Laurel Lake Preserve
About
The Town of Southold owns and manages the trails at the Laurel Lake Preserve.
Walking the trails of Laurel Lake Preserve will give you a new perspective on nature. With an abundance of wildlife, a large water-filled kettle hole formed more than 10,000 years ago and home to fish including large mouth bass and rainbow trout, 14 miles of hiking trails within a hardwood forest dominated by oaks, hickories, beeches, and maples, this is a special place. The Laurel Lake Preserve was created through the protection of over 18 parcels, assembled over the course of nearly 15 years! Patience and perseverance are definitely two of the hallmarks of our conservation efforts.
The final piece of the puzzle was the conservation of 31 acres owned by Jack and Mary McFeely in 2005 -- which brought the entire property to more than 500 acres preserved and enabled the creation of a trailhead to access the 14 miles of hiking trails around Laurel Lake between the Main and North Roads. The Trust worked with the McFeelys and the Town of Southold to finalize this important piece, creating an amazingly complex group of properties owned by the Town of Southold, Suffolk County Parks Department, Suffolk County Water Authority, and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
Watch how parcels were added to the Laurel Lake Preserve over 15 years!
Sites
In May 2017, the Trust hosted a birding walk through some of the trails, led by naturalist Frank Quevedo of the South Fork Natural History Museum. We were thrilled to spot birds including downy and red-bellied woodpeckers, red tailed and fish hawks, great crested flycatcher, eastern phoebe, blue winged warbler, and even a northern parula, among others. Did you miss the walk that May? Visit the trails anytime you like! To read more about the Laurel Lake conservation see our Fall 2005 newsletter.
This woodland would not be here if it weren’t for families like the McFeelys who see conservation as an option — one they were are inspired to pursue. We are truly grateful to the McFeelys and the hundreds of families who have trusted us to help them protect their family’s land. Want to learn more about how you can conserve your family land? Contact Director of Conservation Planning Kim Quarty at 631.283.3195.
As March turned to April 2020, our Director of Development Amanda visited the Laurel Lake Preserve with her son Liam and dog Quinn. This beautiful preserve is a favorite on the North Fork, and is home to much wildlife including otters, snapping turtles, foxes and deer. Take the long hiking loop or short one; each are beautiful! Take a quick look and make a plan to visit the preserve in the future.
Laurel Lake Preserve
5501 NY-25, Laurel, NY 11948
Things To Do
Hiking
Birdwatching
Photography
