Mountain Biking on Long Island

Long Island has a surprisingly substantial mountain-biking network, ranging from purpose-built single-track in the Pine Barrens to technical woodland loops, county park systems, preserve trails, and a dedicated bike park. Unlike general cycling, which may include paved greenways and road riding, mountain biking on Long Island centers on off-road trails with natural surfaces, tight turns, roots, sand, short climbs, technical features, and terrain designed or designated for bicycle use.

This directory includes 14 established mountain-biking destinations across Nassau County and Suffolk County. The list is intentionally limited to places with documented mountain-bike use, established trail systems, or purpose-built riding facilities rather than ordinary paved cycling routes or parks where bicycles are merely permitted on roads. Trail conditions, seasonal restrictions, permits, protective-equipment requirements, parking rules, and closures vary by property, so riders should review current information before visiting.

Interactive Map of Long Island Mountain Biking Trails

Use the map below to explore mountain-biking trailheads from western Nassau County through the central Suffolk County Pine Barrens. Select a marker for trail mileage, difficulty, land type, official trail information, and driving directions. Map markers are positioned at researched trailheads, bike parking areas, or recognized riding access points rather than at general park centers whenever possible.

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Mountain Biking Across Long Island

Long Island does not have mountains in the traditional sense, but its glacial terrain, sandy Pine Barrens soils, wooded ravines, kettle-hole topography, old fire roads, and purpose-built single-track have produced a varied mountain-biking scene. Riders can find relatively smooth beginner loops, flowing intermediate trails, steep short climbs, technical root sections, optional advanced loops, and purpose-built skills features without leaving the Island.

The largest concentration of riding is in central Suffolk County, where state forests, county parks, and town preserves contain interconnected or nearby trail systems. Rocky Point, Calverton, Eastport, Cathedral Pines, Manorville Hills, Glacier Ridge, Laurel Ridge, Overton Preserve, and Percy Raynor Bike Park create an especially strong cluster of riding opportunities across the Brookhaven and Riverhead areas.

Nassau County has fewer mountain-biking destinations, but Stillwell Woods, Trail View State Park, and Hempstead Harbor Woods provide legitimate off-road riding opportunities in the western half of Long Island. These should not be confused with paved recreational routes such as greenways and bikeways, which serve a different type of cycling.

State Forest Single-Track

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation lands provide several of Long Island’s most substantial mountain-biking systems. Rocky Point Pine Barrens State Forest contains a major single-track network with a main loop and optional trail segments ranging from beginner terrain to advanced and expert-level features. The property requires a free three-year Managed Land Access Permit, and riders should consult the current DEC mountain-biking map and seasonal access rules before entering.

Calverton Pine Barrens State Forest near Calverton offers an approximately 8.5-mile main loop with optional advanced hill climbs, while Eastport Pine Barrens State Forest provides an approximately 9-mile one-way route through generally flatter Pine Barrens terrain. Both properties are managed by DEC and require the same free Managed Land Access Permit used for state lands in Suffolk County.

Edgewood Oak Brush Plains State Forest in Deer Park provides another significant trail system. DEC describes more than 23 miles of trails and roads across the property, with a substantial portion specifically developed for biking. The preserve is notable not only for recreation but also for its globally rare pitch pine-scrub oak barrens habitat.

County Park Mountain Biking

Suffolk County Parks specifically identifies Cathedral Pines and Manorville Hills as mountain-biking destinations. Cathedral Pines is one of the Island’s best-known riding areas, with approximately 6.5 to 8 miles of single-track and difficulty ranging from beginner to advanced. Suffolk County lists a Green Key Card, helmet, and eye protection among the requirements for riders at Cathedral Pines.

Manorville Hills County Park offers a longer route of roughly 13 miles through hilly Pine Barrens terrain. Compared with flatter riding areas, Manorville Hills provides more sustained climbing and descending, making it better suited to riders comfortable with intermediate and advanced trail conditions.

