Connetquot River State Park Preserve

Connetquot River State Park Preserve is a 3,473-acre nature preserve in Oakdale, a short drive north of Heckscher State Park, with 50 miles of hiking, bridle, cross-country ski and nature trails along the Connetquot River. It was New York's first "State Park Preserve." It is open Tuesday to Sunday all year (closed Mondays except holidays), from 7:30 a.m., and charges $8 a car in season. Because it is a preserve, pets, bicycles and picnicking are not allowed; fly fishing is by reservation only.

What Makes It Different From Heckscher

Heckscher is a recreation park: beaches, picnic groves, ball fields, a campground. Connetquot is a preserve. NYS Parks says it protects land and water "for the protection and propagation of game birds, fish and animals," and limits visitors to quiet uses: hiking, birding and nature study. That is why the preserve bans bicycling, picnicking and pets. If you want to bring the dog or the bikes, stay at Heckscher (dogs, biking).

2026 Hours

• April 4 to May 22: 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• May 23 to October 16: 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• October 17, 2026 to March 31, 2027: 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Closed Mondays, except holidays. The park office is open 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Tuesday to Sunday.

Fees

• Cars: $8; collected on weekends and holidays from April 4 to May 22 and October 17 to November 16, and daily (Tuesday to Sunday) from May 23 to October 16, in 2026. Buses $35. An Empire Pass covers the car fee.
• Environmental programs and house tours: $4 per person.
• Group fly-fishing outings: $25 per person for a four-hour session.
• Horseback riding: $60 annual bridle path permit or $15 a day.

Trails

NYS Parks counts 50 miles of trails for hiking, horseback riding, cross-country skiing and nature walks. The Long Island Greenbelt Trail passes through the preserve on its way from Heckscher to Sunken Meadow (hiking). Wildlife includes deer, waterfowl and nesting osprey, and rare plants such as trailing arbutus and pink lady's slipper.

Fly Fishing

Fly fishing on the Connetquot River runs year-round, Tuesday to Sunday, in reserved sessions: mornings 8 a.m. to noon and afternoons noon to 4 p.m., with evening sessions on Fridays to Sundays from May 8 to June 28 in 2026. Call the preserve to reserve. A valid New York State freshwater fishing licence is required. Rowboats are available for fly fishing, and single kayaks for fly fishing and wildlife viewing. The preserve also has a historic trout hatchery.

Programs and History

The Long Island Environmental Interpretive Center runs nature programs here year-round, usually Wednesdays to Sundays, for children, families and adults. On the first Sunday of each month from September to June, docents lead tours of the Main House of the South Side Sportsmen's Club, the high-society club that shaped the preserve; reservations on Eventbrite.

Heckscher and Connetquot Together

Hike Connetquot in the morning, when it opens at 7:30 a.m., then drive south to Heckscher for a picnic, which Connetquot does not allow, and a swim in season (beaches).