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The
Elizabeth A. Morton Wildlife Refuge |
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You wake
up on a lovely summer day and want to treat your family to a
delightful experience with nature but you didn’t plan
anything in advance. Where to go with the kids for a
spontaneous adventure when you want to spend a lovely day
outside? Have you ever been to the Elizabeth A. Morton
Wildlife Refuge in Noyac? If you answered no, you and your
family are in for a delightful discovery! This land (187
acres) was donated
to the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service in 1954 by Mrs.
Elizabeth Morton Tilton and is a tranquil place with
easy-to-follow trails.
After
the long drive, you will appreciate the restroom facilities,
chipmunks, chickadees, woods and the
Peconic
Bay.
You will want to bring along some sunflower seeds. Be
certain the seeds
are unsalted.
Salt will harm the birds. As you walk along the 1.5-mile
nature trail, remember to walk slowly and quietly and to
listen for the chickadees. They will call you, “cheet,
twit, cheet, twit” as they implore, “we’re hungry.” Hold a
few sunflower seeds
out in your palms and wait for the chickadees to land on
your fingers and grab the seeds. You have to remain very
still for a while and hold your hands out away from your
body. If by chance they’re not feeding during your visit,
please don’t the leave the seeds
on the trail; this will attract rats, and will also thwart
other visitor’s attempts at hand feeding.
The trail is easy to follow. It offers great opportunities for bird
watching, photography, environmental education, and
surfcasting should you decide to walk to the beach. Be sure
to bring your binoculars, for observing the wildlife and for
the beautiful views that you will see once you hike out onto
the beach. The trails visit ponds, a salt marsh lagoon,
and grasslands. When you complete the loop trail, you can
follow the trail to the beach. |
From September through March you may enjoy a tranquil 1.75 mile walk out
along Jessup’s Neck. Once out on the Neck you have a
beautiful view of the North Fork, Shelter Island, North
Haven and Robin’s Island. Be aware that from April through
August much of this beach is closed to the public in order
to protect endangered and threatened species, such as piping
plovers, least and roseate terns, peregrine falcons, and
osprey who use it for nesting and brood rearing. A viewing
platform was recently completed near the entrance to the
beach. From this vantage point you can unobtrusively
observe these endangered animals.
Each
year this trail becomes closer to being fully wheelchair and
stroller accessible. This is a goal to which the National
Wildlife Refuge is committed. The restrooms, information
kiosks, bicycle racks, benches, excellent bridges,
well-maintained
parking lot and the ready means of obtaining permits make
this an enjoyable place to visit. On your way back to the
parking lot, stop and enjoy a snack at one of the benches.
Please observe the “leave no trace” policy. Whatever you
bring into the Refuge with you, you must also take out.
Directions to the Elizabeth A. Morton National Wildlife
Refuge: From County Road 39, head east past Southampton
College, bear left onto North Sea Road. Follow the sign for
Route 52,
Sag
Harbor
and
North
Sea.
After traveling 2.4 miles, bear right by a small sign on the
right side of the road that reads Morton NWR 5 miles. You
are now on
Noyac
Road (also known as Route 38 and/or Noyack Road). In exactly
5 miles, you will see the entrance to the Morton NWR on the
left side of the road.
The
Morton NWR in Sag Harbor is open from ˝ hour before sunrise
to ˝ hour after sunset. For more information call the Long
Island NWR Complex (631) 286-0485. A daily pass for a car
is $4.00; for a pedestrian
or bicyclist it’s $2.00 (a bike rack is furnished
at the entrance). An annual pass is available for only
$12.00. Fee envelopes (and a collection receptacle in which
to deposit them) are provided at the Refuge entrance. The
National Wildlife Refuge appreciates and depends upon your
voluntary cooperation. |
RETURN TO HIKING LONG
ISLAND HOME |
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