Town Preserves and Volunteer-Built Trail Systems

Several of Long Island’s most popular mountain-bike systems are located on town or preserve land and have been developed or maintained with help from Concerned Long Island Mountain Bicyclists, commonly known as CLIMB. Glacier Ridge in Farmingville is one of the most established examples, with approximately 12 miles of riding and optional advanced trail sections.

Laurel Ridge and the Setauket Woods trail network in East Setauket provide another extensive single-track system, while Overton Preserve in Coram offers a mix of flowing woodland riding and more technical sections. Meadowlark Park near Northport is smaller but more technical, with tight turns, short hills, and challenging terrain packed into a compact trail system.

Percy Raynor Bike Park in the South Setauket and Centereach area is different from a traditional cross-country trail system. It is a purpose-built riding facility intended for skills development and dirt features, making it useful for riders who want to practice bike handling rather than complete a long trail loop.

Mountain Biking in Nassau County

Stillwell Woods Preserve in the Syosset and Woodbury area is one of Nassau County’s best-known off-road riding locations. Nassau County describes the 270-acre property as a multiple-use preserve with bicycle trails, hiking routes, and equestrian trails. Mountain bikers use a network of wooded loops with short climbs, ravines, roots, and technical sections.

Nearby Trail View State Park includes designated CLIMB mountain-bike trails in addition to the broader linear park and Greenbelt corridor. The official New York State Parks map identifies both Blue and Yellow CLIMB trails, along with multiple parking areas and connections to surrounding public lands. Riders should use the mountain-bike trail system rather than assuming every path within the park is open to bicycles.

Hempstead Harbor Woods in the Port Washington area adds another Nassau County option, with public multi-use woodland trails that include mountain-bike riding. Because local preserve rules can change more frequently than state forest regulations, riders should pay attention to posted signs and temporary trail closures.

Difficulty and Trail Conditions

Long Island mountain-bike trails can change character quickly even when overall elevation is modest. Beginner sections may be relatively smooth and flat, while advanced loops can include steep punchy climbs, exposed roots, tight trees, abrupt drops, log features, loose sand, and narrow turns. Difficulty ratings should be treated as general guidance rather than a guarantee that every section of a trail will feel appropriate for every rider.

Sandy soil is common on central and eastern Long Island, particularly in the Pine Barrens. During extended dry weather some trails can become loose and soft, while heavy rain can leave lower sections wet or vulnerable to erosion. Riders should avoid using trails when conditions are muddy enough that tires leave deep ruts, and temporary closures should always be respected.

Permits, Helmets and Trail Rules

Permit and equipment requirements vary by land manager. DEC requires a free three-year Managed Land Access Permit for state-managed lands in Suffolk County, including Rocky Point, Calverton, Eastport, and Edgewood. DEC rules also require cyclists on certain Long Island properties to use appropriate protective equipment and follow property-specific seasonal restrictions.

Suffolk County lists a Green Key Card, helmet, and eye protection as requirements for mountain biking at Cathedral Pines. Other county, town, and preserve systems may have their own rules regarding parking, direction of travel, trail closures, protective equipment, and hours of use. Riders should follow posted one-way designations and avoid entering hiking-only, equestrian-only, private, or closed trails.

Electric mountain bikes require additional attention. DEC states that off-road e-bike use on State Forests, Multiple Use Areas, Forest Preserve lands, and Unique Areas is prohibited unless specifically authorized by posted notice or written permission. Riders using an e-bike should verify the rule for the individual property rather than assuming that permission for conventional mountain bikes also applies to electric bicycles.

Sharing Multi-Use Trails

Many Long Island mountain-bike trails are shared with hikers, runners, equestrians, hunters, or other recreationists. Riders should remain under control, yield where required, announce their presence when approaching other trail users, and slow down in areas with limited sight distance. Trail systems that cross active hunting lands also require additional awareness during hunting seasons, including attention to seasonal closures and posted access restrictions.

Mountain-bike organizations have played an important role in creating and maintaining many of these trail systems. Volunteer trail work helps control erosion, improve drainage, maintain signs, and keep designated riding areas sustainable. Following directional signs and avoiding unauthorized shortcuts helps protect both the trails and surrounding habitat.

