| Welcome to Fire Island National Seashore Ocean washed beaches, dunes, maritime forests, the Fire Island Light Station and the nearby William Floyd Estate, make this park a blend of recreation, natural and cultural resources. Located only one hour east of New York City, the park is a world apart from the bustling communities surrounding it. The 32-mile-long seashore contains natural features such as the Otis Pike Wilderness Area, the only federal wilderness in New York, and the Sunken Forest, a 300-year-old holly forest. Visit Fire Island National Seashore's Expanded Web Pages |
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| Visitation | About half a million recreational visitors come here yearly,
including approximately 7,000 school children.
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| Address | Fire Island National Seashore 120 Laurel Street Patchogue, NY 11772 eMail: fiis_interpretation@nps.gov |
| Telephone | Headquarters: (516) 289-4810 Fire Island Light Station: (516) 661-4876 William Floyd Estate: (516) 399-2030 |
| Operating Hours & Seasons | Sailors Haven and Watch Hill units are dependent on water travel, and are open from May 15 through October 15 each year. The Fire Island Light Station, William Floyd Estate and the Fire Island Wilderness Visitor Center (Smith Point) are accessible year-round, but operating hours vary by season. Call park headquarters for specifics. |
| Climate & Recommended Clothing | Temperate climate. Fire Island may have slightly cooler (in summer) or warmer (in winter) temperatures than the mainland of Long Island. Layered clothing is recommended. |
| Directions | Directions to five principal visitor use areas are provided below. For best results, plan to visit one unit per day and remember that travel to Sailors Haven and Watch Hill is limited by ferry schedules.
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| Transportation | To Park: air to LaGuardia or Kennedy Airports in New York City or Islip Macarthur on Long Island, then rental car, taxi, or train as indicated above in directions to specific units. All Fire Island sites can also be reached by private boat in the Great South Bay, with marinas at Watch Hill, Sailors Haven and most island communities. The bay is shallow, and boaters occasionally moor offshore near park sites. In Park: There are no paved roads on Fire Island, and ferries take only foot passengers. Lateral transportation from point to point on Fire Island is by private boat, water taxi, or foot only. There are no bike paths, and bicycles are not recommended on the island. Permitted driving is available for year-round residents or sports fishermen (available only on certain sections of the beach) only. For information about driving permits, call park headquarters. |
| Fees, Costs, & Rates | Park currently charges no admissions fees, but Watch Hill Campground charges a use fee ($20 for individual and group campsites). Ferry concessions and marinas charge fees. |
| Facilities & Opportunities |
Fire Island Light Station: Exhibits, nature trail, interpretive programs and fourth grade education programs (school groups by reservation only). Call (516) 661-
4876. Access the Fire Island Lighthouse Preservation Society's home page. Sailors Haven: Visitor center, including interpretive programs and temporary exhibits (summer only), boardwalk nature trail through Sunken Forest, bathhouses, marina and seasonally lifeguarded ocean beach. Ferry concession: (516) 589-8980. Snack bar, marina concessions: (516) 597-6171. Take a Virtual Tour of the Sunken Forest Watch Hill: Facilities and services include nature trail, visitor center (staffed seasonally for interpretive programs) and ranger office, lifeguarded beach (summer only). Park campground is here; for campground reservation information, call (516) 597-6633. Restaurant, general store, and snack bar concessions: (516) 597-6655. Marina concession: (516) 597-6644. For ferry costs and schedules: (516)475-1665. Fire Island Wilderness Visitor Center (at Smith Point): Sports fishing driving permits and access, visitor contact station (seasonal interpretive programs), nature trail and ocean beach. Call (516) 281-3010. William Floyd Estate: Guided house tours and other interpretive programs (seasonal, call for schedule), access to grounds and trails, fourth grade school groups by reservation only. Call (516) 399-2030. Bookstores at all locations. |
| Recommended Activities & Park Use | Sightseeing, hiking, wildlife-viewing on nature trails and along entire seashore and grounds of William Floyd Estate are available. Camping at Watch Hill Campground or backcountry camping in Wilderness Area. Canoeing, boating, and fishing in Great South Bay, along salt marshes, between Watch Hill and Smith Point. Interpretive programs offered at all sites, schedules vary by season. Ocean beach recreation. |
| Reservations & Permits | Sports fishing driving, hunting, camping in family or group campsites at Watch Hill campground, and backcountry camping in Wilderness Area are activities requiring permits. Call (516) 289-4810 for information. Reservations are required for Fire Island Light Station tower tours. Call (516) 661-4876. |
| Basic Visit Recommendations | Allow a full day for visits to Fire Island, and realize that services are limited on the island. Heed ferry and train schedules carefully. Be wary of potential contact with deer ticks (which can cause Lyme disease) and dress / behave appropriately to prevent contact. Poison ivy, mosquitoes, and sunburn are other potential hazards. Bicycles, rollerskates or blades, skateboards and metal detectors are prohibited in the park. Pets are allowed but must be leashed or physically restrained at all times. Pets are not allowed near posted endangered species nesting areas. |
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| Adjacent Visitor Attractions | There are a number of museums, state and county parks on Long Island and New York City. On Fire Island, the seventeen private communities offer a variety of attractions such as restaurants and stores. Visit the Fire Island Tourism Bureau web site or call them at (516) 563-8448 for further information about lodgings and services available in communities. |
| Additional Information | Write park headquarters: Fire Island National Seashore or call (516) 289-4810 Monday through Friday 8:00 to 4:30. |