Sammy’s Beach Preserve

wild turkeysNot far from Sammy’s Beach Preserve, I had to stop the car to let wild turkeys cross the road. Soon Sammy’s Beach Road led us to a coastal sand spit which is now a nature preserve.

We followed a footpath, overgrown in parts with marsh plants. And wandered near tidal creeks and salt ponds known as ‘the maze’ on the edge of the inland Three Mile Harbor.

footpath sammys beach preserve

prickly pear cactus
theo marsh plants

creeks water meadows three mile harbor

Despite just waking up after the harsh winter, the beauty and peacefulness of the land was still clear.  In the Fall the area is covered in wild flowers.

osprey nest sammy's beach preserveIn the distance Osprey’s watched the water from the high perch of their nest.

osprey nest

But a hidden sandpit stopped us from journeying on to the east end of the coastal spit. My two didn’t want to leave the ‘secret place’ they called ‘theirs.’

luce running marsh grass path

secret sandpitInstead we later crossed the dunes and headed to Sammy’s beach on Gardiner Bay.

dune coastline nature preservetheo sammy's beachAs there was no shelter that day from the wind, soon we followed the sandy dirt road back to our car.

dirt road nature preserveBut before we left my children made me promise to bring them back soon to Sammy’s Beach Preserve…and their secret place.

Sammy’s Beach Preserve, East Hampton, NY

A beautiful nature reserve for an outdoor walk with children if you’re in the Hamptons, NY. There are over 50 species of birds found in this habitat and diverse flora and native vegetation, including high marsh species, sea lavender, saltmarsh aster and prickly pear cactus.

A dirt road runs down the center of the coastal spit from the small parking lot on Sammy’s Beach Road to the west jetty of Three Mile Harbor’s inlet. There’s a narrow trail through the wetlands which leads to a sandy road loop near the jetty. You can either follow the dirt road back to the car park or walk back along the beach. Parts of the beach and the 116.2 preserve may be closed during the nesting season for least terns and piping plover (April-July). Sammy’s Beach Reserve, part of the East Hampton township, is on the northern shore of the South Fork, Long Island, and located at the end of Sammy’s Beach Road.

21 thoughts on “Sammy’s Beach Preserve”

  1. Every time I read one of these posts I think that we must have a holiday down in the Hamptons soon, it’s so beautiful 🙂 Gorgeous photos as always, and lovely that your two want to go back to their special place x #CountryKids

    1. There’s lots of wild turkeys around here but it’s the first time I’ve had to stop the car for them to cross the roa. Until now I’ve only had to stop for ducks and deer 🙂

  2. Wow, looks like a great place to visit, I particularly like the photo of the nesting osprey. What is the plant in the third photo down? It looks like a cactus but I’m guessing it isn’t!

  3. What a hidden gem and perfect for exploring – it’s a shame the wind didn’t drop and you could have spent more time there. Thanks for linking up and sharing more of your Hampton adventures with Country Kids.

    1. We were there for a couple of hours due to the ‘secret sandpit’ which was warm and sheltered from the sun. In contrast the beach on the other side of the dunes was really windy and a bit chilly.

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