Sunken Meadow State Park — Saturday Morning Trail Run
Free public trail loop, 5K and 10K options. Volunteer-organized, not a race — pace your own. Meet at the Lot 3 pavilion 8:30 AM, head out 9:00 sharp. Park admission is $8 vehicle (free if you walk in). Trail is mixed flat sand + light hills, dog-friendly on leash, kids 12+ with adult.
A volunteer-organized Saturday morning trail run that’s been going for 15+ years. Not a race — just a structured social run with regulars + new faces every week. Two routes: 5K (about half hour at conversational pace) and 10K (full loop, ~hour).
Practical:
- Meet 8:30 AM at the Lot 3 pavilion. Run starts 9:00 sharp.
- Park admission: $8 per vehicle, free walk-in
- Dogs welcome on leash
- Bring water; restrooms at the pavilion
- After: breakfast at Massa’s Coal Fired in Smithtown (10 min drive)
Other Outdoor events
Sands Point Preserve — Fall Mansion Tours + Trail Walks
Sands Point Preserve is the Port Washington-adjacent peninsula with three Gilded Age mansions, 5 miles of trails, and Long Island Sound shoreline. Fall mansion tours run Friday-Sunday September through November. The Hempstead House mansion is famously the supposed inspiration for Gatsby's mansion.
- When
- Where
- Sands Point Preserve, Sands Point
- Price
- TBD
Caumsett State Park — Fall Hike + Private Beach Day
Caumsett is the Lloyd Harbor peninsula state park reached by a 1.5-mile walk through mature forest to a private (no parking, no crowds) beach on Long Island Sound. Free, family-friendly, dog-leash-allowed. Fall foliage peak is mid-October. The 'private beach' aspect is real — most visitors don't make the walk.
- When
- Where
- Caumsett State Park, Lloyd Harbor
Shinnecock Inlet Sunset Paddle
Guided kayak + paddleboard sunset tour of Shinnecock Inlet. 90 minutes, all levels welcome (instructor on every trip), launches from Ponquogue Beach. The inlet at sunset is one of the prettiest stretches of Long Island shoreline.
- When
- Where
- Shinnecock Inlet (Ponquogue Beach launch), Hampton Bays
- Price
- TBD