Nissequogue River State Park

What a better way to start the year then with a group hike. They have facilities which were pretty clean which was great.
We took the white trail and it was nice and not very hard.
The only thing I didn’t like is that part of the hike you have to walk on the road by a very nice private neighborhood. Even if the neighborhood was nice and quiet I prefer to have my hike fully in the woods.

Excellent off the beaten path place to spend a day. There is an entry fee and worth it. Biking, walking, hiking and learning history are all part of this experience. The greenbelt train for LI intersects this place as well. I went into one of the public facilities and it was a nice part of history. The staff/​ground keepers were lovely. There is a boating area and a place to launch a canoe/​kayak.

My boyfriend lives right down the road from this river. I can see it right outside the windows anywhere in the house. It’s an amazing view. The sunsets and sun rises are gorgeous. No matter what kind of weather, it is beautiful. I love going for walks or runs along the river, and can’t WAIT to go kayaking in the summer! It’s such a relaxing and serene place to be. If you have a whole day to yourself, check out the Kings Park Bluff which is also in the area. It’s not exactly part of Nissequogue but it’s right there and definitely a place to visit when you need that day of peace.

Review 666:
Following the Unilocal tradition of the monumental review, I have decided to write on a place that is supposedly haunted by the ghosts of the former Kings Park Psychiatric Center. Unfortunately this review happens to fall on my Birthday. I don’t want review 666 to be my sole review on my Birthday, so I will write this quick.
Although I currently live in Las Vegas, I was born and raised on Long Island. I spent my childhood in East Setauket and young adulthood in Holbrook. Just before I moved to Florida, I spent my last week living in Long Island exploring the beautiful parks. That shouldn’t be a surprise. It was in this week in the Spring of 2000 that I explored at the time, the newly opened Nisseqogue River State Park. It was one of the parks that gave birth to an appreciation of hiking.
Nisseqogue River State Park is a beautiful land of rolling hardwoods and wetlands along the scenic 25A corridor on Long Islands Gold Coast. In a way it is an extension of the open spaces of Sunken Meadow State Park and a jewel along the tapestry of the Nisseqogue River Greenbelt. It is 153 acres where rabbits and deer outnumber automobiles. It is an oasis to go canoeing. It is a gateway to Long Island Sound. And it is a place that is perceived to have a haunted history.
Nisseqogue River State Park is nature gradually reclaiming a portion of the late Kings Park Psychiatric Center. As the park grows, former buildings will either be replaced or demolished. These buildings date back to 1885 when Kings County was independent of New York City. As the city grew, so did the problem of mental illness. In Brooklyn, the psychiatric hospitals were crowded and though of as unhealthy for the patient’s health. Long before Stop & Shops, Waldbaums, and shopping centers, the vicinity of Kings Park was rural. In the best interest of the patients, they built a psychiatric complex in what was St. Johnland. During its 111 year history (if I am not mistaken) this grew into a self sustained community that included a general store, power plant, a railroad spur, tunnels, farms, and a dock. As the population grew, the state built the buildings up. These buildings were creepy. Building 93 was the epitome of creepy. It looked just like a tower of terror. A few websites state that it was 13 floors. When I got my license and drove through the grounds of Kings Park, I was fascinated by this building with the haunted looking buildings in the complex. Living in the suburbs, I did not see creepy buildings surrounded by pristine woodland and open spaces. It wasn’t just me. People would travel to building 93 to be creeped out regardless of No Tresspassing signs. There are websites on the Internet that claim that something haunted happened to them. I could believe it. Many people lived and breathed then passed on in the Kings Park Psychiatric Center. Building 93 was a landmark. Today, a hardwood forest is the tallest feature of the former Kings Park Psychiatric Center. It is my understanding that the State recently tore it down.
I think the ghosts of Kings Park will be happy with the upbeat spirit of Nisseqogue River State Park. The Kings Park Psychiatric Center is getting a new life as Nisseqogue River State Park proper extends deeper into the grounds. Recently part of the Railroad spur was redeveloped into a bicycle and hiking trail. This is sprawling parkland where people can escape the malls and spend time in the sun. And what better way to prevent mental depression than the saratorium from the sun.

¹⁰⁄₁₀. Will go back.

I agree with the other reviewer. It’s very eerie. It’s sad too. The history is depressing and disturbing.
No matter how tempting, it’s best to avoid entering any buildings because of asbestos. I don’t know how much exposure it takes but why bother. If you’re riding a bike or walking through any of the rooms, you’ll make contact with lead paint, dust, and who knows what else.
But do explore the now silent, serene grounds and views while they’re still around.

It’s a park that was originally the now abandoned Kings Park Psychiatric Center. Seriously.
And if that’s not enough, the original buildings are still standing. They’re all boarded up now, but the town’s attempt to beautify these buildings with pictures of children’s paintings on a doors and windows to a mental institution didn’t do much but bolster the whole eeriness of the place. It’s a bit odd to see a playground with a bunch of kids playing, and 100 feet away is a boarded up old building with broken glass, rusted railings, and crumbling cement. I don’t understand the appeal of having a picnic on a picnic bench next to an abandoned mental hospital.
Nevertheless, I definitely recommend this park to anyone who is fascinated by abandoned buildings, or just wants to feel spooked. I certainly did. It’s also a great area to take pictures. Gather a group of friends or a buddy, cause I would be too scared to walk around here alone.