Flax Pond State Tidal Wetland
Managed by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
149 acres1.2 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
–Not graded
Outdoors in Old Field
13% of Old Field’s land is conserved, and virtually every resident lives within a half mile of a park
Virtually every resident lives within a half mile of a park. The biggest trail networks: Flax Pond State Tidal Wetland (1.2 mi). 13% of Old Field’s land is conserved, about 168 acres.
Conserved land
13%
168 acres · of 2.1 sq mi of land
Trails
2.2 mi
1.1 per sq mi of land
Park land
170 ac
169 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
99%+
of residents within ½ mile
Lakes & rivers
1
2 beaches
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Flax Pond State Tidal Wetland, with 1.2 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Who protects it
168 conserved acres
13% of Old Field’s land. Water is left out: Old Field has 2.1 square miles of land and 0.1 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Old Field’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State conservation149 ac
County35 ac
State Conservation Area · 149 acLocal Conservation Area · 18 acLocal Park · 17 ac
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flax Pond State Tidal Wetland State Conservation Area | State conservation | 149 | Open |
| Suffolk County Bird Sanctuary (Undeveloped) Local Conservation Area | County | 18 | Open |
| COUNTY OF SUFFOLKDEPT OF REAL ESTATE Land Local Park | County | 17 | Open |
Things to do
2 places to go in Old Field
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Old Field
Old Field Beach
DirectionsPlus 1 beach without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Trails & water
1 lakes & rivers
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
0.0 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
Courts & fields
4Tennis
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
When to get out
The best walking months in Old Field: April to September
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.5 | 10.6 | 11.8 | 13.3 | 14.5 | 15.1 | 14.8 | 13.8 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.8 | 9.2 |
| High (°F) | 40 | 41 | 48 | 59 | 69 | 78 | 83 | 82 | 75 | 65 | 54 | 45 |
| Rain (in) | 3.5 | 3.1 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 3.6 | 4.0 | 3.4 | 3.8 | 4.0 | 4.3 | 3.5 | 4.5 |
February is the driest month (3.1 in) and July the warmest (highs of 83 °F). 4.5 inches fall in December, the wettest month. The climate in Old Field →
Next door
Old Field and its neighbors
Old Field has the second most mapped trails of the 3 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Old Field | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Setauket | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Stony Brook | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Old Field
Where can I hike in Old Field?
The longest trail networks: Flax Pond State Tidal Wetland, 1.2 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Old Field’s trails?
Flax Pond State Tidal Wetland doesn’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Old Field?
16,742 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Old Field or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 170 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Old Field neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →