Bayswater Point State Park

The Basics:

• Public transportation: A train to Far Rockaway/Mott Ave. Walk north on Mott Avenue, approximately 13 blocks to the park entrance.
• Car: Flatbush Avenue southbound over the Marine Park Bridge (or Cross Bay Boulevard southbound over the Broad Channel Bridge).  Turn left on Beach Channel Drive, heading eastbound to Far Rockways.  Proceed approximately seven miles to Mott Avenue and turn left.  Continue on Mott Avenue to the end at the park entrance.

The Details:

A small peninsula into Jamaica Bay, Bayswater Point State Park is a hidden green space near JFK Airport.  The 12-acres were once part of Wall Street investor A.M. Heinsheimer’s estate (look for parts of the estate’s foundation on lawn areas) and became a state park in 1991.

This quiet space provides diverse habitats including beachfronts, wetlands, and woodlands — terrific for migrating and nesting birds. With a small wildlife trail and a meadow of Goldenrod, the park is perfect for botanists, birders, butterfly watchers, and general nature enthusiasts.  The shoreline is also popular with local fisherman looking for Bluefish.

References:

• Bayswater Point State Park by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation,accessed at http://nysparks.state.ny.us/parks/86/details.aspx
• Wild New York: A Guide to the Wildlife, Wild Places, and Natural Phenomena of New York City, by Margaret Mittelbach and Michael Crewdson, published 1997 by Three Rivers Press.

(Please note that while we make every attempt to list accurate information and directions, NYCNatureNews does not assume responsibility.)

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