Hempstead Lake State Park
Managed by New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
163 acres0.9 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Photo: AITFFan1 · CC BY-SA 4.0–Not graded
Outdoors in West Hempstead
12% of West Hempstead’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: Hempstead Lake State Park (0.9 mi). 12% of West Hempstead’s land is conserved, about 198 acres.
Conserved land
12%
198 acres · of 2.7 sq mi of land
Trails
1.0 mi
0.4 per sq mi of land
Park land
197 ac
9.6 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
99%+
of residents within ½ mile
Lakes & rivers
2
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 Hempstead Lake State Park, with 0.9 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Halls Pond Park
Managed by Nassau County Department of Parks, Recreation and Museums
10 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 5 parks & preserves
Hempstead Lake State Park163 acres · 0.9 mi of trail · New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
DirectionsCornwell Avenue Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Town of Hempstead
Echo Park11 acres
DirectionsHalls Pond Park10 acres · Nassau County Department of Parks, Recreation and Museums
Chestnut St Park2 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
198 conserved acres
12% of West Hempstead’s land. Who manages West Hempstead’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State parks159 ac
Regional Water Districts22 ac
Town or city13 ac
County12 ac
State Park · 159 acLocal Park · 24 acLocal Other or Unknown · 22 acLocal Recreation Area · 1 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. Public access isn’t recorded for 2 of 8 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hempstead Lake State Park State Park | State parks | 159 | Open |
| WEST HEMPSTEAD WATER DISTRICT Land Local Other or Unknown | Regional Water Districts | 22 | Unknown |
| TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD Land Local Park | Town or city | 10 | Open |
| COUNTY OF NASSAU Land Local Park | County | 7 | Unknown |
| Halls Pond County Park Local Park | County | 5 | Open |
| Echo Park Local Park | Town or city | 3 | Open |
| Cornwell Avenue Park Local Park | Town or city | 1 | Open |
| Trout Lake West Hempstead Local Recreation Area | County | 1 | Open |
Things to do
6 places to go in West Hempstead
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Playgrounds in West Hempstead
6 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Trails & water
2 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
7Tennis
6Baseball
2Soccer
2Basketball
1Football
1Pickleball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
When to get out
The best walking months in West Hempstead: 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) | 9.6 | 10.6 | 11.8 | 13.2 | 14.4 | 15.1 | 14.8 | 13.8 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.8 | 9.3 |
| High (°F) | 40 | 43 | 50 | 61 | 71 | 80 | 85 | 84 | 77 | 66 | 55 | 45 |
| Rain (in) | 3.4 | 3.0 | 4.3 | 3.8 | 3.5 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 4.2 | 3.9 | 4.0 | 3.4 | 4.3 |
February is the driest month (3.0 in) and July the warmest (highs of 85 °F). 4.3 inches fall in December, the wettest month. The climate in West Hempstead →
Next door
West Hempstead and its neighbors
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Hempstead | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Hempstead | 2% | 0.2 | 1 | 99% | C+ |
| Franklin Square | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Lakeview | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Garden City | 4% | 1.3 | 8 | 99%+ | A− |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in West Hempstead
Where can I hike in West Hempstead?
The longest trail networks: Hempstead Lake State Park, 0.9 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on West Hempstead’s trails?
Hempstead Lake State Park and Echo Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near West Hempstead?
26,190 acres of parks and open public land lie inside West Hempstead or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 197 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from West Hempstead 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 →