Start of the Sunken Forest Nature Trail in the Sailors Haven unit of Fire Island National Seashore

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Sailors Haven Home Page

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Length: 1.6-mile loop
Time: 1 hour
Difficulty: ★☆☆☆☆

The Sunken Forest Nature Trail is a 1.6-mile loop that is half paved and half boardwalk. The boardwalk passes through the actual Sunken Forest, while the paved path runs through the swale: the depression between the main and secondary sand dunes at Sailors Haven. A printed trail guide that provides a short description of the vegetation growing at the thirty-five stops along the trail is available in the Sailors Haven Visitor Center. A few of the stops also have wayside exhibits that discuss the surrounding environment in more detail. The stop numbers are etched into the bottom planks of the boardwalk, but they are easy to miss if you aren’t specifically looking for them.

Marker for a stop along the Sunken Forest Nature Trail in the Sailors Haven unit of Fire Island National Seashore

Ninety-five percent of the people arriving at Sailors Haven head straight for the beach on a beach-access ramp near the Visitor Center. The other five percent immediately hit the Sunken Forest Nature Trail without even stopping. Believe me, there is nobody coming to Sailors Haven who is so gung-ho to hike this trail that they make a beeline for it. What they are doing is getting away from the crowd that is going to gather on the main beach by taking the Sunken Forest Nature Trail a half mile to the west to a second entry point onto the beach where hardly anyone will be. Beach access ramps here and at the Visitor Center are the two ways onto the beach at Sailors Haven. It is illegal to walk over the sand dunes, plus they are covered with tick- and poison ivy-infested brush.

Typical sand dune at Sailors Haven, Fire Island National Seashore

The boardwalk section of the trail that runs through the forest is mostly shaded, while the paved section through the swale is out in the open. Wear a hat and apply sunscreen if avoiding the sun is a priority for you. Also, I ran into mosquitoes during the hike, but I didn’t bother with repellent and didn’t have too much trouble. Admittedly, it may just have been a day when the bugs weren’t out in force, because they can be extremely thick in the wilderness areas of the island.

Boardwalk through the Sunken Forest at Sailors Haven, Fire Island National Seashore

The start of the Sunken Forest Nature Trail is located near the ferry dock (on your right just after you get off the boat). This takes you around the loop in a counterclockwise direction starting off along the shoreline before quickly entering the maritime forest, which is how the trail is meant to be hiked. If you want to hike through the swale first, take the beach-access boardwalk—just follow the crowd—and turn right at the bathhouse, following the sign that reads Boardwalk Trail West / Oakleyville Community. This is actually the quickest way to the remote beach, but you will be walking in the sun the entire half mile, which is why most people take the slightly longer forest route.

Bay shoreline section of the Sunken Forest Nature Trail at Sailors Haven, Fire Island National Seashore

On most barrier islands, a main sand dune forms on the ocean side, protecting all the vegetation that grows behind it from wind and salt spray. Here at the Sunken Forest, a second, smaller dune has formed behind the main ocean-side dune. Protected from salt spray and elevated high enough to keep vegetation out of the low-lying saltwater marsh that borders the bayside shore, trees took root on the slopes and top of the secondary dune creating a unique maritime forest. Because some of the trees grow on the slopes of the dune , the forest appears to be sinking, which is where the name Sunken Forest comes from.

It is also interesting that the trees on the secondary dune will only grow as tall as the main dune. This is because branches that attempt to grow higher end up dying after getting hit with salt spray that passes over the top of the main dune. The result is what looks like a forest of short Bonsai-like trees.

Typical trees in the Sunken Forest at the Sailors Haven unit of Fire Island National Seashore

While the Sunken Forest Nature Trail is easy to hike, it is not completely flat. There are plenty of small ups and downs as it makes its way over the dunes. This is no problem for those who can walk, but those in wheelchairs may find it a little challenging unless they have somebody who can push them every now and then.

Hilly terrain on the Sunken Forest Nature Trail in the Sailors Haven unit of Fire Island National Seashore

A large deck is located at the half-mile point on the hike. Those taking the Sunken Forest Nature Trail in order to get to the remote area of the Sailors Haven beach need to detour here by following the sign to the Boardwalk Trail. As soon as you step off the boardwalk and onto the deck, this will be at your 11 o’clock position. To continue the Sunken Forest Nature Trail, follow the sign to the Bay Overlook, which is to your right at the 3 o’clock position. This is where the trail gets a little hilly.

