7th Paumanok Path Inventory Hike
On the seventh Paumanok Path Inventory hike, Wednesday, 05/06/15, Bob, Jim and I walked from Kurt Billings Park in Tuckahoe, to the SYS building in North Sea.
The steps up to the trail from the parking area need to be re-done properly. We follow the white Paumanok Path blazes and the yellow triangles of the Billings Trail, which soon devolve into yellow rectangles. I noticed some well placed logs across the trail to impede access to dirt bikes. We pass a couple of kettlehole ponds. At the summit of Tuckahoe Hill we note the bench dedicated to Kurt Billings. I know Kurt wanted a viewing platform here. It wouldn’t have to be very high to give a great panoramic view, but standing on the bench doesn’t quite work. We note the blue owl blazes on the PP trail corridor for a short distance. The beginning of this blue trail should have three blazes not two. The blue blazes, unlike the meandering PP lead directly to the south shore of Big Fresh Pond. This section of trail has some moderate dirt bike damage, the trail turning mushy in a few places. These sections, because they are well engineered, will stabilize when the abuse stops. None of the damage that we encounter has a significant impact on the trails experience until we enter North Sea Community Park, near where we parked our cars.
As we leave the loop trail, the PP corridor is shared by a red owl trail. We walk a private driveway, and cross North Magee, then follow a new segment of trail to Tuckahoe Woods. We saw a tree stand with spikes running up the tree, and saw a few beech trees with a disease attacking their bark. There should be a few more, or better placed blazes here.
Where the PP shares the trail corridor with the black owl trail, there is some intermittent moderate dirt bike damage. We will need to remediate a few short sections, when we succeed in forcing the motorized bikes off of the trail.
As we enter Tuckahoe Swamp we noticed a lot of insects flying around our faces. When checking out the photographs I took, I was surprised to find that some of my attempts to document the other plentiful avians was successful. I included a picture of a catbird and a woodpecker. The dirt bikes are leaving this trail alone. This may be because they are respecting all that Robert W. Scheuch III, and Troop 58 accomplished in making this a hiker friendly trail. Among other improvements, there are several very well built bridges and a bench dedicated to Robert’s father. The hunters, however, left reflectors on trees and tree stands.
When we come out of Tuckahoe Swamp Preserve, the last blaze we see is a single white rectangle, so we mistakenly walked straight ahead to Millstone Lane. There needs to be blazing showing a right turn where the trail reaches Millstone Brook Road. Walking Millstone Brook Road, we cross over West Neck Road and North Magee Street. We need to talk to the TNC about pulling the trail off the road sooner. They own the land adjacent to the road, for a fair distance.
As we enter the Nature Conservancy’s Marguerite Crabbe Greeff Wildlife Sanctuary, also known as Big Woods, I noticed the beautiful wood carved sign is missing. I included a 14 year old photo of the sign with the attached photos. Blazing and trail tread on this section of trail are very nice, although you have to be careful walking on the networks of raised beech tree roots. We are seeing a lot of dead fish as we use the well built bridges to cross the brooks running into Big Fresh Pond. Crossing through Elliston Park we enjoyed the views of Big Fresh Pond. For a short distance, running west from the second crossing of Millstone Brook Road the trail could use a pass with a mower. One of the series of bog bridges just east of Millstone Brook Road needs to be stabilized. When I stepped on one end of it, the other end popped up and nearly hit the chin of the guy following me. We crossed Millstone Brook Road again after passing the North Sea Burial Ground. The trail then takes you diagonally across North Sea Road. We crossed another brook with dead fish in it, with an interesting, but very easily disturbed bird eating them.
We now see the Hamlet to Hamlet plastic oval blazes. Between these blazes and flexi-stakes we are led across Harrison and Lincoln, around the Fireman’s Field, onto Johnson Ave.
We continued on Straight Path and turn right on Old Fish Cove Road. The right turn, between houses needs to be blazed correctly. The first Hamlet to Hamlet sign, with pointer needs to be moved to where the turn is. If you follow the first blaze, it will take you into someone’s backyard. The tree where you turn right needs a turn blaze facing out to the road. We need to rake some of the landscaping debris off the trail between the houses.
The trail crosses over Spinaker Way and Cove Neck Lane, then crosses over Majors Path to the North Sea Community Park and SYS Rec. Center. Here we start seeing some damage to the trails. The trail needs a few blazes about 100 yards in from Majors Path. Just out of curiosity we walked a little further on the trail to investigate the fence and gate erected to keep dirt bikes off of the Recreation Center property. It also locked hikers off the Paumanok Path for several years. It now has the chain-link pulled back and it is unlocked.
We looked for the SYS building, and followed a trail down to the parking area where we left our cars. Bob suggested an access trail from where STPS has its storage shed; cross slope, to a switchback, to facilitate access from this parking area.
The next Paumanok Path Inventory Hike will be Wednesday 05/13/15. We will be meeting on Millstone Road, near the old entrance to Golf on the Bridge at 10:00 AM. I would suggest contacting me before the hike, it has been about 10 years since I parked here and I’m a bit vague on the location. I would like to thank Chip for suggesting the meeting site. I was desperate for a place to park in the area, and sent out a bunch of emails to my friends in Southampton. Chip was the only person to respond. This parking location is not marked on the Southampton map, and I don’t consider it an optimal place to park, but I’m fairly certain we won’t be ticketed. STPS needs to lobby for formal parking in this area.
Driving directions:
From Montauk Highway, 2.9 miles after the left turn, a slight left onto Hayground Road. Travel 1 mile. Slight right onto Scuttle Hole Road. Travel 0.9 miles, passing through a round-about. Slight left onto Millstone Road. Travel approx 2 miles. Look for the old entrance to Golf on the Bridge (right side of road). Park on the east side of the road.
