12 for 12! This month, we’re heading over to Great River to visit the Bayard Cutting Arboretum. This finely curated state park provides a relaxing, yet educational experience with some truly beautiful sights. But just what is an arboretum? And how does this park stack up against others of its kind? To find out, keep reading!
The word “arboretum” simply refers to a botanical garden dedicated to trees, and that definition alone should provide a good sense of what a visitor to Bayard will see at the park. Paved and gravel paths provide innumerable options for walking through the carefully maintained grounds. While all state parks possess a capable crew of employees to care for them, you’re much more likely to see employees at work throughout the Bayard property than at any other state park. Bayard is not the sort of park to visit if you want a genuine natural experience. Different species of trees appear with predictable regularity and can be identified with helpful placards placed on or below them. Much of the grass has been mowed, so even in the warmest months there is little to fear from ticks. Benches are plentiful, meaning it is only too easy to take a load off and relax either among the trees, or alongside the Connetquot River.
An important consideration to note regarding Bayard Cutting Arboretum is that there is an $8 fee on weekends. Parking is ample, though, and you shouldn’t have too much trouble finding a spot if you squeeze in a visit on a weekday (as I did for this review). The core of the park is centered around an estate once owned by Olivia James, who gave up the land to create the arboretum. Guided tours are available for this property, and if you’re interested you should reach out to the park itself. A relatively recent addition to the park is a new miniature visitor center, located just beside the parking lot. Besides some very nice, private bathrooms, this building contains a “museum” of various tree species found on the property, and has many items that can be purchased, the proceeds of which go to support the park. There’s a wide array of books, from simple tree guides to New York Review of Books Classics, as well as various foodstuffs, including eggs which come from the park’s very own hatchery! And feel free to ask the employees stationed there for any more information about the park.
The Bayard Cutting Arboretum State Park is something of an anomaly among the New York State Parks system. It’s the only arboretum, for one, meaning it provides an experience you literally cannot find anywhere else. And in providing that experience, it offers a new way into exploring Long Island’s environment. Every visit to a park (whether it’s a National, State, County or Town property) is educational in some way, but Bayard gives that aspect of the state parks a very welcome oomph. It’s the perfect place to go if you want to study and appreciate the diverse potential of trees on Long Island, or if you just want to kick back and relax without having to worry about ticks. The paved and gravelly paths are also great if you want to get some exercise in. In short, despite its specialized nature relative to the other NY State Parks, Bayard Cutting Arboretum manages to maintain a broad appeal, and that’s the mark of a truly great park.
By Travis Cutter, Long Island Pine Barrens Society
