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Exploring Udalls Cove Park & Preserve

Udalls Cove Park & Preserve extends more than a mile from its southern boundary at Northern Boulevard to its northern extent on the shoreline of the open water of Udalls Cove.  The southern end of the Park can be seen and accessed from Northern Boulevard, between the 7-11 store and Mobil gas station, opposite St. Anastasia’s Church.  Gabler’s Creek, one of two freshwater streams that feeds Udalls Cove, passes underneath Northern Boulevard just west of the 7-11 store.  It is hidden in a culvert under the roadway, but emerges a few hundred feet north in what is known as the Ravine section of the park.  A half mile further north the Creek enters a cobblestone culvert built in the 1930's by the Civilian Conservation Corps.  It passes under the Long Island Railroad and then enters Aurora Pond, named for UCPC’s founder Aurora Gareiss.  From there it continues north until it empties into Udalls Cove at Virginia Point, named for Gareiss’ collaborator Virginia Dent. 

A second freshwater creek enters Udalls Cove from the Great Neck side.  This stream has its origins in Lake Success; it can be seen from Northern Boulevard opposite the Leonard’s of Great Neck catering hall.

As a nature preserve, there are only a few access points from which you can enter the long, narrow Udalls Cove Park.  Here are some suggestions for visitors who would like to spend an hour or two exploring these remnants of our former natural heritage.  Times noted are estimates of the minimum to get some appreciation of the area; you can, of course, spend more time if you wish, and we encourage you to do so.

1.         The Ravine, Part I.  [10 Minutes.]  If arriving by car, park on 244^th Street just north of Northern Boulevard.  This is the street that runs along the east side of the Zion Church cemetery.  Walk east along Northern Boulevard a short distance past the Mobil station on the corner, and enter the Park on your left.  A trail winds through a lovely, young forest of evergreen and deciduous trees.  These were planted in the early 1990's by UCPC volunteers on top of fill that was dumped in the 1960's before the area was designated a park.  A couple hundred yards to the north you will reach the end of the fill, where there is a steep drop-off into the Ravine.  You’ll see where Gabler’s Creek emerges from its culvert, though most of the stream’s water runs underground here except when it is raining.  (You can climb carefully down into the bottom of the Ravine and work your way north along the creek bed, but caution: there isn’t really an established trail there as yet.)  The trail at the crest of the Ravine turns left (west) and continues a few more yards until it emerges at the end of 44^th Avenue, in a small parking area behind the Douglaston Firehouse.  Immediately to the north of the parking area and street is a split rail fence.  Behind the fence is another restoration area where, from 2004 to 2008, UCPC worked to remove tons of concrete rubble dumped there over 40 years earlier.  UCPC also removed dense tangles of invasive vegetation and planted scores of native trees and shrubs.  Explore around this area, and look at the rock-lined water course and retention basin that UCPC installed in 2008 to minimize erosion from stormwater runoff.  Just in front of the firehouse is 244^th street where your car is parked. 

2.         The Ravine, Part II.  [5 - 10 Minutes.]  Drive north on 244^th Street to the intersection of 44^th Avenue, opposite the firehouse.  Turn left onto 44^th Ave. for one block, then right onto 243^rd Street (immediately opposite the entrance to Zion Church).  Continue north on 243^rd St. about three blocks to a dead end.  You can enter the park here on a somewhat overgrown trail that leads into the bottom of the Ravine just north of the LIRR.  This area is quite overgrown, but ambitious visitors can make their way around and see some extraordinarily large willow trees, as well as Gabler’s Creek which here runs on the surface.  Until the 1960's there were several cottages here in which lived descendants of black settlers, many of whom made their living as oystermen.  Their small community of homes was later bisected by the LIRR.  The community included a tiny AME Church, now a private home standing near where your car is parked.

3.         Aurora Pond.  [5- 10 Minutes.]  From Northern Boulevard, drive north on Little Neck Parkway until you reach the grade crossing over the LIRR tracks adjacent to the Little Neck station.  Cross the tracks and immediately turn left onto a one-lane, two-way street (no kidding!) called Sandhill Road.  Drive down a short hill and park at the bottom near where the street curves towards the right.  On the left you’ll see Aurora Pond with its picturesque overlook.  Watch for herons, kingfishers and ducks.  Trails wind around the pond and through some of the adjacent woods.

