Cold Spring Harbor State Park

History

Cold Spring Harbor State Park occupies land purchased by New York State in the 1960s; it was originally intended to host part of a bridge to Connecticut or a parkway proposed by Robert Moses. After the bridge failed to materialize, the land was largely forgotten although it remained under the jurisdiction of the New York State Department of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. The unused parcel was eventually brought to the attention of state officials by a librarian seeking space for a new library in Cold Spring Harbor, and was officially dedicated as a state park in 2000.

Description

The 47 acre park, consisting mostly of steep wooded slopes, is intended to retain a natural, undeveloped character. It facilitates passive recreation including hiking, birdwatching (including great horned owls and red-tailed hawks), snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing.

The park is linked to Bethpage State Park by Trail View State Park, a 7.4 mi linear park built on the former right-of-way for the Caumsett State Parkway and the proposed northern extension of the Bethpage State Parkway.

The park is filled with various types of wildlife like deer, fox and eagles.

References

References

1. "Cold Spring Harbor State Park". NYS Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation.
2. (2014). "2014 New York State Statistical Yearbook". The Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government.
3. Winzelberg, David. (July 23, 2000). "Cold Spring Harbor Finds Land for Park". The New York Times.
4. "State Park Annual Attendance Figures by Facility: Beginning 2003".
5. (September 21, 2002). "Governor Pataki Announces New State Park on Long Island". New York State Office of the Governor.
6. (December 28, 2022). "Cold Spring Harbor State Park Wildlife".