I walked these next 11 miles of the Paumanok Path (PP) with Tom Bentivegna, Tom’s son, Tom Jr., and his fellow runners, Howie Bergesen, and Dan Ingegno.  Tom is planning to run the entire length of the approximately 130-mile trail, without stopping, perhaps as soon as next fall.

We met 1.5 miles north of Stephen Hands Path, at the new parking area and kiosk on the east side of Route 114.  Leaving my car there for the return trip, we piled into Tom’s van and headed north on CR 114.  We cut across Sag Harbor using Jermain Ave., turned right on Noyac Road, and followed it to Deerfield Road.  Laurel Valley County Park is about 0.6 mile south of Noyac Road on Deerfield Road, opposite the entrance to the Northside Hills Community.

We stopped to look at the map of Laurel Valley County Park mounted in the trailhead kiosk recessed 30 feet into the woods.  You can purchase this map from Southampton Trails Preservation Society (537-5202).

For 1.3 miles, the PP runs along ridges, wending its way over knob and kettle, along a ravine and vernal wetlands. Much of the mountain laurel here is looking distressed.  Soon there is a “T” intersection with a loop-trail marked by blue owl blazes.  Turn right; this part of the loop takes us across the park.  Pass a black owl trail branching to the left.  A sign reading “Paumanok Path, to Middle Line Highway” points you in the right direction.  According to William Mulvihill, in his book, “South Fork Place Names”, Middle Line Highway (MLH) takes its name from “the middle line” a surveyor’s base line created in 1739 which forms the Great North and South Division on the South Fork. Pass a wetland to the right and turn left onto a paved section of MLH.  The next couple of miles are in real need of blazing.  As you walk along the road, be alert for a trail cutting into the woods on the left side of the road; it’s marked with white and red dots and faded surveyor’s ribbon.  When a new trail is marked, some trees are sprayed with dots of paint to retain the trail in case the ribbons are removed. This pretty little section of trail cuts a diagonal between MLH and Millstone Brook Road.  Exiting the woods to the right of a driveway, turn left onto Millstone Brook Road.  Pass the gate to the old racetrack on your right. The trail ducks into the woods along the road.  As you approach a guardrail, the trail turns right onto an unpaved section of Ruggs Path and after 100 yards, it cuts into the woods to the left.  Here the PP is marked with yellow blazes. When we built this segment of trail, there was one mile of the PP in Laurel Valley and the next segment was in North Sea or the Long Pond Greenbelt.  We were concerned that if someone found a trail painted white, they would think it was contiguous with the rest of the PP.  At the time we didn’t know if or when the PP would connect with this segment of trail.  Originally, the plan was for the PP to continue along Middle Line Highway, passing by a sand mine, but  the trucks flying by in clouds of dust on the Highway, along with the noise of heavy machinery, and the smell of huge quantities of chipped wood during the summer hardly made up for the panoramic view of Noyac Bay as seen from the edge of the sandpit. The PP is now contiguous so it’s time to paint white over these yellow blazes. The mountain laurel here looks healthy, and will bloom in profusion, by mid-June.  The trail becomes narrow, and winds its way through the dense laurel.  Oak caterpillars are beginning to rain down in profusion. To the right of the trail you can see the snow fence marking the edge of Golf on the Bridge, but most of the time it was out of sight as we walked the long arc around its perimeter.  You will pass a yellow owl trail that branches north to the loop around Trout Pond.  A left turn takes you back onto the unpaved MLH, for a short distance, then the trail runs to the left, around a sturdy fence and onto a driveway.  Where  this driveway opens to Brick Kiln Road, it is marked with a MLH street sign. 

Cross over Brick Kiln Road just south of where it bends and intersects with Stony Hill Road. Look for the opening of the trail continuing east, directly opposite the opening of the driveway marked Middle Line Highway.  A short distance after crossing the road, the trail passes a vandalized historical survey marker.  Note the yellow owl blazes after the trail cuts across a dirt driveway. (If you followed these blazes, they would take you to the beautiful Mulvihill Preserve that can also be accessed further south on Brick Kiln Road.)  Continuing east, beech and dogwood mix with the oak, and highbush blueberry and red maple indicate the proximity of wetlands.  The trail tread here is stable and a comfortable surface on which to walk.  The trail comes out onto a driveway that you should follow down and straight across to Bridgehampton Sag Harbor Turnpike.  The house address at the end of the driveway says Middle Line Highway.  Be careful crossing this road!  The trail continues between a residence, and along the left side of Sagg Industries.  Walk to the left of the parking lot, across a small grassy area.  The trail runs along the left side of a chain-link fence.  The oak canopy is sparse and the brush layer is a lush green.  There are blueberry blossoms aplenty so if all goes well this fall we could see a nice bumper crop.  Cut diagonally across the Sag Harbor railroad spur, onto the Sprig Tree Trail.  This trail runs parallel to the old railroad bed between Long Pond and Little Long Pond.  At a “Y” intersection bear right and cross over the spur again, then turn left onto the LIPA Right of Way.  After a short distance, the trail bears left into the woods, taking the hiker parallel to the ROW, on a boat ramp access road.  Where this trustee road opens to Widow Gavitts Road, turn left.  At the end of Widow Gavitts Road turn right onto Sagg Road.  Careful, this is another fast moving road.  On the left side of the road, there is a post with a white blaze marking the opening to the trail.  The PP enters the woods though a narrow corridor.  After walking a pleasant section of trail, a left turn takes you onto the LIPA ROW.  Be alert for where another trail cuts across the ROW.  A not very sturdy turn blaze has miraculously remained standing for the last couple of years, showing where the PP turns left onto the blue-blazed Toyland Loop.  We are now headed away from Toyland, a place of wooden ramps that some mountain bikers enjoy using.  From here, a small arc of trail takes the hiker from the ROW to cross over Town Line Road.  Where the trail splits, bear left.  We are in East Hampton; the turn blazes here are upside down L’s, and most of the blazing for the rest of this hike is very easy to follow, thanks to the East Hampton Trails Preservation Society.

Bear right onto the freshly blazed, yellow Miller’s Ground Loop.  You will now see, both yellow and white rectangular blazes marking the trail.  East Hampton Trails Preservation Society is installing check dams and waterbars to address all the unfortunate damage to the trail from illegal ATV use.  A right turn takes the hiker off of the loop; now we are following just the white rectangular blazes of the PP.  Cross over Wainscott Northwest Road, a lot of pitch pine is mixed with the oak trees here, and the trail passes a large glacial erratic.  Brush and grass need to be cut back, but the tread condition is improved since last year.  After a while, the lovely quiet is intruded upon by road noise.