Deck on the Sunken Forest Nature Trail marks the cut-through trail to the Sailors Havel beach access ramp, Fire Island National Seashore

The Bay Overlook Trail used to be a C-shaped detour that exited the Sunken Forest Nature Trail at one point and rejoined it a little farther down. However, due to damage, it has become an out-and-back trail. Currently, the first intersection, which comes not too far past the deck, is closed. A stone’s throw farther ahead is a 4-way intersection. To the right is the Bay Overlook Trail. Straight ahead is just a dead end at a small deck with a few benches. To the left is the continuation of the Sunken Forest Nature Trail, which is where you want to head when you return from the Bay Overlook detour (short and worth the effort). At this point you are at the far western end of the loop.

Side trail off the Sunken Forest Nature Trail at Sailors Haven leads to a view of the Great South Bay, Fire Island National Seashore

View of Great South Bay from the Sunken Forest Nature Trail at Sailors Haven, Fire Island National Seashore

The Bay Overlook Trail curves around to follow the shoreline before dead ending. A long time ago it continued and connected back to the Sunken Forest Nature Trail. The gap in the boardwalk is not too wide, but it has been there since at least 2015, so obviously the National Park Service has no intention of ever fixing it. Most likely this section gets damaged all the time during storms.

Missing section of the Bay Overlook Trail, a detour off the Sunken Forest Nature Trail at Sailors Haven, Fire Island National Seashore

Once at the far end of the loop, the Sunken Forest Trail cuts inland and heads towards the swale. If it is a very hot day, you may just want to walk back the way you came, because the swale is completely out in the open.

Far end of the Sunken Forest Nature Trail at Sailors Have enters the swale, Fire Island National Seashore

The boardwalk climbs up and over the main sand dune, and at the bottom (a mile into the hike) it intersects with the Burma Road, a wide, sandy road that runs the length of Fire Island in some shape or form. Residents of the island can travel by vehicle on this road during the off-season. The Sunken Forest Nature Tail continues on the other side. You could also take a left on the Burma Road and end up at the same place a half mile away. The only problem is that you would be walking in soft sand where you must take two steps to move one step forward. Stick to the trail, which actually turns to concrete just around the bend.

Intersection of the Sunken Forest Nature Trail and Burma Road at Sailors Haven, Fire Island National Seashore

Burma Road is a sandy road that runs through Fire Island National Seashore

The terrain that you are now walking through is the swale, which is defined as a depression between two ridges, or in this case, sand dunes. Here you will find small shrubs and other low-lying vegetation. I saw a deer grazing on some of the grass.

Deer grazing in the swale at Sailors Haven, part of Fire Island National Seashore

Swale section of the Sunken Forest Nature Trail at Sailors Haven, Fire Island National Seashore

A little farther down is another 4-way intersection. The Sunken Forest Trail continues straight ahead on the concrete path. To the right is the ramp to the remote beach.

Sunken Forest Nature Trail intersects with the ramp to a remote beach at Sailors Haven, Fire Island National Seashore

A left leads back to the deck where you were earlier. Since the boardwalk climbs up and over the primary dune, it is quite steep.

Midway section of the Sunken Forest Nature Trail that connects the maritime forest to the Atlantic Ocean at Sailors Haven, Fire Island National Seashore

It is just a short walk to the beach if you want to check it out. I only saw six groups of people when I visited. This section is about a half mile away from the beach near the Visitor Center.

Atlantic Ocean beach at Sailors Haven located at the western end of the Sunken Forest Nature Trail, Fire Island National Seashore

There’s not much to the walk back. My only advice is to stay on the paved path because the vegetation is full of poison ivy and ticks. Also, there is very little breeze due to the protection afforded by the dunes, and no breeze means mosquitoes. I was bitten at least twice on the way back.

Section of the Sunken Forest Nature Trail at Sailors Haven passes through the swale, Fire Island National Seashore

The end of the Sunken Forest Nature Trails comes when it once again intersects with the Burma Road at the Sailors Haven bathhouse. At this point you can go to the beach (boardwalk access is a short distance down the Burma Road), return to the Visitor Center (take the boardwalk that runs past the bathhouse), or continue east on the Burma Road for a mile to reach the town of Cherry Hill where there are plenty of shops, restaurants, and bars.

End of the Sunken Forest Nature Trail at the Sailors Haven bathhouse, Fire Island National Seashore

The Sunken Forest Nature Trail is definitely worth doing, so regardless of whether you came just for the beach, take an hour off and hike the trail. Even without reading any of the information, it is worthwhile just to see the variety of terrain on Fire Island. On select days during the summer, park Rangers lead groups along the boardwalk portion of the trail, bypassing the concrete path through the swale. You have the option of leaving the group at the deck if you want to hike the entire trail. For a schedule of Ranger activities at Sailors Haven—and all of Fire Island for that matter—see the National Park Service’s Calendar web page for Fire Island National Seashore.

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