Montauk Point, affectionately known to Long Islanders as "The End," gets the bulk of its traffic during the summer as New Yorkers flock to the secluded beaches of the easternmost point of Long Island. People come to tour the picturesque lighthouse that overlooks the water and experience the sand dunes and grass that complete the scene of idyllic, rustic beach leisure.
Visitors in the winter come to experience some of the same things, but their main attraction isn't usually the black and white lighted tower that sits on the jagged coast. They come for the seals.
When the water and wind turn to chill, hardy hikers take to trails like the Seal Haul Out Trail at Montauk Point to experience winter wildlife at its best. One mile before the lighthouse, visitors have the option of traveling the Seal Haul Out Trail, Ogden Brook Trail, Paumanok Trail, Oyster Pond Trail, or the Mooney Pond Trail. A short and scenic walk on the Seal Haul Out Trail, with plenty of other beach dwellers, leads visitors to harbor seals frolicking in the surf and bathing on the rocks along the shore. These adorable creatures play with abandon in this remote corner of Long Island from late winter into early spring.
Protected by the CRESLI -- the Coastal Research and Education Society of Long Island, located in historic Idle Hour, Oakdale -- these seals are observed annually and their population carefully monitored by the group. Harbor and Grey seals are the ones most often found at Montauk Point, and the rare arctic species like the Harp, Hooded, and Ringed seals have recently found their way down to Long Island.
Observational walks are offered through CRESLI for certain locations, and it is kindly requested that visitors do not startle, feed, go close to the seals when hauled out on the shore, or get in the water with them. This could scare them and make seal sightings again rare.
Montauk Point seal walking tours require reservations, which can be made by calling the State Parks Office, a $6 parking fee, and an admission cost of $5 per adult or $3 a child. The schedule was released as follows:
February
Friday 6 @ noon
Friday 20 @ noon
March
Friday 6 @ 10:30 a.m.
Friday 20 @ 10:30 a.m.
April
Friday 3 @ 9:30 a.m.
Friday 17 @ 9:30 a.m.
May
Friday 1 @ 9 a.m.
Friday 15 @ 8:30 a.m.
To read more about CRESLI's seals and their official guided walks at Cupsogue, go on to the next article!
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