47-mile route from Rocky Point to Hampton Bays traverses pristine woodlands and passes rare coastal plan ponds. Opened in 1994, the Pine Barrens Trail offers unusual flora and fauna, excellent vistas and wonderful aromas. Open all your senses and reap the rewards of a "walk on the wild side."
Partners
New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Nassau County Department of Parks, Recreation and Museums
Suffolk County Department of Parks
Parks and Trails New York
