Here’s a 7.8 mile hike for you to enjoy, beginning at the Pine Trail Preserve in Ridge and ending at Halsey Manor Road in Manorville. You’ll need a hiking buddy to park his or her car at the end point unless you want to walk all the way back.  Park in the ample dirt parking area by the kiosk and trails information bulletin board on Route 25; 0.6 mile east of William Floyd Parkway.  You’ll start out on a carpet of pine needles and oak leaves on a narrow trail corridor that had once been slated for the extension of Route 111 into Manorville.  Now it’s a 100 yard-wide trail.  About six residential roads dead end on this trail with houses visible on the north side.  Several adventitious trails run into the backyards.  As you approach the LIPA ROW, the trail becomes wide and muddy.  Turn left onto the ROW; look for a turn blaze on the electric tower that leads you back into the woods. 

After a short distance, you will reach the Brookhaven Trail that branches to the north.  I walked a short distance up this trail and noticed that the yellow blazes are nearly obliterated.  Where the brush layer is beginning to close in on the trail there is evidence of recent trail maintenance but more is needed.  Cut across a woods road that runs north. After about one mile, cross a solid bridge over a brook that feeds Sandy Pond.  The trail turns right as you approach the ponds with Sandy Pond to your left and Grassy Pond to your right.  Here the trail is badly chewed up by heavy vehicular and equestrian use.  As the trail moves away from the ponds around the edge of a grassy field, water is visible through the bare tree branches to your right. A straight walk on a wide equestrian trail leads you across Wading River Manor Road.  Be careful here; the road is curved and cars are speeding. Hiker and equestrian signs are needed on this road. Huge pitch pines shade the brush layer along with some unusually mature chestnut trees.  Arrive at a burn area and see the standing skeletons of fire-dead trees (not safe on windy days).  Even the living trees show signs of fire with their charred trunks.  Cross a horse trail not shown on the map available from Greenbelt Trails Conference (631-360-0753).  The blazing is sparse because many of the dead trees that were blazed have fallen down.  The trail tread is in excellent condition and clipped branches attest to volunteers working to keep the trail open. 

Looking to your right, you’ll see what looks like a grassy area; actually, it’s wetlands leading to the Peconic River.  Blissfully, there is no ATV damage to this trail. You’ll notice wetlands plants like bayberry, highbush blueberry, sweet pepper bush, and a large stand of cattails here.  The trail is closing in.  Cross a brook bridge (with unfortunate vandalism to one rail) built by Eagle Scout, Jeremy Manita.  The trail travels alongside a ridge by the river.  Cross Wading River Manor Road by the corner of River Road. A cement abutment takes you over the river that is now to your left.  There are huge old pines above, and soft duff underfoot.  You’ll see mounds of dirt that are the remnants of old property boundary markers. Along with the white blazes of the Paumanok Path you’ll begin to see red blazes as well.  Look down from the ridge and note the railroad tracks to your left. The Paumanok Path blazes were repainted so that they are half red and half white, instead of all white as they should be.  Presently, every other tree is blazed red and white or all white due to some illegal painting.  You’ll see a red and white turn blaze where the PP turns left across the RR tracks onto Mill Road. Mill Road takes you across the ROW, and then turns left into the woods.  Pass a large glacial erratic and more boundary mounds onto Mill Road where you could walk straight across (following yellow blazes) to the Trails Center.  If you turn left onto Mill Road it will take you across the river and right back into the woods.  After a while, you’ll cross Mill Road again. 

This trail between Mill Road and Halsey Manor Road was built by George Fernandez to eliminate some road walking. It’s only two years old but riddled with holes and ravines dug by dirt bike tires.  When you come out onto Halsey Manor Road, turn left and walk across the 495 overpass; look for the large parking area on the left side of the road.