Hiking, Biking, Fishing, Boating Available At Nissequogue River State Park

By Dana Klosner-Wehner

The Nissequogue River State Park is 521 acres of parkland nestled in Kings Park. It is a fairly new state park with the land being taken over from the office of mental health in the year 2000. The park has a rich history.  It is the former site of the Kings Park Psychiatric Center (many of the buildings  still exist on the park property) which treated up to 10,000 patients for mental illnesses.  Prior to that the site was a veteran’s hospital. Around the turn of the century the hospital cared for the injured from the World War I.*

Today the park offers fishing, hiking, soccer, bird watching, boating, model airplane flying and, in winter, snow shoeing and cross country skiing.

The park’s marina has 142 boat slips feeding into the Nissequogue River. You don’t need to have a slip to use the daytime boat ramp to launch your own boat. You can also bring canoes or kayaks.  

The 30 mile hiking path starts at Sunken Meadow State Park and goes all the way down to the South Shore at Heckshire State park.

If biking is more your style, there was just an extension put on to the bike path. The path is maintained by a partnership between the town and the state park. It begins at Main Street in Kings Park at the municipal parking at the library. It runs along the old railroad spur that follows the old route of the steam train that used to deliver coal to the power house on the old state hospital property. It continues on to the soccer field.

“What’s nice is it enables children to ride their bikes safely to play soccer,” said Bill Purtill, park manager. 

NYS Assemblyman Michael Fitzpatrick joined Nissequogue River State Park Foundation Members Mike Rosato, John McQuaid and Jack Hessel at NRSP On I Love My Park DayThere’s a lot for a bird watcher to see. There’s a bird pond on the left hand side of the administration building. You can spot Herons, Snowy Egrets, Blue Herons, Hawks, Ospreys, King Fisher Bird, Barn Owls, Screech Owls, Warblers and Finches. There’s a bird conservatory, where you can hide your view from the birds and take advantage of the peepholes provided to put your camera through and take pictures. 

Fishermen can keep busy as well with salt water fishing. You can catch Striped Bass, Porgies, Blackfish and Sea Bass among others.

There’s a lot of wildlife in the park. On any given day you might see foxes, white-tailed deer or turtles in the pond.**

If a guided tour is more your speed, you can take part in the environmental programs that the park will customize to your needs and take about two or three hours. 

There are tours in oceanography, tree identifications, sights and sounds of different wildlife and others. A Naturalist conducts these tours.  Call 631-581-1072 to set up a tour.

The park is very popular, boasting 115,000 visitors last year, all taken care of by approximately ten employees. 

View from a trail at the park“It provides a great day for a family outing,” Purtill said. “There’s a picnic area and a playground for the kids.” 

“I like to view this park as the people’s playground,” he continued.  “I appreciate when I hear feedback from people that have been here for the first time and leave with a new appreciation of the property that was once a hospital.”

There is an $8 usage fee per car for the park that is covered under the Empire State Passport. 

The Nissequogue River State Park Foundation will be hosting a fundraiser/5K Sunset Run at NRSP on May 31, 2014. Sunset 5K Run on May 31st at the park. Funds raised are used to support improvements at the park.

 *Corrected to reflect that WWI Veterans were treated not veterans from French/Indian war.

**Corrected to reflect the verifiable wildlife seen at the park.

Comments

[Jack Hessel]

There are a few minor corrections that should be made in the article. The Veteran's Hospital in the was added to the Psychiatric Hospital in early 1920. This part of the Hospital which treated mentally ill patients from Kings County Hospital for the Insane was added to treat returning veterans from World War 1. The French and Indian War was fought in 1763. The other item which refers to sighting Eagles is not likely as so far, no Eagles have been spotted. The Osprey is the closest bird that resembles the Eagle but is much smaller. Otherwise, the article is a wonderful travelogue for the Park as a tourist destination. Thanks for printing it. Jack Hessel, member of the NRSP Board of Directors.

[.]

The article has been corrected. Thank you for your accurate information.