Big Woods and Wolf Swamp can be explored during a one-day visit. Both preserves offer unique wildlife viewing and opportunities for discovery. Please visit the “Accessibility” tab to learn more about the parking and trail accessibility at each location.
Big Woods
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 winding, sometimes muddy, natural surface loop trail takes you through unique woodlands, scattered pieces of forested wetlands and along the edge of a large salt marsh. The trail is well-marked, although intersecting trails are not as easy to follow. The parking area holds six vehicles but does not have any dedicated handicap spaces. The preserve is open for hiking and observing nature from dawn to dusk.
Comprised of scarlet, white, and black oaks, American beech and scattered white pines, Big Woods includes a high-quality example of a rare assemblage of plants and animals called a maritime beech forest. The small stands of white pine scattered throughout the preserve include some of the tallest trees in the area. The forest shrub layer includes huckleberry, blueberry, arrowwood and mountain laurel, while several sections of trail give you close looks at moisture-loving plants, including highbush blueberry, swamp azalea, winterberry holly, sweet pepperbush, cinnamon fern, and sedges.
Where land meets water, an exemplary salt marsh is fringed by tupelos and red maples. Rare plants such as sea pink, salt marsh asters, slender blue flag and seaside plantains find refuge in undisturbed wetland areas of the preserve.
The diverse salt marsh wetlands on the western edge of this spectacular sanctuary attract a high concentration of fall and winter waterfowl, including black ducks. The New York State threatened least tern and common tern may be seen diving for fish in the tidal creeks along Big Woods. The wetlands and inlets are important feeding and nursery areas for shellfish and finfish, fiddler crabs and clapper rails, glossy ibis and river otters, and the endangered Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle.
This 87-acre preserve is in Southampton.
Wolf Swamp
This preserve not only has a diverse array of habitats, including splendid views of Big Fresh Pond, but also accessible parking, a universal access trail and a wetland boardwalk that offers an accessible nature experience. Please visit our “Accessibility” tab for more details. The loop trail is well-marked, easy to follow and can connect you to Elliston Park (Town of Southampton), as well as the 125-mile Paumanok Trail. Wolf Swamp is open for exploration and observing nature from dawn to dusk.
Wolf Swamp Preserve is an especially important site from an ecological and historic standpoint. Containing freshwater wetlands, pond, and forest, it serves as habitat to a range of species, including the state-endangered northern long-eared bat, several species of frogs, breeding warblers, numerous fish and duck species, and a diverse list of native woodland wildflowers and flowering shrubs. Scarlet, white and black oaks mix with American beach and tupelo, while sweet pepperbush, swamp azalea, skunk cabbage, and trailing arbutus are just a few of this site’s colorful understory plants.
Wolf Swamp Preserve derives its name from the gray wolves who were once heard howling throughout this area. This dates to the early 1700s, when there were still wolves in almost all the Eastern states as far south as the Carolinas. Although wolves are sadly no longer found on Long Island, river otters have recently returned to Peconic Bay and surrounding wetlands, while smaller but equally interesting mammals like flying squirrels and star-nosed moles make their homes at Wolf Swamp. Wild turkey, several woodpecker species, Eastern box turtles, chipmunks, raccoons and white-tailed deer are some other wildlife species you may see during your visit, especially at dawn or dusk.
The wetland boardwalk is built with a unique grating system, allowing sunlight to reach wetland flora and fauna below. There are also several resting benches, a pond overlook and a bike rack.
In addition to the half-mile accessible loop and boardwalk and for those that prefer an adventurous, manageable walk, there is another half-mile of winding, natural surface trails that border the pond and climb into upland forest.
This 20-acre preserve is in Southampton.
