Weather permitting, this weekend brings three opportunities for guided hikes in Montauk.
Five species of seals have been wintering in Montauk, and this weekend, a naturalist with the New York State Parks Department will lead three-mile seal hikes to observe them from a safe distance. The times are Saturday at 11 a.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. and there is no cost, but registration is required ahead of time either online at EventBrite.com or by phone at 631-668-5000, extension 0. Dogs and strollers are not permitted. Participants should take their own binoculars, wear appropriate hiking gear, and meet 10 minutes prior to the official start time at the office/restroom facility at the lower parking level at the Montauk Lighthouse.
Rick Whalen will lead a moderately paced hike of about four miles on Saturday through Suffolk County’s North Neck Preserve, one of Montauk’s newest trails, and on to the Gunnunks Garden trail loop in the Culloden Point Preserve. “There are rolling hills, impressive trees, and always little surprises,” the East Hampton Trails Preservation Society promises on its website. The meeting place is the Culloden Point historic marker on Flamingo Road (near a red fire hydrant about 400 feet north of Wills Point Road). Participants should take snacks and liquids for the hike. The phone number to call for more information is 631-275-8539.
