Napeague State Park

History

Napeague State Park's land was initially purchased by the Nature Conservancy in 1976 and conveyed to New York State in 1978. It consists mostly of wetlands in areas where waves washed over Long Island during the Great Hurricane of 1938.

Napeague was the location of the crash of American Airlines Flight 1502 in 1961, resulting in the deaths of 6 aboard.

Description

There is virtually no infrastructure or permitted camping at the park, which is administered by nearby Hither Hills State Park. Its most distinguishing natural feature, a pristine Atlantic Ocean beach, is usually closed during the summer because the endangered piping plover nests near the beach.

A landmark within the park is the huge abandoned Smith Meal fish factory in an area on Gardiners Bay called Promised Land. A controversy rages after Cross Sound Ferry said it wanted to start ferry service from the Promised Land terminal across Long Island Sound to New London, Connecticut. There is currently no service connecting the South Fork of Long Island to Connecticut and its Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun casinos. The only ferry service on the east end of Long Island goes from Orient Point on the North Fork and North Fork residents said this creates traffic jams on its two-lane roads. The Town of East Hampton has so far successfully fought any proposal to start ferry service there.

Southern Pine Beetle Infestation

Pitch pine trees in the park have been devastated by an infestation of the Southern pine beetle, which was first found on Long Island in 2014. These pine trees are part of a unique and imperiled maritime pitch pine dune woodland. The beetle infestation has killed a large percentage of these pine trees in Napeague State Park as well as many trees in other areas of East Hampton. Due to fire concerns from all the standing dead timber, the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation has created fuel breaks and fire access roads.

References

References

1. (2014). "2014 New York State Statistical Yearbook". The Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government.
2. "State Park Annual Attendance Figures by Facility: Beginning 2003".
3. {{usurped
4. (September 15, 2022). "Pine Beetles Wreaking Havoc on Napeague Forest". The East Hampton Star.
5. (November 3, 2024). "Trees in Napeague State Park killed by southern pine beetle to be removed". Newsday.
6. (June 20, 2024). "Pine Beetle Scourge Fans Fears of Fire". The East Hampton Star.