Gilgo State Park
Encyclopedia
Gilgo State Park is a state park
in Gilgo Beach, New York
, USA. The park is located on the southern part of Long Island
in Suffolk County
.
The most prominent feature of Gilgo State Park is its water front location, with access to both the ocean and bays. On the south side of the barrier island (Jones Beach Island) is the Atlantic Ocean
, and on the north side is Great South Bay
. For many years, locals from the mainland have crossed the Great South Bay, anchored and walked south to the ocean beach. Here they could picnic, swim and surf the famous "Hemlocks Beach". Therefore, the park is undeveloped and no services are thus provided, in which visitors are required to haul out what they brought in with them. There is no bathroom or garbage cans/pickups. Other access is by NYS four-wheel drive vehicle surfing permit issued by a joint program with NYS parks and the Town of Babylon, although Ocean Parkway passes the park. The park features tranquility, shore scenery, and surfing.
Previous use of the land was for a United State Life Saving Service called "Station Gilgo" and referred to as USLSS Station #27. At the western edge of the Park are the remains of this station and is known locally as the Old Coast Guard Station. No appropriate markings on the site identify its history of life saving. It is thought the first building was erected in 1853, serving as a base for volunteer life savers who would walk/patrol the beach and observe ships in distress. It was to aid in recovery of life and property aboard the ship which ran aground. The service was merged into the US Coast Guard in 1925 and later developments in technology made this service inefficient, which caused it to be abandoned.
For some years later, it stood unused until Robert Moses negotiated with the federal government to include it in his Long Island Parks Region. The terms of this transfer are still being explored, though it appears, the parties agreed that this land would be forever wild and available to all residents for their wholesome recreation. No one user group would have exclusive privilege to its use and it would not be closed for whatever reason, with the exception of occasional closing for general safety.
The park also serves as a wildlife reserve, in particular, the piping plover
and the Sea beach amaranth. Thus, no pets are permitted.
State park
State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the federated state level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, or recreational...
in Gilgo Beach, New York
Gilgo-Oak Beach-Captree, New York
Gilgo-Oak Beach-Captree is a former census-designated place in Suffolk County, New York and the Town of Babylon. The population was 333 at the 2000 census. It contains several small beach communities on the barrier island along the southern edge of Long Island...
, USA. The park is located on the southern part of Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
in Suffolk County
Suffolk County, New York
Suffolk County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York on the eastern portion of Long Island. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,493,350. It was named for the county of Suffolk in England, from which its earliest settlers came...
.
The most prominent feature of Gilgo State Park is its water front location, with access to both the ocean and bays. On the south side of the barrier island (Jones Beach Island) is the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
, and on the north side is Great South Bay
Great South Bay
Great South Bay is a lagoon situated between Long Island and Fire Island, in the State of New York. It is approximately long. It's protected from the Atlantic Ocean by Fire Island, a barrier island, as well as the eastern end of Jones Beach Island and Captree Island.Robert Moses Causeway adjoins...
. For many years, locals from the mainland have crossed the Great South Bay, anchored and walked south to the ocean beach. Here they could picnic, swim and surf the famous "Hemlocks Beach". Therefore, the park is undeveloped and no services are thus provided, in which visitors are required to haul out what they brought in with them. There is no bathroom or garbage cans/pickups. Other access is by NYS four-wheel drive vehicle surfing permit issued by a joint program with NYS parks and the Town of Babylon, although Ocean Parkway passes the park. The park features tranquility, shore scenery, and surfing.
Previous use of the land was for a United State Life Saving Service called "Station Gilgo" and referred to as USLSS Station #27. At the western edge of the Park are the remains of this station and is known locally as the Old Coast Guard Station. No appropriate markings on the site identify its history of life saving. It is thought the first building was erected in 1853, serving as a base for volunteer life savers who would walk/patrol the beach and observe ships in distress. It was to aid in recovery of life and property aboard the ship which ran aground. The service was merged into the US Coast Guard in 1925 and later developments in technology made this service inefficient, which caused it to be abandoned.
For some years later, it stood unused until Robert Moses negotiated with the federal government to include it in his Long Island Parks Region. The terms of this transfer are still being explored, though it appears, the parties agreed that this land would be forever wild and available to all residents for their wholesome recreation. No one user group would have exclusive privilege to its use and it would not be closed for whatever reason, with the exception of occasional closing for general safety.
The park also serves as a wildlife reserve, in particular, the piping plover
Piping Plover
The Piping Plover is a small sand-colored, sparrow-sized shorebird that nests and feeds along coastal sand and gravel beaches in North America. The adult has yellow-orange legs, a black band across the forehead from eye to eye, and a black ring around the neck...
and the Sea beach amaranth. Thus, no pets are permitted.