It’s the middle of summer which means it’s hot, we’re months away from the next songbird migration, and ticks are aplenty. So, what’s better than a day at the beach? Smith Point County Park comprises a large stretch of the Fire Island coastline in the Town of Brookhaven. Thus, unlike many of the south shore’s beaches, the water here is actually part of the Atlantic Ocean proper, not the Great South Bay. The position of Fire Island as a barrier island results in some interesting habitat, and plenty of opportunities for activities beyond the typical beach-going fare.
Of course, we have to start this post by bringing up the most important consideration when deciding if you want to visit Smith Point: it costs money to park your vehicle! Either you pay on arrival for a one-time use, or you can buy the County Parks’ Green Key pass to access this and other parks. Once you’re in the park, there’s ample parking. If you’re interested in camping out on the beach, there’s plenty of space available for mobile homes and RVs, though if you’re looking for an authentic wilderness experience this isn’t the place to camp. RVs and mobile homes are packed so close together that it feels less like a campground and more like an ad hoc, miniature city.
Smith Point County Park is a beach, and so, of course, you can do all of the things you expect to be able to do on the beach. Hop in the water, soak up some rays, fly a kite, toss a frisbee, read a book, et cetera, et cetera. If you want a quality beach, this is a great option. But Smith Point is also a county park, and so the question arises: can you engage in the typical park activities here?
When it comes to hiking, Smith Point offers the beach, sporadic boardwalks, and paths where trucks are allowed to drive in the area around the RVs. There’s extensive wild habitat, from grassy dunes that are the nesting site of Piping Plovers and Least Terns, to vast swaths of pines. Thanks to the proximity of the pines to the boardwalks, you can examine these and other plants up close.
The unique habitat offered by dunes also offers up some unique fauna relative to many of Long Island’s inland parks. As mentioned, Piping Plovers and Least Terns nest all throughout the park, though on this visit I unfortunately couldn’t spot any of either. Gulls of several species are all over, including the magnificent Great Black-backed Gull, the largest species in the world, which is less common the further inland you go. In the flat, grassier areas near the campgrounds you can spot plenty of Killdeer, a unique species of plover that prefers terrestrial habitats.
When visiting the county park, you can also take some time to head over to the Fire Island National Seashore Visitor Center. This tower overlooks both Smith Point and the National Seashore, and is filled with numerous educational aids for people of all ages. At the base of the center sits a piece of a whale’s skull, giving an illuminating sense of the vastness of living creatures. As with the novel habitat of the county park, the visitor center allows for unique educational experiences for those who want to pursue their curiosities outdoors.
When looking at the totality of Long Island’s many national, state, county, and town parks, one has to remember and value the diversity in the locales that are included in the overall preserve. It is thanks to the collection of a wide variety of habitat, and a wide variety of recreational opportunities, that Long Island can possess a healthy, vibrant environment. Smith Point County Park offers plenty of recreational value, with all the usual beach activities as well as ample space for fishing, camping, and biking. It also provides a window into an interesting, essential habitat, with the potential to observe unique and/or at-risk species. The nearby visitor center provides even more in-depth information on the local flora and fauna, and the park has clean, accessible restroom facilities. If you don’t mind paying the monetary cost of admission, it’s the perfect place to spend a summer day.
By Travis Cutter, Long Island Pine Barrens Society
