Caleb Smith State Park Preserve

Caleb Smith State Park Preserve is a 548-acre nature preserve in Suffolk County that spans wetlands, ponds, streams, fields, and upland woods along two branches of the Nissequogue River. The landscape contains multiple habitat zones that support different species throughout the seasons.

The Caleb Smith House was built in 1753 as a private residence and later became the Wyandanch Club in 1893. The site transformed into a state park in 1963 to preserve the natural landscape and protect the land for public access.

The Nature Museum housed in the Caleb Smith House displays exhibits about local wildlife and runs educational programs focused on Long Island's natural world. Visitors experience how the region's plants and animals shape the environment people live in.

The park opens at sunrise and closes at sunset, allowing time for hiking, fishing, and cross-country skiing on its trails. The Nature Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday and offers a good starting point to learn about the property before exploring outdoors.

The preserve is home to more than 200 bird species, including nesting ospreys and great blue herons, along with rare plants like pink lady slippers. Visitors often miss the fact that these creatures and plants depend on the specific conditions created by the two rivers running through the park.