norman j. levy park & preserve

A windmill sits at the top of this man made hill from which one can sometimes see the outline of the NYC skyscrapers and the Bay area. To get to the top is a strenuous uphill walk along a pebbly path surrounded by luxuriant native plants or one can ride in the free jitney(which kids and adults will love)Altogether a great experience for all ages.. Along the way a herd of goats or a gaggle of guinea hens may be encountered.They are there to eat any ticks they find and to keep the grass low.A fishing pier might provide you with a meal so have the children bring their poles. The Staff are well informed and are happy to educate visitors.Altogether a great experience for all ages and abilities.

Loved the nature walks and many paths. Goats roam free and there re many bird nests. Overlooks Long Island and NYC is visible from hills.

the hills can be a bit much, but if you're coming for exercise, you get it on this hike. This hilly terrain goes along the Meadowbrook Pkwy on the westside and the Merrick Golf Course on the east. While walking(running) you get a view of the beautiful waters and businesses and homes surrounding this park. You think you are driving to the Merrick Dumps in order to get here - but you ar enot. There is also a fenced in area with goats for the little ones to see, though this is not a petting zoo. The park also has kayaking in the summer for ones enjoyment and upper body exercise. Love coming here for a peaceful jaunt.

This was built on a landfill about 14 years ago. It has a 3 mile walking/jogging trail with exercise stations along the way. The views from the top are incredible: Jones beach and the NYC skyline are my personal favorites. The only draw back is the Freeport power plant on the one side. There are 2 man made ponds and an operational agricultural windmill. You can fish at the pier and there is a kayak drop: watch the tide if not in or out of the water while the tide is relatively high, you may end up carrying it. In the summer, they also run programs for kayaking and rent singles and doubles. If not familiar with the area, you may think you have the wrong place as you head up the road: you are by the sanitation area for the Town of Hempstead and you stop at the guard booth. Say you are going to the preserve and follow the road up to the right. The area is paved with crushed shells, so I would not recommend flip flops. There are pea hens and Dwarf pygmie goats at the base of the "hill". They are fun to watch for everyone, especially little children.

If you didn't know this was a former garbage dump you wouldn't know it. It is a great walk, immersed in nature. My only complaint is that at the top they point out several other garbage dumps a the scenic view.

My only fear is that since it's built on landfill garbage, it might not be so good for one's health. I try not to go to often. Other than that, it's good exercise climbing to the top.

I don't understand the concept of this. "It used to be a dump and now it's a nature preserve". We pulled into a dump. We started walking and had a view of a very active dump site. We went all the way up, saw some pretty amazing views of NYC and then came back down to a dump. Weird.

The Norman J. Levy Park & Preserve (named after a former New York state senator) used to be the Merrick Landfill. Now, it is a nature preserved (located next to a golf course and a dump). There is a fitness course and a nice walking path around the preserve. The trail has a slight incline. The south end of the park abuts the water, and there is a rickety fishing pier. In the summer, there are kayak tours (for a fee) on the Meadow Brook (which is near the Meadowbrook Parkway). Land tours (on electric carts) of the preserve are also available (I would recommend calling ahead, though, as they do not seem to be continuously running). If you like birding, there is an osprey nest at the southern end of the park. There are bathrooms (outhouse style) on the pathway.