BEAUTIFUL FALL COLORS NOW SPREADING ACROSS NASSAU COUNTY

LongIsland.com

It's peak time for fall foliage views in Nassau County parks, preserves and more.

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MINEOLA, NY (Oct. 28, 2011) -- It's not too late to catch the colors of autumn. In fact, in Nassau County it's almost peak time for those seeking to enjoy the fall foliage.

As the weather continues to get cooler, the colors on the trees across Nassau County begin to get brighter. And Nassau County is the perfect place for a quick fall foliage day trip, long after the show in northern areas has ended.

New York State reported on Oct. 26 that those traveling through the county can expect to see the fall foliage show at 65 percent color change and orange and red leaves overtaking the remaining green. Areas along the parkways and inland highways probably will look good with near peak autumn color. The average period for best fall foliage in Nassau is from the last week in October to the first week in November.

"Nassau County offers residents and visitors wonderful fall splendors in our beautiful parks and preserves," said Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano. "Hike our parks and preserves, visit our museums and enjoy all that nature has to offer throughout Nassau County."

"Nassau County's beautiful North Shore and the many acres of parks and preserves throughout our county - all just a short ride from New York City-are perfect for visitors seeking fall foliage," said Joseph Kearney, executive director of the Nassau County Industrial Development Agency.

The best way to take in nature's colorful show in the coming weeks is by hiking through the county's myriad parks, Gold Coast estates, woodland preserves or strolling through quaint villages.

Here's where you can see nature's palette at work this fall:

North Shore
Bailey Arboretum, Lattingtown Bayville Road and Feeks Lane (516) 571-8020 This former estate of the Bailey family offers 42 acres of exotic trees, including many species are native to other parts of the U.S. and other countries where the climatic conditions resemble those of the Northeast. www.nassaucountyny.gov/agencies/parks/wheretogo/preserves/north_shore_preserve/BaileyArboretum.html

Baxter's Pond/Barbara Johnson Park and Preserve, Port Washington
Shore Road and Central Drive
A 5-acre park wooded with many maple trees and a walking trail. http://www.nassaucountyny.gov/agencies/parks/wheretogo/passive.html

Bertha & Reginald Rose Refuge, Upper Brookville
Mill River Road
A 15-acre wooded preserve operated by the Nature Conservancy.
Charles T. Church Nature Preserve, Mill Neck
Frost Mill Road
A 60-acre wooded wetland, also is known as Shu Swamp, it offers 2.5 miles of trails with boardwalks across muddier areas. It is preserved and managed by the North Shore Wildlife Sanctuary. Closed Fridays. www.linsha.org/places-to-go/charles-t-church-nature-preserve-also-known-shu-swamp-preserve

CW Post Community Arboretum, Brookville Long Island University, 720 Northern Blvd. (516) 299-3500 20 acres of native trees and nature trails within the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University with more than 62 tree species. A trail winds past the Tudor mansion that was the home of heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post. Open dawn to dusk seven days a week.
www.liu.edu/CWPost/About/Resources/Arboretum.aspx

Garvies Point Museum and Preserve, Glen 50 Barry Drive (516) 571-8011 62 acres of glacial moraine covered by forests, thickets, and meadows. There are about five miles of marked natured trails including trails for the blind. www.garviespointmuseum.com/

Leeds Pond Preserve. Plandome Manor 1526 N. Plandome Rd, (516) 627-9400 Hilly 35-acre preserve overlooking Manhasset Bay. Nature trails traverse a wooded valley with majestic tulip trees and oaks, while a stream flows through a wetland into Leeds Pond. www.nassaucountyny.gov/agencies/parks/wheretogo/preserves/north_shore_preserve/Leeds_Pond_Preserve.html

Muttontown Preserve, East Norwich
Southside of Route 25A west of Jericho-Oyster Bay Road, on Muttontown Lane 516-571-8500
Comprising 550 acres of fields, woodlands, ponds and estate grounds, Muttontown is Nassau's largest nature preserve and one of the most beautiful settings on Long Island. The preserve includes miles of marked nature trails.
www.nassaucountyny.gov/agencies/parks/wheretogo/preserves/north_shore_preserve/Muttontown_Pres.html

Planting Fields Arboretum, Oyster Bay 1395 Planting Fields Road
(516) 922-9200 A former Gold Coast estate operated by the State Department of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, the arboretum offers 409 acres of greenhouses, rolling lawns, formal gardens, woodland paths, and outstanding plant collections $8 a car. www.plantingfields.org
Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary & Audubon Center, Oyster Bay 134 Cove Rd. (516) 922-3200 A 15-acre sanctuary offering trails through forests to ponds and meadow habitat. http://ny.audubon.org/CentersEdu_TRoosevelt.html
Sand Point Preserve, Sands Point
127 Middleneck Road (516) 571-7900 The 216-acre preserve, located by the Long Island Sound, is dominated by the massive Hempstead House but also includes a second mansion, "Falaise." In addition to the mansions, Sands Point provides access to beautiful walking trails, wooded areas and shoreline. www.nassaucountyny.gov/agencies/parks/wheretogo/preserves/north_shore_preserve/Sands_Pt_Preserve.html

