10 Best Parks and Walking Trails in Nassau County
Looking for great parks and walking trails in Nassau County? Here are 10 local favorites for easy walks, nature preserves, waterfront views, family outings and longer hikes.
You don’t have to drive to the Catskills to get a good walk in nature. Nassau County has everything from wooded preserves and pond loops to waterfront trails, historic estates and longer greenbelt routes that can make you forget you’re still on Long Island. Komoot lists dozens of Nassau County hikes — including Garvies Point Preserve Loop, Hempstead Lake State Park North Loop, and other easy-to-moderate walks through woodlands, ponds and coastal habitat — while local Long Islanders consistently recommend places like Massapequa Preserve, Muttontown Preserve, Norman J. Levy Park, Sands Point Preserve, Garvies Point and Hempstead Lake when people ask for good walking or hiking spots. Here are 10 Nassau County parks and walking trails worth exploring.
- 1
Peter J. Schmitt Massapequa Preserve — Massapequa
If you want one of the best all-around walking and hiking options in Nassau, start here. Massapequa Preserve covers 423 acres and includes freshwater swamps, streams, lakes and sandy-bog habitat. It’s also where the Nassau-Suffolk Greenbelt Trail begins before continuing north toward Cold Spring Harbor.
WalkingRunningLonger hikesNatureWhy go: One of the most varied and extensive nature preserves in Nassau County
You can make this a short stroll or a much longer hike depending on how far you follow the trail. Reddit users repeatedly call out Massapequa Preserve as one of Nassau's premier local hiking options.
- 2
Norman J. Levy Park & Preserve — Merrick
Norman Levy is one of the most unusual parks in Nassau County. The trails rise higher than most local parks, giving you sweeping views toward the South Shore and, on a clear day, the city skyline. Local walkers also love the resident herd of Nigerian dwarf goats and the elevated paths.
Scenic viewsFamiliesElevation gainBirdwatchingWhy go: One of the few Nassau walks with a real 360-degree overlook feel
Expect more climbing than at most flat Long Island parks. Reddit users specifically praise the panoramic views and the payoff at the summit.
- 3
Garvies Point Museum & Preserve — Glen Cove
Garvies Point combines easy hiking with one of the prettier North Shore settings. The preserve includes 62 acres, woodlands, meadows, two ponds and about 2,000 feet of shoreline along Hempstead Harbor, with roughly five miles of nature trails. Komoot also highlights Garvies Point Preserve Loop as one of the more popular easy hikes in Nassau County.
Easy hikesWaterfront sceneryFamiliesGeologyWhy go: Wooded trails + Hempstead Harbor beach views + museum in one stop
- 4
Hempstead Lake State Park — West Hempstead
Hempstead Lake gives you a more traditional park-and-trail experience, with wooded paths, multiple lakes and room for longer walks. Komoot lists its North Loop among Nassau County's notable easy hiking routes.
Casual hikingLonger walksFishingLakeside trailsWhy go: Peaceful wooded trails and open lake views right in central Nassau
A great choice when you want something more substantial and quiet than a quick neighborhood loop.
- 5
Sands Point Preserve — Sands Point
Sands Point is more of a scenic walk than a rugged hike — and that’s exactly why people love it. The preserve offers trails through a historic North Shore Gold Coast estate setting bordered by Long Island Sound, featuring woodland paths, a Great Lawn, pond areas and historic mansions.
Easy walksCouplesFamiliesCoastal sceneryWhy go: Historic mansion grounds plus sweeping Long Island Sound waterfront views
Great when you want something relaxing, scenic and well-maintained rather than strenuous.
- 6
Muttontown Preserve — Muttontown
Muttontown Preserve is one of the better choices if you want to feel like you’re actually exploring. Spanning over 550 acres of woodlands, fields, kettle holes and estate ruins, it is Nassau County's largest nature preserve.
ExploringWooded trailsHistoryNature loversWhy go: More adventurous, deep-woods feel than a typical paved park loop
Local hikers frequently recommend exploring the King Zog palace ruins area. Good trail footwear and tick precautions are recommended.
- 7
Tackapausha Museum & Preserve — Seaford
Tackapausha is a strong family option because it combines an 84-acre nature preserve with a small ecology museum. Nassau County highlights its nature trail, five miles of marked paths through forest, streams, ponds and renovated walkway.
FamiliesShorter walksWildlifeYoung kidsWhy go: Easy, flat nature outing with an interactive indoor ecology museum backup
Great when you have younger children who won’t tolerate a strenuous multi-mile hike.
- 8
Eisenhower Park — East Meadow
Eisenhower isn’t a wilderness preserve, but it’s one of Nassau’s easiest places for a long, low-stress walk. Nassau County manages more than 70 parks and facilities overall, and Eisenhower is one of the county's largest major recreation hubs with miles of paved trails and open green fields.
WalkingJoggingFamily outingsExerciseWhy go: Lots of space, flat paved pathways, and plenty to do before or after the walk
Better for regular exercise, brisk stroller walks and casual strolling than for backcountry hiking.
- 9
Barbara Johnson Park & Preserve / Baxter’s Pond — Port Washington
This is a smaller North Shore hidden gem. The county describes a pond-centered park with benches, a wooden viewing dock and a walking path that transitions from brick near the pond to dirt farther in, surrounded by weeping willows and resident waterfowl.
Short walksBirdwatchingRelaxingQuiet reflectionWhy go: Quiet, charming pond setting with Manhasset Bay right across the road
Great choice if you want a peaceful 20- to 30-minute walk without committing to a massive preserve.
- 10
Tanglewood Park & Preserve — Lakeview
Tanglewood offers another easy, accessible nature walk. The county describes an 11-acre preserve with a shaded nature trail and a renovated brick walkway winding around a scenic pond.
FamiliesCasual walkingNatureWildlifeWhy go: Simple, low-stress trail system surrounding a peaceful pond
Easy to combine with the on-site Center for Science Teaching and Learning (CSTL) and its live animals and dinosaur exhibits.
Which Nassau County Trail Fits Your Mood?
If you're trying to narrow it down:
- For a longer hikeMassapequa Preserve · Hempstead Lake
- For great viewsNorman J. Levy Park
- For waterfront sceneryGarvies Point · Sands Point Preserve
- For easy family walksTackapausha · Tanglewood
- For exploring and wooded trailsMuttontown Preserve
- For a simple exercise walkEisenhower Park
- For something quiet and shortBarbara Johnson Park / Baxter’s Pond
One Local Tip: Take Tick Precautions
This came up over and over in Long Island hiking discussions. Local hikers regularly mention ticks on wooded and overgrown trails, especially during warmer months, and recommend staying on marked paths, checking yourself and pets afterward and taking appropriate precautions with repellent. That doesn't mean you should avoid the trails — just treat tick prevention as a standard part of the outing.
Did We Miss Your Favorite?
Have a Nassau County park, preserve or walking trail that deserves to be on this list? Tell us about it and we'll keep updating our Best of Nassau guides based on local recommendations.
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