Cold Spring Harbor State Park


Cold Spring Harbor State Park is a state park located on New York State Route 25A in the Town of Huntington in Suffolk County, New York. The hilly park opened in 2000 and offers scenic views of Cold Spring Harbor on the north shore of Long Island.

History

Cold Spring Harbor State Park occupies land purchased by New York State in the 1960s; it was originally intended to host part of a bridge to Connecticut proposed by Robert Moses. After the bridge failed to materialize, the land was largely forgotten although it remained under the jurisdiction of the New York State Department of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. The unused parcel was eventually brought to the attention of state officials by a librarian seeking space for a new library in Cold Spring Harbor, and was officially dedicated as a state park in 2000.

Description

The park, consisting mostly of steep wooded slopes, is intended to retain a natural, undeveloped character. It facilitates passive recreation including hiking, birdwatching, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing.
The park is linked to Bethpage State Park by Trail View State Park, a linear park built on the former right-of-way for the proposed northern extension of the Bethpage State Parkway.