David Weld Sanctuary: A Beautiful Long Island Hike

I have been walking the trails in David Weld Sanctuary for years. I started going when my first son was born, 13 years ago! On the days I needed to get out of the house I would walk with him in the ergo baby carrier down to the beach. There is a 50 ft bluff that overlooks Long Island Sound which is a beautiful place to stop and ponder. I would walk down the beach to a large boulder and nurse him on the hidden side. If you take a left at the beach you can walk down to Short Beach, Smithtown.

David Weld Sanctuary is located on the north shore of Long Island, NY, near St. James on Short Beach Road. The trail is approximately 2 miles with a section that leads to a rocky beach with large boulders. The David Weld Sanctuary was donated by Mrs. and Mr. David Weld between 1969 & 1979. A few neighbors added land to the donation, making it a 125 acre preserve owned by the Nature Conservancy.

The parking area for the David Weld Sanctuary is very small, limited to about 6 cars (more if they squeeze). Dogs are not allowed. The sanctuary closes at 5pm and you will be ticketed if you stay later. You will also be ticketed if you park on the road. I tell you this through experience.

From the parking lot you will follow a path through a field. This used to be completely covered by vines but they have recently been removed. You will find many wildflowers and butterflies. You can take a loop to the left of the field if you wish to see a diversity of trees. I usually go straight into the woods. You will walk along a 60 foot deep kettle hole that was created when a colossal block of ice melted in place during the last ice age. Walk along the water and then follow the path to the left around the tip of the water. You can also go straight for another loop if you wish.

Follow this path to the bluffs. You will find a bench to sit and overlook the Long Island Sound or you can follow a path to the left all the way down to the beach. If it is low tide you can climb up the large boulders found on the shore line. Look to the right to see the large boulder I used to nurse behind. Who knows, maybe I will need that big boulder again in the future.