Planning a Mountain Biking Trip

Before traveling, riders should confirm that the trail is open, review the current trail map, and determine whether a permit, county access card, parking fee, helmet, or eye protection is required. A mountain bike in good working condition, water, basic repair tools, a spare tube or tire-plug kit, and a charged phone are useful even on relatively short Long Island loops.

New riders may want to begin with established beginner loops at state or county properties before moving to more technical systems. Experienced riders can combine nearby central Suffolk trail systems into a full day of riding, but each property should be treated as a separate destination with its own parking and access rules.

Long Island Mountain Biking Directory

The following directory lists the 14 mountain-biking destinations included on the interactive map. Trail mileage and difficulty are approximate because optional loops, trail reroutes, closures, and land-management changes can alter the ride available on a particular day.

Mountain Biking Area	Community	County	Land Manager	Approx. Trail Mileage	Difficulty
Rocky Point Pine Barrens State Forest	Rocky Point	Suffolk County	NYS DEC	11.2-mile main loop plus optional loops	Beginner to expert
Calverton Pine Barrens State Forest	Calverton	Suffolk County	NYS DEC	8.5-mile loop plus about 1.5 miles of optional advanced climbs	Beginner to advanced
Eastport Pine Barrens State Forest	Eastport / Manorville	Suffolk County	NYS DEC	About 9 miles	Beginner to intermediate
Edgewood Oak Brush Plains State Forest	Deer Park	Suffolk County	NYS DEC	About 12.3 miles of bike-specific trails	Beginner to advanced
Cathedral Pines County Park	Middle Island	Suffolk County	Suffolk County Parks	About 6.5–8 miles	Beginner to advanced
Manorville Hills County Park	Manorville	Suffolk County	Suffolk County Parks	About 13 miles	Intermediate to advanced
Meadowlark Park	Northport	Suffolk County	Town of Huntington	About 3.5–5 miles	Advanced
Glacier Ridge	Farmingville	Suffolk County	Town of Brookhaven / CLIMB-supported	About 12 miles	Intermediate to advanced
Laurel Ridge / Setauket Woods	East Setauket	Suffolk County	Town of Brookhaven / CLIMB-supported	Multiple loops	Intermediate to advanced
Overton Preserve	Coram	Suffolk County	Public preserve / CLIMB-supported	Multiple loops	Intermediate to advanced
Stillwell Woods Preserve	Syosset / Woodbury	Nassau County	Nassau County / Town of Oyster Bay	Multiple loops	Intermediate to advanced
Trail View State Park CLIMB Trail	Woodbury	Nassau County	New York State Parks	Multiple trail segments	Varies
Hempstead Harbor Woods	Port Washington	Nassau County	Town of North Hempstead / CLIMB-supported	Multiple trails	Varies
Percy Raynor Bike Park	South Setauket / Centereach	Suffolk County	Town of Brookhaven / CLIMB-supported	Skills park and trail features	Skills / mixed

How These Mountain Biking Areas Were Selected

This directory is limited to Long Island locations with evidence of established mountain-bike use, designated single-track, purpose-built bike features, or documented bicycle trails that function as mountain-biking systems. Ordinary paved bike paths, road-cycling routes, greenways, informal unauthorized trails, and parks where bicycles are limited to standard park roads were excluded from the main directory.

Each mapped location was reviewed for a recognizable mountain-bike trail system and a usable trailhead, parking area, or riding access point. Coordinates were checked against official land-manager information and Google mapping data, with researched trailhead coordinates retained when Google returned only a general park centroid or approximate property location. Trail mileage and difficulty should be considered planning estimates rather than permanent specifications because trail networks can be rerouted, expanded, temporarily closed, or reclassified.

A Distinct Side of Long Island Cycling

Mountain biking on Long Island is a distinct recreational experience from road cycling and paved greenway riding, with a network that ranges from beginner-friendly Pine Barrens loops to technical woodland trails and purpose-built skills features. The 14 destinations in this directory provide riders with a broad cross-section of the Island’s off-road terrain, while responsible trail use, current permits, protective equipment, and respect for closures remain essential to keeping these public riding areas safe and sustainable.