There are 4 loops in this park ranging from 3 miles to 8 miles. I did the red loop which is about 4 miles winding through to the center of the park along the connetquot river, up to the fish hatchery and back.
The park is very clean and scenic. There are lots of fishing docks (most are cordoned off) from where you can take a good look at the river. There are plenty of nice water features like marshes and streams. The trails are well maintained and mostly level. The park was slightly crowded (encountered 3 other hiking parties) for my tastes but it was on a Sunday in September so that's to be expected.
Best part of the hike was listening to the river while meditating on dock #8. I also enjoyed seeing all the beautiful moss patches and exploring the fish hatchery.
I started the 8 mile blue loop but changed over to the red when I realized the blue loop was open to horses. There was a lot of horse manure and the ground on the blue loop is more sandy than the others. Red and I believe the other loops are off limits to horses. I was warned by the parking booth attendant about the ticks but I did not encounter any. Mosquitoes were frequent but manageable.
I'm adding this park to my top 5 list of long island hikes and look forward to more exploration.
More info: http://nysparks.state.ny.us/parks/8/details.aspx
Box 505<br />Oakdale, NY 11769<br />Phone: (631) 581-1005
http://www.tripleblaze.com/trail.php?c=3&i=1663