Caleb Smith State Park Preserve, Nature preserve in Smithtown, United States.
Caleb Smith State Park Preserve is a nature preserve in Suffolk County, New York, set along two branches of the Nissequogue River. The land covers wetlands, ponds, streams, open fields, and upland woods across a gently varied terrain.
The Caleb Smith House was built in 1753 as a private home and later became the Wyandanch Club in 1893, serving wealthy sport fishermen. The property was converted into a state park in 1963 to protect the land from development.
The Caleb Smith House holds a Nature Museum with exhibits about local wildlife found across Long Island. The museum runs educational programs that connect visitors to the plants and animals living in the surrounding land.
The preserve is open from sunrise to sunset, and trails are available for hiking, fishing, and cross-country skiing in winter. The Nature Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday and works well as a first stop before heading out on the trails.
The two river branches running through the preserve carry unusually cool, clear water, making this one of the few spots on Long Island where wild trout can still be found. This rare water quality is part of why sport fishermen valued the land so highly back in the 19th century.
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