Cold Spring Harbor State Park

great hike! challenging and peaceful at the same time! plenty of areas to rest after an uphill climb. We has sneakers on, but will use hiking boots for better traction next time.
beautiful spot, friendly people as you pass, def a great place for a solo hike or with a partner.
kid friendly, dog friendly

While Long Island isn’t the first place you think of when it comes to hiking, this trail was absolutely serene, yet rigorous. We will certainly be coming back!

Challenging hike but absolutely worth your time the trail was an amazing challenge and a nice workout of the day

1. Very peaceful & quiet. A very beautiful nature spot in Long Island where you can get your daily dose of exercise/​nature.
2. Sometimes a little scary quiet. Especially when you go at a time (mid– later afternoon) when there’s nobody else walking on the trails with you.
3. You’re not allowed to bring dogs but people do anyways– most often big dogs. (I’m a huge dog lover but just in case some of you would rather choose to steer clear of these dogs)!
4. A lot of people at the end/​at the start of their hike go across the street by the water to get a freshly bottled water (there’s a source of water– bring a bottle to fill). You’ll often see people bring empty gallon containers to refill as well. (This is really completely normal, I promise)!
5. There’s quite a lot of elevated hills so be prepared!
I like to come with a small backpack with a bottle of water & a tiny snack. You might find a spot on the trail you want to rest at for a bit to admire your surroundings.

An amazing hiking spot! The view is breathtaking. The hike can most definitely be challenging at times as there are many hills but that makes it earn 5 stars in my book! There are a lot of people hiking the first mile or so into the hike but as you go further there are fewer and fewer people. Overall this is a spectacular hiking spot that I’ll be frequenting often!

I loved it. Its such a nice mini hike on Long Island which is pretty cool since there is no mountains.

I can’t believe I never found out about this trail on long island. Came here over the weekend when it was about 50 degrees. The weather was perfect. The trail can be challenging for beginners. My boyfriend and I both work out on a regular basis so the trail wasn’t as challenging for us so we decided to run whenever we had to go up hill. The trail was clean and well preserved. The scenery is beautiful. We didn’t know there was a second part of the trail. Guess we will be coming back verrrry soon. Go. You will not regret it

A nice walk/​hike located about 40 minutes into Long Island. It does not have any rock scrambling and is mainly inclines and declines on a dirt road. It is not too crowded the two times I have been here and does not have a pretty view like breakneck. However, I do enjoy coming here to get away from the city hustle and bustle.

Great little gem in the backyard of Long Island. Who knew there was this hidden trail with elevation not a far drive away and won’t cost you any tolls. I live in Fresh Meadows and come here when I don’t want to travel too far but want escape the city stress. Its a great trail and will get your heart pumping real quick. Many come with their children and pets. I been here about 3 times have only hiked about an hour out and back. My goal is to complete it make it to the real cold spring at the bottom!

my haven.
jesus went to the mountains constantly to pray. I come to this trail to breath in the fresh air and enjoy the view of the boats in the harbor. one day.. I will sail in that harbor!

One of my first hiking trip in Long Island. I was impressed with the elevation. The trail is long and challenging for a beginner. I would suggest anyone hiking at this trail to at least have proper hiking footwear at a minimum. The parking is kind of limited so you will have to snoop around for s space but the trail is amazing. The trail can get a little claustrophobic but only at the entrance. As you get deeper in the trail the crowd will dissipate so I do not recommend staying in a big group. You may get annoyed when the trail narrows but other than that you will have fun.

This place is beautiful especially to enjoy the fall foliage. Don’t expect any challenging hiking trail here. It’s a great place to just have a walk. The trails are well marked. It’s free & It’s not crowded. Just put on your hiking boots, bring a family for a fun walk in the park or a date for a romantic walk. We would definitely recommend this place to anyone. Stop by during the fall, it’s absolutely beautiful here.

I came here for a hike and it was very pretty but the terrains are way to easy. This is a great place to come for a walk with kids, pets and people who are just starting to hike. I did come right after the fall foliage so there were beautiful colorful leaves all around the ground and a few still on the trees.
They do have a bathroom by the library if needed.

In the fall, a 10 star event. The colors, textures and the rugged terrain provide a challenge and a feast for the entire body and mind. Vertical stairways to heaven and winding trails, up and down. The trails are well marked and there are plenty of logs to take an often needed reminder to stop and appreciate nature at it’s finest. Wear sturdy shoes or hiking boots, bring some water and go with someone you love (or want to love)

I got married on this trail. It’s beautiful. LI is crowded and beautiful green spaces are hard to find. The hike is a challenge.

As other reviewers have said, this trail is no freakin’ joke. I’m not an avid hiker but I’m pretty physically active and these trails are rough, man. It’s mostly all uphill and downhill, you rarely get a chance to just coast along, you really have to work for it. It’s also beautiful and even though I needed to turn back around I wanted to keep going to see what was around the corner. Bring a snack and extra water, you don’t want to run out of the essentials on this hike. Can’t wait to come back in the fall.

Words can’t explain how beautiful this place is. A nice little hike to the top, with an amazing view of the harbor. Great place to become one with nature and exercise.

The hiking trail here gets 5 stars from me, simply because you will not find a more challenging hike on the Island. I recently hiked in the Berkshires and was hoping to replicate that feeling at home, this came close.
There is ample free parking at the trail-​head right in the center of town, across from the harbor and Billy Joel Park. The trail is well marked and in very decent condition. As others have stated, the climbs get the heart pumping and just when you level off or descend, another climb pops up. Who knew Long Island could get so vertical? The views are definitely better in the fall when colors pop and the harbor can be sighted, but today the foliage was lush and verdant providing it’s own focal point. When you are deep in the woods you don’t hear anything but the sounds of the wind in the trees, scattering chipmunks and the chirping of birds. Today there were no bugs and no muddy places. Roots of trees did not reach up to trip, rather provided natural steps with which to gain traction.
After crossing Lawrence Hill Road, the trail connects to Trail View Park and additional miles can be added to your journey. I went another 2 miles, but you can virtually hike to the South Shore (Trail View to Bethpage Park to Massapequa Preserve). I chose to follow Harbor Road back so that I could see the ponds, historic homes and waterfront. If you choose to do so be cautious as you will be walking on the narrow shoulder of a curvy road.

What a great scenic trail. Starts in an adorable town and goes right on up up up. It’s def a moderate hike that keeps your heart going and always make sure to watch where you step.
You feel like you are in a forest far far away as soon as you step foot on the trail. Here you enjoy beautiful old trees, chipmunks, tree roots creating stepping paths, and mushrooms growing on decayed trees.
Ps. It’s the beginning of a trail that continues down all the way to bethpage. Goal: by the end of fall to do the whole stretch.

As far as hiking goes, this is a good trail. Would I suggest going the extra 5 to Bear Mt? Yeah, but if you wanna skip tourists and be alone on a trail, I say go here. It’s free, parking is easy, and the town near by offers food/​coffee/​medicine if you need it. Pretty much everything. Its a great day trip. You have to walk through town to get to the trails, it’s a nice walk. The hiking is odd, you pass a foundry, and it is very steep at parts. I was a tiny bit disappointed in the view from the top but it’s still worth it. Don’t go in the summer, you cant see anything through the trees, and there are a lot of snakes and mosquitos b/​c of stagnant water.
Do this hike during the fall and you’ll really enjoy it!