Humes Preserve

The paved road to the parking is narrow, and two vehicles cannot pass at the same time. Dogs are allowed on leash. There is a porta potty behind the white building. The grounds are peaceful, and folks we encountered along the trails were friendly.

magical meadow you have to experience firsthand

This is a relatively new and well-hidden park / preserve. The main entrance is from Glen Cove Oyster Bay road. The sign at the entrance is fairly small, and it will be difficult to see until the last moment when you come from the south. A narrow paved road leads to a gravel parking lot for about a dozen cars. There are two alternate access points with smaller side-road parking from Dogwood lane and Frost Mill road. A large meadow on the hill at the park's center is surrounded by old pine and spruce forest. The NW Humes preserve shares a border with a low-laying Shu Swamp preserve, where large aspen, tupelo, and maple trees become more common. This area is crisscrossed with streams and rivulets and is rather wet even after two dry months. Combining Humes and Shu Swamp trails, you can walk a 3-4 miles picturesque loop. I was there in the end of September, I suspect that "in season," the lower part of the trails might have s lot of mosquitoes.

A true hidden gem!! I almost didn't want to write the review because I wanted to keep it a secret but that would be selfish. Great trails, well maintained. If I'm not mistaken it is run by the The North Shore Land Alliance. Kuddos to them

A large park previously owned by the Humes estate. The property has been recently renovated by North Shore Land Alliance and now has a well-maintained park with a meadow, birdhouses, a trail that connects to the nearby Shu Swamp Preserve, and even a small exercise station. The turn into the park is somewhat tight though, so take caution when turning in and out.