4.         Virginia Point, Part I. [10 - 15 Minutes.]  This is the section of Udalls Cove Park that affords the most opportunity for exploration.  From Aurora Pond, drive back on Sandhill Road and turn left onto Little Neck Parkway.  Continue north three blocks from the LIRR crossing and park near the intersection of 34^th Avenue.  You’ll see a split rail fence at the corner.  A nice trail lined with wood chips enters the park here.  The trail extends only a few hundred feet before the wood chips come to an end.  From that point on the casual stroll turns into a miniature hike, as the well-marked trail winds through marsh and woodlands.  (Note: after a rainstorm parts of the trail are likely to be wet.)  You’ll pass occasional evidence of past human occupation of what is now a little wilderness – some rusted truck beds and a few sections of chain link fencing.  The trail has several loops, and there are a few muddy spots and two small streams to step over.  About a block north of where you started you will emerge near the Point, where there are fine views of the marsh and the open water of Udalls Cove.  Along the water’s edge you will see old pilings and a couple of dead boat hulls; like the rusting truck beds, these are remnants of two commercial boat yards that operated here until the early 1960's.  Follow the trail to the right (east) a few yards and you’ll find yourself back on Little Neck Parkway at its very northern terminus, about a block from where you parked. 

5.         Virginia Point, Part II.  [2 Minutes.]  Here, at the northern terminus of Little Neck Parkway, is a small parking area for five or six cars.  Ahead of you to the north you will see an open area covered with woodchips and new plantings.  This was an impenetrable tangle of invasive weeds until late 2009 when UCPC carried out a restoration project, planting several dozen native trees, shrubs and wild flowers.  Walk north across the woodchips for another nice view of the marsh and the Cove. 

6.         Virginia Point, Part III, and the Udalls Cove Marsh.  [5-30 Minutes.]  Feeling ambitious?  Have reasonably good balance?  Then here’s your opportunity for a bit of adventure.  At the back of the woodchip-covered restoration area (#5, above) you’ll see an open, grassy area to your right behind a low chain stretched between two posts.  Walk east a couple dozen yards across this grassy area – the backyard fences of several houses will be on your right – until you reach a rail fence constructed of old phone poles.  Turn left and walk about 40 feet until you reach the water.  Now turn right and pick your way along the shoreline another 20 feet until you come to a large iron pipe, about 30" in diameter.  This is the outfall pipe from the nearby Belgrave Sewage Treatment Plant (an extremely well run facility – you won’t smell a thing).  You can walk on the top of the pipe for about a quarter mile.  The pipeline crosses the Udalls Cove marsh, traversing several streams and inlets along the way.  Provided you’re not wearing street shoes you’ll have no difficulty walking atop the pipe.  Starting in the spring the area is filled with an abundance of wildlife, featuring egrets, herons, bitterns, ducks, geese, swans and myriad other birds.  Just east of the end of the pipeline, a few yards from the shore of the Cove, you’ll see the 17-foot high osprey nesting platform that UCPC installed in 2004.  A pair of ospreys will typically be in residence from late March until late September, with chicks hatching in late May or early June. 

7.         The Alley Creek Marsh and Another Osprey Platform. [5-15 Minutes.]  On the opposite,  western side of the Douglaston peninsula is another area with fine viewing of the Alley Creek salt marsh and Little Neck Bay.  There’s another osprey nesting platform here that can be viewed more easily than the one described in # 6, above.  This platform was installed by UCPC in 1997, and has been occupied ever since; these large fish-eating raptors will typically be in residence from late March through late September.  From Northern Boulevard, turn north onto Douglaston Parkway (opposite the CVS store).  Continue across the viaduct over the LIRR tracks, pass the Community Church of Douglaston on your left, and then turn left (west) onto 38^th Drive.  Go straight for two blocks to the T-intersection with 233^rd Street.  Turn left (south) onto 233^rd, drive one short block to the intersection with 39^th Drive, and park the car.  Opposite the intersection is a section of wooden guard rail.  Behind the left end of the railing is a trail that leads due west into a wooded area.  Follow the trail a couple of hundred of feet to the edge of the marsh and the shore of the bay.  There are several spots along this trail from which you can look out to your left and see the osprey platform on top of a tall utility pole at the edge of a tide pool.  The platform can also be seen from 233^rd Street, a few yards to the south of where you parked.  Bring a pair of binoculars to catch a good view of these magnificent birds, which are close relatives of the eagle.  As with most wildlife, viewing is best in the early or late part of the day; but once the eggs are laid at least one bird will be on the nest nearly all the time.  After the chicks are hatched in June the parents will be busy bringing them food.  For several weeks before the chicks fledge in late July or early August, you’ll see them standing in the nest and occasionally flapping their wings as they prepare for their first flight.

Last modified: 06/01/10