12 for 12! This month, we’re looking for a true diamond in the rough as we head to Patriots Preserve Park. Situated in Shirley, not too far from Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge, this rehabilitated golf course began its new life as a Town of Brookhaven park back in October of 2023, easily making it the newest park we’ve covered on 12 for 12!
The first thing that needs to be addressed when talking about Patriots Preserve is the simple question of: how the heck do you get there? The park’s page on liparks.com provides only coordinates, but those will work perfectly well if you put them in your GPS. Don’t be offput by the fact that the park is situated right in a residential complex, it is completely open to the public and 100% free to enjoy. The parking lot is spacious, with dozens of spaces, and it looked as though the lot is to be expanded at some point in the future, though that’s just speculation.
Once you’re out of your car, you’ll be drawn towards a welcoming front gate, and from there you have your pick of the trails. There are two loops, one spanning more than a mile, and another spanning a bit under a mile, but these connect at various points, so feel free to make your own loop. The single greatest aspect of Patriots Preserve is the fact that the paths are thoroughly paved and fantastically wide. Grass just alongside the paths also tends to be well-maintained, meaning the risk of ticks (even in the height of the season, as we are now), is as low as can be. And, since the whole park is relatively flat, it’s the perfect place to go for those who use wheelchairs or crutches, or who have young stroller-bound children.
Let’s talk about the park itself. Something I often emphasize in 12 for 12 is habitat diversity, and Patriot Preserve nails it on that front. There’s a nice lake at the center of the park, with a nice boardwalk running across it, allowing for great views. While I was there, I saw a tern, ducks, and plenty of turtles. Then, there’s a great mix of extensive grassland and forest, with thick forest surrounding the park in the distance, and various small copses sprinkled throughout. I saw a warbler, crows, mockingbirds, and various other species. There’s the perfect mix of varied habitat and moderately-sized trails. It’s a dense experience, rather than a protracted one. While gigantic parks can be great if you have a whole day set aside for the outdoors, sometimes you just want to spend an hour walking around, then move on with your day. Patriots Preserve is the perfect park for that.
In addition to having great natural environs, Patriots Preserve has some decent guest facilities. There’s a large shaded area with picnic tables, as well as a large playground for the kids. Having lunch here with your family is a great way to get everyone a bit active, and change things up from the normal dining room table experience. Of note, though, when I went, the bathrooms were locked. It was a Sunday, then, so that could be the reason, but the website for the park notes that the bathrooms had not been completed as of the park’s opening. So, make sure you do all your business beforehand, otherwise you might have to suffice with a port-a-potty.
Patriots Preserve Park is a park whose renown will only grow with time. Even in this early stage, where some work still needs to be done, the whole park is pervaded by the feeling that those who set it up intended for it to be a quality experience. And in that regard, it absolutely delivers. Between a diverse array of habitats, some beautiful scenery, and wide, stress-free, accessible trails, this is a must-visit park for just about anyone.
By Travis Cutter, Long Island Pine Barrens Society