Tiffany Creek Preserve, Oyster Bay Sandy Hill Road south of Meadowlark Lane A197-acre preserve, Tiffany Creek provides a mix of ecological communities within the oak forest.including glacially formed ravines, the preserves oak hilltop and upland meadow . Tuliptree, red oak and red maple dominate the low slope. A wet meadow with a diverse plant community is at the northeast border of the preserve. www.nassaucountyny.gov/agencies/parks/wheretogo/preserves/north_shore_preserve/Tiffany_Creek_Pres.html

Stillwell Woods Preserve, Syosset
South Woods Road (516) 572-0200 A 270-acre preserve of folling hills and fields with hiking, mountain bicycle and equestrian trails. www.nassaucountyny.gov/agencies/parks/wheretogo/preserves/north_shore_preserve/Stillwell_Woods_Pres.html

Trail View State Park, Woodbury Village Lane at Jericho Turnpike 400 acres of woodlands, including hardwood forests, stretching from Cold Spring Harbor State Park to Bethpage State Park with a multi-use Green Belt trail. www.nysparks.com/parks/39/details.aspx

Welwyn Preserve, Glen Cove Crescent Beach and New Woods Roads A sprawling 204-acre preserve, once the estate of oil heir Harold Irving Pratt, has four marked nature trails that provide access to a magnificent wooded stream valley, fresh water ponds and swamps, a coastal salt marsh, and a stretch of Long Island Sound shoreline. www.nassaucountyny.gov/agencies/parks/wheretogo/preserves/north_shore_preserve/Welwyn_Pres.html
William Cullen Bryant Preserve, Roslyn Harbor
1 Museum Dr. Home to the Nassau County Museum of Art, the preserve consists of 141 acres of beautiful grounds with sculptures and formal gardens. www.nassaucountyny.gov/agencies/parks/wheretogo/preserves/north_shore_preserve/Will_Cullen_Bryant_Pres.html

South Shore
Brookside Preserve, Freeport Brookside Avenue north of Sunrise Highway
22 acres of red maple, white oak and cherry trees. Milburn Creek runs through the preserve. www.nassaucountyny.gov/agencies/parks/wheretogo/preserves/south_shore_preserve/Brookside_Pres.html
Massapequa Preserve, Massapequa Merrick Road and Ocean Avenue (516) 571-7443
423 undeveloped acres of woodlands, ponds, lakes and freshwater wet-lands that border Massapequa Creek for almost 4 miles, from South Farmingdale to Merrick Road. www.nassaucountyny.gov/agencies/parks/wheretogo/preserves/south_shore_preserve/Massapequa_Pres.html

Meroke Preserve, Bellmore Orange and Farmer streets between Sunrise Highway and Merrick Road
25 acres of cedar and oak trees,with clearly marked trails, accessible from the Orange Street entrance. www.nassaucountyny.gov/agencies/parks/wheretogo/preserves/south_shore_preserve/Merokee_Pres.html

Mill Pond Park, Wantagh
Merrick Road east of Bellmore Avenue A 54-acre preserve with a nature trails that wind through a red maple woodland. Wantagh, www.nassaucountyny.gov/agencies/parks/wheretogo/preserves/south_shore_preserve/Mill_Pond_Preserve.html

Takapausha Preserve, Seaford Washington Avenue between Merrick Road and Sunrise Highway (516-) 571-7443 An 84-acre tract of glacial outwash plain with deciduous woods, swamps, streams and ponds. www.nassaucountyny.gov/agencies/parks/wheretogo/preserves/south_shore_preserve/Tackapausha_Pres.html

Tanglewood Park and Preserve, Lakeview Tanglewood Road between Ocean Avenue and Lakeview Road An 11-acre park and preserve with a nature trail. www.nassaucountyny.gov/agencies/parks/wheretogo/preserves/south_shore_preserve/Tanglewood_Pres.html

About the Nassau County IDA
The Nassau County Industrial Development Agency consists of a team of professionals whose mission is to promote the economic welfare and prosperity of Nassau County. It is a resource for businesses in Nassau County and those considering relocation. The IDA provides assistance to business interested in relocating, expanding and financing new investments. It has provided assistance to a wide range of companies, from Arizona Iced Tea and Sleepy's Mattress to Cold Spring Harbor Labs and Grumman Studios. For more information visit nassauida.org or call 516-571-1945.

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