Native Long Islander Walt Whitman once described his experience with the Long Island Pine Barrens as “…many a good day or half-day did I have, wandering through those solitary cross-roads, inhaling the peculiar and wild aroma.” Nearly 140 years after this was written, the Pine Barrens is still home to some of the greatest trails in the world, where one can inhale this “peculiar and wild aroma.”
Glacial kettle ponds and erratics, rolling hills with panoramic vistas, parabolic dunes, coastal plain ponds, white Atlantic cedar swamps, dwarf pines, pitcher plants, and painted turtles all make the trails lining the forest floor of the Long Island Pine Barrens an area of natural beauty and diversity that welcomes great opportunities for hiking or strolling.
For your reference, the Long Island Pine Barrens has published a “Hiking Trails Guide” that details all of the best locations in the Pine Barrens, where experienced and amateur hikers and wanderers alike can enjoy. Most of the hikes described in this guide traverse the Core Preservation Area. We hope you’ll journey into the woods and appreciate the beauty, diversity and importance of what we have worked so hard to save for future generations.
Download our Long Island Pine Barrens Hiking Guides below!
Two Page Quick Tips Hiking Guide
Dog Friendly Parks in the Pine Barrens
Long Island Pine Barrens Parks Passport
Cover Photo: Sandy Richard (Flickr CC)
