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Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge/Lord Stirling Park

I know New Yorkers have an allergy to all things Jersey, but we nature enthusiasts know that the woods do not discriminate. See, New Yorkers are used to the Jersey right over the Hudson River — smokestacks, industrial facilities, Paramus — but if they take New Jersey Transit a good 40 minutes in any direction, they'll quickly realize what we naturalists already intrinsically know: that New Jersey lives up to its name as the Garden State. I just discovered this pleasing truth for myself after visiting my first two NJ parks ever: Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge and its smaller neighbor to the west, Lord Stirling Park. Composed of wetlands, marshes, and swamps, the two parks offer a very special glimpse into a wonderfully preserved habitat for some of the nicest birds and waterfowl within 40 miles of Times Square. Birds with wingspans you've never seen flying at low altitudes, none of them flinching a bit — this is truly their land and not ours. It was a pleasure to be a visitor.

Getting there is not terribly easy. The buses are a hassle, so I took the train. The train drops you off in either Gillette or Stirling, and from each stop it's about an hour walk till you get to the Swamp. For me, an hour walk goes by pretty quickly, but if you're of the type that's looking to conserve energy and frame the day with just the park, then rent a car. One of the main issues is the lack of sidewalks on these roads. Just be careful to walk so cars can see you. Also, this area is pretty barren and strictly residential, so bring food and water — enough for the day.

The day I went was drizzly, so the wooded trails were impossible to travel on because of puddle coverage. I was able however to walk the Wildlife Observation Center. This was especially moving. A good portion of the center is boardwalks, meaning built-in trails on lands that don't support footpaths. The boardwalks create an intimate experience as you walk through a type of forest you're not used to walking through. Look beneath you: you'll see some amazing waterfowl and turtles. But the ultimate reason you go to this park are for what's above: the birds. At the end of each boardwalk trail are little observation blinds (about the size of three office cubicles) that you enter and can watch the birds clandestinely. Be sure to look on the wall at the bird guide. Sparrows, hawks, blue jays (extraordinary), cardinals, and others grace this park, and are not shy. Make sure to visit every single blind; it's a small set of trails, and you can manage this section of the Refuge in 45 minutes.

Lord Stirling Park, on foot, is about a 45 minute walk from Great Swamp. I took Whitebridge Rd. — a straight (also sidewalk-less) road that showed off some of the shabbier aspects of residential NJ, and also some beautiful evergreen trees. One of the gems of this part of the day was the totally surprising, and 100% free and donation-sponsored refuge for birds called The Raptor Trust. Located off the side of the road, The Raptor Trust is basically a bird hospital with caged birds for viewing. Some of the most astonishing birds there were the bald eagles and the owls. Don't get too close to the cage, or you might get a jolt of surprise. The guides there are very nice, and the plaques on the cages for each bird are highly informative.

Lord Stirling Park is a more immersive experience than Great Swamp — there's a lot more petty hiking and a lot more educational resources. With more detailed trails than Great Swamp, the whole park is smaller, and, in truth, less grand of an experience. Some trails go around mere ponds, or through small meadows, and the trails are a bit less hiker-friendly than in Great Swamp. The birds are a bit more wild here; I've had to pause for a turkey crossing. It's a fun park if you're expectations are not too high.

Wrap up your day with some pizza nearby the Stirling train station. The train runs every hour.

Cost:$24 Off-Peak Round Trip on NJ Transit; no admission fees for Great Swamp, The Raptor Trust, or Lord Stirling Park.

Public Transportation: Train: NJ Transit from Penn Station to Gillette or Stirling

Rye/Portchester Parks

Having gone to college in this area, I am quite familiar with the natural landscape in mid-Westchester. With the Hudson to the West and the Sound to the East, one would think that there are as many stores and  houses crammed into the space as possible; to a great level, that is true, but there are also some pretty neat places to witness the natural world.

The one thing to understand about Westchester is that it is a very wealthy area, and much of the nature is, if not privately owned, heavily manicured and strictly monitored. It's not my ideal place to "go and get away," but if you're looking for an alternative day trip, Westchester is a decent choice.