Links:
http://
http://
The steps up to the trail from the parking area need to be re-done properly. We follow the white Paumanok Path blazes and the yellow triangles of the Billings Trail, which soon devolve into yellow rectangles. I noticed some well placed logs across the trail to impede access to dirt bikes. We pass a couple of kettlehole ponds. At the summit of Tuckahoe Hill we note the bench dedicated to Kurt Billings. I know Kurt wanted a viewing platform here. It wouldn’t have to be very high to give a great panoramic view, but standing on the bench doesn’t quite work. We note the blue owl blazes on the PP trail corridor for a short distance. The beginning of this blue trail should have three blazes not two. The blue blazes, unlike the meandering PP lead directly to the south shore of Big Fresh Pond. This section of trail has some moderate dirt bike damage, the trail turning mushy in a few places. These sections, because they are well engineered, will stabilize when the abuse stops. None of the damage that we encounter has a significant impact on the trails experience until we enter North Sea Community Park, near where we parked our cars.
As we leave the loop trail, the PP corridor is shared by a red owl trail. We walk a private driveway, and cross North Magee, then follow a new segment of trail to Tuckahoe Woods. We saw a tree stand with spikes running up the tree, and saw a few beech trees with a disease attacking their bark. There should be a few more, or better placed blazes here.
Where the PP shares the trail corridor with the black owl trail, there is some intermittent moderate dirt bike damage. We will need to remediate a few short sections, when we succeed in forcing the motorized bikes off of the trail.
As we enter Tuckahoe Swamp we noticed a lot of insects flying around our faces. When checking out the photographs I took, I was surprised to find that some of my attempts to document the other plentiful avians was successful. I included a picture of a catbird and a woodpecker. The dirt bikes are leaving this trail alone. This may be because they are respecting all that Robert W. Scheuch III, and Troop 58 accomplished in making this a hiker friendly trail. Among other improvements, there are several very well built bridges and a bench dedicated to Robert’s father. The hunters, however, left reflectors on trees and tree stands.
When we come out of Tuckahoe Swamp Preserve, the last blaze we see is a single white rectangle, so we mistakenly walked straight ahead to Millstone Lane. There needs to be blazing showing a right turn where the trail reaches Millstone Brook Road. Walking Millstone Brook Road, we cross over West Neck Road and North Magee Street. We need to talk to the TNC about pulling the trail off the road sooner. They own the land adjacent to the road, for a fair distance.
As we enter the Nature Conservancy’s Marguerite Crabbe Greeff Wildlife Sanctuary, also known as Big Woods, I noticed the beautiful wood carved sign is missing. I included a 14 year old photo of the sign with the attached photos. Blazing and trail tread on this section of trail are very nice, although you have to be careful walking on the networks of raised beech tree roots. We are seeing a lot of dead fish as we use the well built bridges to cross the brooks running into Big Fresh Pond. Crossing through Elliston Park we enjoyed the views of Big Fresh Pond. For a short distance, running west from the second crossing of Millstone Brook Road the trail could use a pass with a mower. One of the series of bog bridges just east of Millstone Brook Road needs to be stabilized. When I stepped on one end of it, the other end popped up and nearly hit the chin of the guy following me. We crossed Millstone Brook Road again after passing the North Sea Burial Ground. The trail then takes you diagonally across North Sea Road. We crossed another brook with dead fish in it, with an interesting, but very easily disturbed bird eating them.
We now see the Hamlet to Hamlet plastic oval blazes. Between these blazes and flexi-stakes we are led across Harrison and Lincoln, around the Fireman’s Field, onto Johnson Ave.
We continued on Straight Path and turn right on Old Fish Cove Road. The right turn, between houses needs to be blazed correctly. The first Hamlet to Hamlet sign, with pointer needs to be moved to where the turn is. If you follow the first blaze, it will take you into someone’s backyard. The tree where you turn right needs a turn blaze facing out to the road. We need to rake some of the landscaping debris off the trail between the houses.
The trail crosses over Spinaker Way and Cove Neck Lane, then crosses over Majors Path to the North Sea Community Park and SYS Rec. Center. Here we start seeing some damage to the trails. The trail needs a few blazes about 100 yards in from Majors Path. Just out of curiosity we walked a little further on the trail to investigate the fence and gate erected to keep dirt bikes off of the Recreation Center property. It also locked hikers off the Paumanok Path for several years. It now has the chain-link pulled back and it is unlocked.
We looked for the SYS building, and followed a trail down to the parking area where we left our cars. Bob suggested an access trail from where STPS has its storage shed; cross slope, to a switchback, to facilitate access from this parking area.
The next Paumanok Path Inventory Hike will be Wednesday 05/13/15. We will be meeting on Millstone Road, near the old entrance to Golf on the Bridge at 10:00 AM. I would suggest contacting me before the hike, it has been about 10 years since I parked here and I’m a bit vague on the location. I would like to thank Chip for suggesting the meeting site. I was desperate for a place to park in the area, and sent out a bunch of emails to my friends in Southampton. Chip was the only person to respond. This parking location is not marked on the Southampton map, and I don’t consider it an optimal place to park, but I’m fairly certain we won’t be ticketed. STPS needs to lobby for formal parking in this area.
Driving directions:
From Montauk Highway, 2.9 miles after the left turn, a slight left onto Hayground Road. Travel 1 mile. Slight right onto Scuttle Hole Road. Travel 0.9 miles, passing through a round-about. Slight left onto Millstone Road. Travel approx 2 miles. Look for the old entrance to Golf on the Bridge (right side of road). Park on the east side of the road.
Links:
http://
http://
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