Engaging Getaways and Venues for:
USA/Mid-Atlantic: Huntington, NY
Time: 2 1/2 hours
Distance: 4 1/2 miles
At the end of Reservoir Rd., proceed straight past a steel barrier and follow a dirt path. In a minute or two, you reach a derelict building alongside another steel barrier. Pass the barrier and follow a white-blazed trail as it curves to the left.
In 30 or 40 yards, you reach an intersection. Turn left, leaving the white-blazed trail. Walk uphill toward a large water tank and a cell phone tower. Pass to the right of the water tank to a small, fenced rest area atop Jaynes Hill. You are at the highest point on Long Island. You can picnic on the benches in the rest area and read the quote from “Leaves of Grass” mounted on a large boulder in front of you.
Follow a path directly behind the boulder indicated by a “hiking, no horses” sign. You are again following white blazes of the Walt Whitman Trail, which is also marked by other colors for horse and multi-use trails. Stay on this trail until you see the stables in Waypoint 11. Walk along the trail as it winds through the woods. In five or 10 minutes, you come to a narrow gap in a small split-rail fence.
Pass through the gap and turn right onto a horse trail. Proceed along the trail as it curves to the left. You l soon come to an intersection where a hiking path crosses the horse trail.
Take the left path marked by a double white blaze. Proceed through the woods, cross another horse trail and continue along the Walt Whitman Trail, following the white markings.
When you reach the next horse trail, turn left and head uphill. Ignore a trail on your right and then a trail on your left.
At a junction of two trails marked by a double white blaze, turn right.
About 20 yards ahead, you see another double white blaze and a “hiking, no horses” sign. Turn left and follow the white markings.
At the next fork, go left and proceed between a fallen log and a small split-rail fence. Follow the white blazes as the trail winds through the woods. Continue on for 10-15 minutes along a worn, mossy path until you reach a gap in a split-rail fence.
Go through the gap and take the left fork. You soon reach another horse trail.
Cross over the trail and proceed through another gap in a split-rail fence. Follow along the path with the roofs of the stables to your right.
At the next split rail fence, there’s a junction of three horse trails. At this point, you leave the Walt Whitman Trail and continue on shared-use horse trails until you reach Waypoint 15. If you would like to rent a horse or have a picnic, turn right and walk for about two minutes to the stables. Otherwise, proceed straight along the middle trail, passing stables and a picnic area to your right.
At a junction of trails, bear left. Immediately, you reach another junction. Turn left onto a wide trail. Ignore a narrow path to the left that heads into the woods. Continue uphill.
At the next junction, follow the trail to the right as it proceeds sharply uphill.
At the next intersection, turn left onto a trail with a light-blue blaze. Follow the light-blue blazes until you emerge from the woods at Waypoint 17. Ignore a trail to the left and continue uphill. At a junction, follow the light-blue trail to the right, uphill. At another loop, follow the light-blue trail to the right. At the end of the loop, continue on.
You reach a large intersection. Proceed straight across the horse trail and follow the footpath into the woods. At the next intersection, turn left. At the next junction, turn left, rejoining the main horse trail.
When you reach a stump with a double light-blue blaze, turn right and follow a hiking trail into the woods. Follow the light-blue blazes with the houses of Ridge Dr. to your right. Turn right at the next intersection, heading toward houses. Take the next left, walking with corrals and backyards to your right. Follow the trail until you emerge from the woods before Reservoir Rd.
Turn left onto Reservoir Rd. and follow it to the end, where your car is parked.
