In addition to the mature forest of oaks, American beech, and white pine for which Big Woods is named, the preserve includes freshwater wetlands, beaches, and a breathtakingly beautiful view of the Sebonac Creek tidal marshlands.

Located in North Sea, just south of Robins Island, Big Woods is part of one of the most extensive salt marsh-tidal creek systems remaining in the Peconic estuary. The area has long been recognized for its natural beauty and ecological significance, as well as its importance to the water quality of the Great Peconic Bay.

What to See

The sign at the entrance describes the preserve as the Marguerite Crabbe Greef Wildlife Sanctuary, in honor of a woman whose family made the preserve possible. The loop trail through the preserve traverses an upland beech forest, smaller groves of white pine, and red maple and tupelo wetland.

Two short sections of boardwalk enable you to get a close-up look at the moisture-loving plants, including highbush blueberry, swamp azalea, winterberry holly, sweet pepperbush, cinnamon fern, and sedges.

The diverse wetland habitats in this spectacular sanctuary attract a high concentration of waterfowl, including black duck. The federally endangered piping plover, New York State endangered least tern, and New York State rare common tern nest on the beaches.

The wetlands and inlets are important feeding and nursery areas for shellfish and finfish, as well as endangered Kemps Ridley sea turtles.

Comprised of scarlet, white, and black oaks, American beech, and scattered white pines, Big Woods includes a high quality example of a very rare assemblage of plants and animals called a maritime beech forest. The shrub layer includes huckleberry, blueberry, arrowwood, and mountain laurel, and where land meets water, an exemplary salt marsh is fringed by the tupelos and red maples.The small stands of white pine scattered throughout the preserve include the tallest trees in the area.

Rare plants such as sea pink, salt marsh asters, slender blue flag and seaside plantain find refuge in undisturbed wetland areas of the preserve.

What to Do

Big Woods is a wonderful place for an adventure in nature. You can explore a rare maritime beech forest and one of eastern Long Island’s most undisturbed coastal wetlands. The loop trail is well marked, although intersecting trails are not as easy to follow.

Planning Your Visit

The trails are open for hiking and observing nature from dawn to dusk.

Please prepare for your visit by reading our guidelines.

Directions

• From Montauk Highway (Route 27), turn onto North Sea Road (County Road 39), heading north.
• Turn left onto Millstone Brook Road.
• Big Woods Preserve is on the right about a mile past Wolf Swamp Preserve.

• Select another preserve >>
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Nature picture credits (top to bottom, left to right): Photo © TNC (Big Woods Preserve); Photo © Jeromy Gregg/Creative Commons (Kemps Ridley sea turtle), Photo © Sandy Richard/Creative Commons (cinnamon fern).