Sunken Meadow State Park —
Your Complete Guide
1,266 acres on Long Island Sound: a calm swimming beach, a ¾-mile boardwalk, 27 holes of golf and the start of the Long Island Greenbelt Trail.
What is Sunken Meadow State Park?
Sunken Meadow State Park is a 1,266-acre New York state park in Kings Park, on the North Shore of Long Island, with a calm Long Island Sound beach, a ¾-mile boardwalk, 27 holes of golf and 14.1 miles of trails. It is open every day from sunrise to sunset. Cars pay $10 in summer 2026 and $8 on spring and fall weekends, or use the $80 Empire Pass. Pets are not allowed in the main park.
Its official name is Governor Alfred E. Smith/Sunken Meadow State Park, and NYS Parks runs it through its Long Island Region (history). It is one of the busiest parks in the state: the Comptroller counted 3,551,316 visits in 2025, sixth in New York. NYS Parks calls it one of the most popular picnic parks on Long Island, with one of the best views of the Sound and Connecticut beyond.
Two things to plan for. Pets are barred from the beach, boardwalk and main park, though NYS Parks allows leashed dogs on the back trails at the east end, reached from Old Dock Road (where dogs can go). And summer weekends are the busiest time, so arrive before the lifeguards start at 10 a.m. (parking guide).
Sunken Meadow State Park at a Glance
What to Do at Sunken Meadow State Park
NYS Parks lists swimming, golf, hiking, biking, fishing, kayaking, paddleboarding, windsurfing, horseback riding, picnicking and cross-country skiing. 3.55 million visits in 2025.
The Beach
Two lifeguarded beaches on calm Long Island Sound, Field 1 and Field 3, from May 23 to September 20 in 2026.
Swim Hours →
Golf
27 holes on three wooded nines by Alfred Tull. $23 for 18 on weekdays; golfers pay no car fee.
Tee Times & Fees →
The Boardwalk
A ¾-mile walk along the beach. In summer, bikes only on weekday mornings from 6 to 9; all day the rest of the year.
Walk & Bike Rules →
Hiking & the Greenbelt
14.1 miles of trails through bluffs, marsh and wooded hills, and the start of the 31.8-mile Long Island Greenbelt Trail.
Trails →
Kayaking
Launch kayaks, canoes, paddleboards and windsurfers from Field 3 only, sunrise to sunset. No inflatables.
Launch Rules →
Cross Country
One of the toughest cross-country courses in New York, with Snake Hill and Cardiac Hill on the 5K.
The Course →Trails at Sunken Meadow
The NYS Parks map lists 14.1 miles of trails, including 6 miles of unnamed paths, plus the ¾-mile boardwalk.
The longest named trail on the NYS Parks map.
Sunken Meadow is the northern end of the trail across Long Island to Great South Bay.
One of the park's named nature trails.
The only trail open to horseback riding.
How to Get to Sunken Meadow State Park
One entrance, numbered parking fields.
Entrance
Rte. 25A and Sunken Meadow Parkway, Kings Park, NY 11754. The Sunken Meadow Parkway ends at the park. Parking guide.
Parking Fields
Field 1 main beach, Field 3 east beach and launch, Fields 2 and 4 picnic grills, Field 5 bridle trail. Beach guide.
Park Office
In Field 1. Phone (631) 269-4333. Free beach wheelchairs, first come, first served.
Nearby
Nissequogue River State Park, on the grounds of the former Kings Park Psychiatric Center, has a kayak launch, rentals and the Greenbelt along the river bluffs. Caleb Smith State Park Preserve is a quiet nature preserve to the south on the Greenbelt. Avalon Nature Preserve in Stony Brook is free and welcomes leashed dogs. Kings Park Bluff and Callahan's Beach are Town of Smithtown parks for residents only.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to get into Sunken Meadow State Park?
There is no per-person fee. Cars pay $10 from May 23 to September 11, 2026, and $8 on weekends and holidays in spring and fall. Buses pay $35. The $80 Empire Pass covers entry.
What are Sunken Meadow's hours?
Every day of the year, sunrise to sunset. The park closes at sunset.
Are dogs allowed at Sunken Meadow?
Not in the main park. NYS Parks allows leashed dogs only on the east-end back trails reached by Old Dock Road, and in the area south of Route 25A east of the parkway.
Can you swim at Sunken Meadow?
Yes, at the Main Beach (Field 1) and East Beach (Field 3) when lifeguards are on duty, May 23 to September 20 in 2026.
Can you camp at Sunken Meadow?
No. It is a day-use park, open sunrise to sunset.
How big is Sunken Meadow State Park?
1,266 acres, according to the State Department of Environmental Conservation.
Does Sunken Meadow have a golf course?
Yes, 27 holes on three nine-hole courses. 18 holes cost $23 on weekdays and $28 on weekends in 2026. Book at parks.ny.gov/golf.