Sunken Meadow State Park
{{short description|State park in New York, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox park
| name = Sunken Meadow State Park
| photo = Promenade Sunken Meadow State Park.jpg
| photo_width =
| photo_caption = Boardwalk at the beachfront at Sunken Meadow State Park
| map = New York#USA
| map_size =
| map_caption = Location of Sunken Meadow State Park within New York State
| coords = {{coord|40.9114|-73.2580|type:landmark_region:US-NY|format=dms|display=title,inline}}
| type = State park
| location = Rte. 25A and Sunken Meadow Parkway
Kings Park, New York{{cite web |url=http://parks.ny.gov/parks/37/details.aspx |title=Sunken Meadow State Park |publisher=NYS Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation |access-date=April 10, 2016}}
| nearest_city = Kings Park, New York
| created = {{Start date|1926}}
| operator = New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
| visitation_num = 3,636,435
| visitation_year = 2023
| open = All year
| camp_sites =
| other_info =
| website = [http://parks.ny.gov/parks/37/details.aspx Sunken Meadow State Park]
}}
Sunken Meadow State Park, also known as Governor Alfred E. Smith State Park, is a {{convert|1287|acre|km2|adj=on}} state park located in the Town of Smithtown in Suffolk County, New York on the north shore of Long Island. The park, accessible via the Sunken Meadow State Parkway, contains the 27-hole Sunken Meadow State Park Golf Course.{{Cite web|title=Sunken Meadow State Park Golf Course (Governor Alfred E. Smith)|url=https://parks.ny.gov/golf/13/details.aspx|access-date=2021-09-30|website=parks.ny.gov}}
Park description
Image:Sunken Meadow State Park-Beach.JPG
Sunken Meadow State Park is open year-round from sunrise to sunset. The park's features include {{convert|3|mi|spell=in}} of beaches on the Long Island Sound, a {{convert|3/4|mi|km|spell=in|adj=mid|-long}} boardwalk, {{convert|6|mi|spell=in}} of hiking trails, and facilities for biking, horseback riding, watersports, and general recreation. Playgrounds, softball fields, and soccer fields are also available at the park.{{cite web |url=http://parks.ny.gov/inside-our-agency/documents/MasterPlans/MeetingPackets/SunkenMeadowInformationPacket.pdf |title=Information Packet for the Draft Master Plan and Draft Environmental Impact Statement, Public Information Meeting, Governor Alfred E. Smith/Sunken Meadow State Park |date=March 3, 2011 |publisher=NYS Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation |access-date=October 25, 2015 |archive-date=December 28, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161228060234/http://www.parks.ny.gov/inside-our-agency/documents/MasterPlans/MeetingPackets/SunkenMeadowInformationPacket.pdf |url-status=dead }} A wedding and event facility known as "The Pavilion" is available during the summer.
The Sunken Meadow State Park Golf Course features 27 holes that may be played as either nine or 18 holes, in addition to a driving range and putting green. The first two nine-hole courses, Red and Green, were built in 1962, followed by the Blue Course in 1964. All three courses were designed by Alfred Tull. A bar and snack food restaurant near the course is available and open to the public.
Image:Steep Coast Sunken Meadow State Park.jpg
The park's grounds are used as a venue for cross country running, and host competitions for cross country teams from local high schools and runners' clubs. The five-kilometer course, featuring the deliberately named "Cardiac Hill", is regarded as one of the most difficult cross country courses in the US.{{cite web |url=http://www.dyestat.com/3us/2xc/toughest/NY-SunkenMeadow.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111211021054/http://www.dyestat.com/3us/2xc/toughest/NY-SunkenMeadow.htm |archive-date=December 11, 2011 |title=Toughest Cross Country Courses |website=DyeStat |author=Dye, John |access-date=October 25, 2015}}{{cite book |last1=Ford |first1=Warwick |last2=Ford |first2=Nola |title=Fun on Foot in New York |date=2009 |publisher=Wyltan Books |location=Aspen, CO |isbn=978-0976524427 |pages=272–273}}
The {{convert|31|mi|adj=on}} Long Island Greenbelt Trail connects Sunken Meadow State Park with Heckscher State Park.
See also
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{Commons category-inline}}
- [http://parks.ny.gov/parks/37/details.aspx New York State Parks: Governor Alfred E. Smith/Sunken Meadow State Park]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20060513042851/http://www.lirunning.com/sunken.htm Long Island's Favorite Running Locations: Sunken Meadow State Park]
- [http://www.nynjtc.org/park/sunken-meadow-state-park-governor-alfred-e-smithsunken-meadow-state-park New York-New Jersey Trail Conference: Sunken Meadow State Park]
{{Protected areas of New York}}
{{authority control}}
Category:State parks of New York (state)
Category:Robert Moses projects
Category:Parks in Suffolk County, New York
Category:Meadows in the United States