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Hallock State Park Preserve and Mattituck State Tidal Wetlands

Location

Jamesport & Mattituck, NY

Anchor Site(s)

Hallock State Park Preserve and Mattituck State Tidal Wetlands

About the Site

This Stewardship Area is made up of Hallock State Park Preserve and Mattituck State Tidal Wetlands and Waterway Access. Hallock State Park Preserve opened to the public on July 12, 2017. The park preserve sits on 225 acres and has over a mile of beachfront along Long Island Sound and two hiking trails. Hallocks Pond, a four-acre coastal plain pond within the site, was once used for both recreational and agricultural purposes but has now reverted to more natural conditions providing a home to an aquatic community. The New York Natural Heritage Program has identified sixteen ecological communities within the park such as maritime bluffs, coastal woodlands, and small wetlands. The park preserve, once called Jamesport State Park, was renamed Hallock State Park Preserve to reflect the history of the area and the Hallock family, who owned the property for centuries. A visitor’s center for the park is located at the park entrance along Sound Ave. Mattituck State Tidal Wetlands is made up of 60 acres of tidal wetland and creek, 10 acres of shoals and mudflats, with 10 acres of protected park surrounding the inlet. Mattituck Creek is an excellent access site to Long Island Sound and is a great place for swimming, fishing, and diving.

Ecological Importance
  • This Stewardship Area is designated as New York State Significant Coastal Fish and Wildlife Habitat and includes a variety of freshwater wetland types that are not common on the North Shore of Long Island.
  • Hallock State Park Preserve is home to a federally and/or state-listed bird species.
  • The bluffs at Hallock State Park Preserve contain rare geological rock formations called hoodoos that are formed by erosion over thousands of years.
  • Mattituck State Tidal Wetlands supports a wide variety of fish and wildlife species, such as surf clams, hard clams, oysters, and blue mussels.
Recreational Opportunities
Dive Deeper
Places to Visit
  • Trailered boats can also be launched at the many facilities around the Town of Southold.
  • The Hallockville Museum Farm is a non-profit organization that brings visitors back to their agricultural roots, offering educational programs and tours.
  • Breakwater Beach and Park sits on the edge of Mattituck Inlet and Long Island Sound. Playgrounds and picnic tables coupled with gorgeous beachfront views make this a pleasant spot to visit.
Field Notes
  • Hallock State Park Preserve was opened to the public in July 2017. Visit the New York State park website for information about the park.
Credits
  • Ariana Newell, Biologist, New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. Site visit and interview in 2012.
  • “New York Natural Heritage Program.”NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation Web site. Available at http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/29338.html.
  • Vicky O’Neill, environmental analyst, victoria.oneill@dec.ny.gov. Updated information about Hallock State Park, July 2017.

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Jamesport

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Did You Know?
  • The Hallock Family settled in the area around 1660, residing there until the 1970s.
  • Archeological sites exist within Hallock State Park Preserve, where both prehistoric and historic artifacts have been found.
  • In the Algonquin language, Mattituck translates as both “great creek,” and “land of few trees,” which is suitable as salt marshes widely cover the area around Mattituck Creek.
  • The bluffs at Hallock State Park contain rare geological rock formations called hoodoos that are formed by erosion over thousands of years.

Hallock State Park

Mattituck State Tidal Wetlands

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