After passing over several brooks and traveling along vernal
ponds teeming with life, the trail runs through an area with
many glacial erratics. We had walked a little more than a
mile when we were found ourselves facing a wide dirt road
(Old Montauk Highway) that was once the only means of access
to the Lighthouse. Continuing on the Paumanok Path we turned
left, and then made a right quick onto a paved
road. This paved
road leads to the Atlantic bluffs and a magnificent overlook
where we stopped for our picnic.
After
drinking in the breathtaking view and enjoying our snacks,
John and I discussed some options. Coincidently, we had each
already decided
to walk the Money Pond Trail. I had planned
to walk back with the group and then continue north on the
Seal Haulout Trail to North Road, which would take me to the
Money Pond Trail. John convinced me instead to continue to
walk on Old Montauk Highway, loop around the Lighthouse, and
pick up the Money Pond Trail from the highway loop road.
We made
sure to tell our hike leader that we were striking out on
our own, and then John and I continued
on the Paumanok Path towards
Montauk
Point. When we reached
Turtle Cove, John pointed
out that if you didn’t know that the Paumanok Path continues
around the Lighthouse you wouldn’t notice the faded white
blazes on the rocks.
After an
exhilarating walk on the rocks, we visited the concession
stand, refilled our water bottles, and used the facilities.
We walked out the front of the building, turned right and
walked the road for a short distance. On the right side of
the road we found the green sign and blazes of the Money
Pond Trail. John noted
the extraordinary size of some of the shadbush. I in turn
was struck by how expertly the trail was designed
to run along the naturally occurring ridges. These ridges
were formed
by deposits of wind-blown sand that were later stabilized
by vegetation. After traveling about a mile over rolling
terrain we came upon Money Pond. John took a picture of me
with the pond in the background. Legend has it that Captain
Kidd buried
some of his treasure here, hence the name. John and I
continued
west to the Seal Haulout Trail. New York State Parks has
done a great job of blazing these trails. We saw the Seal
Haulout Trail sign and yellow blazes and headed south
towards Montauk Highway then took a short stretch of the
Point Woods Trail back to our cars on Camp Hero Road.
To plan
our hike John and I referred
to the Montauk Point Trail Guide by Charles Whalen. Another
excellent resource for exploring this area and the lands
adjacent to it is
Charles Whalen’s East Hampton Trail
Guide.
I
am also indebted to Mike Bottini for the information I have
garnered
from his book The Trail Guide to the South Fork where
he describes these trails in great detail.
Directions: Take Montauk Highway east
through
Montauk
Village. Camp Hero Road in Montauk is 1.5 miles east of the
entrance to T. Roosevelt County Park. It is the first right
past the Oyster Pond overlook. The trail begins on the right
side of
Camp
Hero Road,
100 yards south of the intersection with the Highway. Park
on the shoulder of the road. State Parks placed a Point
Woods trail sign here and blazed the short distance to the
Paumanok Path. |