The first spot of note is the Rye Nature Center. It is located next to the incredibly wealthy town of Rye. Boutique stores, fancy restaurants, and a Starbucks grace your 10 minute walk from the train station to the center. Once there, you walk up a road, pass some ruins on your left, and reach the parking lot/welcome center. As you'd expect in Westchester, the staff there is not entirely welcoming, and the building always seems to be empty and/or the staff busy. Don't expect a lot of guidance or advice. If you're curious, visit the ruins—it used to be a mansion that fell prey to a fire 70 years ago. The wooded area is relatively small. There are a few trails, all unmarked, that make for some very intimate walks. The premier destination is a pond that pops on you on the far side of the grounds. Don't get too transported however; right through the trees, on all sides of the wooded area, you can see fences and the houses that lay beyond them. At best, this small park is good for a romantic walk after a meal or something, but don't make it your sole destination for the day. Not enough ground and not enough payoff. However, if you want to make a day of all this...

There is the Rye Playland Boardwalk and Town Park. About another 10 minute walk in the same direction, you'll encounter these two adjacent attractions, both on Long Island Sound. Quick note: Don't go on a day that Rye Playland is open. You'd be swamped by people, cars, etc. Go on a day that Rye Playland isn't open to really appreciate the beauty of the sound. Watch birds dive into the water, view the still boats bobbing in the waves... The boardwalk doesn't offer anything in the way of stores (as of 2012, it's being renovated), so the beach land and the long pier are the sole attractions. If the beach is locked, hop over the fence and you'll enjoy the beach until you get caught (didn't happen when I went). Town Park is decent. Good date material. It's hilly, very spacious, has a duck pond with an amusing array of ducks, geese, and waterfowl... but, once again, you get a sense that you don't belong. The wealthy residents bring their dogs to run amok here, so you'll be competing with canines for enjoyment (if you're pro-dog though it's a fun addition). If you're here to hike, don't go; you really go to the shore for the water.

If you have more time in your day, take a walk (this one is a bit longer—roughly 30 minutes) to Crawford Park in Rye Brook/Portchester. Hidden among really nice houses, this park is is a communal backyard, more than a public park. With manicured gardens and concrete walkways, there is a perimeter footpath that contains mild enjoyment, sometimes leaving you exposed to the grassy space, other times concealing you behind willows and other trees. Unfortunately a theme in this part of Westchester, the park is bordered by houses, so there's no escape here. I would definitely bring children here in the Winter for sledding though; there are some terrific slopes and tons of space.

So none of these parks are main attractions in and of themselves, but viewed collectively, you might enjoy a day of mild enjoyment. Lots of great food in between your transportation, and you're close to trains. I just fall short of a recommendation for this trip, but you might enjoy it.

Cost: $16.50 Round Trip Off-Peak with Metro-North

Transportation: Metro-North to Rye or Portchester; Westchester Bee-Line to Rye Playland

Rating: 4/10

What This Blog Is About

So, here's my predicament. I have to live in NYC, but I don't like it here (I'm an aspiring actor). I would much rather live in a small town in the Pacific Northwest; quieter, calmer, simpler... My way to transcendence is not through a city stroll, but through a mountain hike. I want to be caught in a kayak, not have to catch a cab. What's more, I prefer solitude over company and thought over interaction... Only a day for myself, to myself, in the green and blue will give me the necessary calm a day in the city instantly demolishes. This blog will be devoted to different places, usually within 50 miles of NYC, that people can go to for a day to return to themselves. No disclaimers needed — I'm just an enthusiast with an insight. I'll share with you what I feel are the pros and cons of the natural world around us.

I have no car. On my day trips in the wild, I take the subway to the train to wherever I want to go. My hiking boots see both a subway floor and leaf-covered trail in the same day. This kind of bipolarity makes urban-based lovers of the woods unique, almost misplaced.

In these posts, I want to share natural environments people can travel to 1) by themselves (or with friends), 2) on public transportation, and 3) do it all in one day. Of course at the end of every trip, you're left wanting more, but it does recharge the soul battery. Hopefully, these trips give you the ability to feel a subway pole and see how it doesn't have to be too different to you than the branch of a great spruce.

"Simplify, simplify!" -HD Thoreau. An irony in that to truly simplify, he would've just said it once.

It's our predicament that we live in the same irony embodied in that quote. We're not city slickers, but Woodslickers.

Yours,
Woodslicker.