Deforest Nature Park
Rate this placeNearby: Dix Hills Park Colby Drive Park
Last Updated: December 5, 2025
Deforest Nature Park is located in Long Island, New York and is a popular destination for nature enthusiasts.
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Summary
There are several reasons to visit this park, including its beautiful scenery, diverse wildlife, and numerous recreational activities.
One of the main attractions of Deforest Nature Park is its network of hiking trails, which offer visitors the opportunity to explore the area's lush forests, wetlands, and meadows. Along the way, hikers can spot a variety of bird species, including ospreys, bald eagles, and herons.
Another popular activity at the park is fishing, as the park's lake is stocked with trout, bass, and other fish species. Boating and kayaking are also popular activities on the lake.
Other points of interest at Deforest Nature Park include its butterfly garden, bird watching platforms, and educational exhibits that showcase the area's rich natural history.
Interesting facts about the park include its designation as a National Audubon Society Important Bird Area, as well as its role in protecting several threatened and endangered species, such as the eastern tiger salamander and the bog turtle.
The best time of year to visit Deforest Nature Park is during the spring and summer months, when the park's flora and fauna are in full bloom. However, the park is open year-round and offers visitors a chance to experience the beauty of nature in any season.
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Park & Land Designation Reference
Large protected natural areas managed by the federal government to preserve significant landscapes, ecosystems, and cultural resources; recreation is allowed but conservation is the priority.
State Park
Public natural or recreational areas managed by a state government, typically smaller than national parks and focused on regional natural features, recreation, and education.
Local Park
Community-level parks managed by cities or counties, emphasizing recreation, playgrounds, sports, and green space close to populated areas.
Wilderness Area
The highest level of land protection in the U.S.; designated areas where nature is left essentially untouched, with no roads, structures, or motorized access permitted.
National Recreation Area
Areas set aside primarily for outdoor recreation (boating, hiking, fishing), often around reservoirs, rivers, or scenic landscapes; may allow more development.
National Conservation Area (BLM)
BLM-managed areas with special ecological, cultural, or scientific value; more protection than typical BLM land but less strict than Wilderness Areas.
State Forest
State-managed forests focused on habitat, watershed, recreation, and sustainable timber harvest.
National Forest
Federally managed lands focused on multiple use—recreation, wildlife habitat, watershed protection, and resource extraction (like timber)—unlike the stricter protections of national parks.
Wilderness
A protected area set aside to conserve specific resources—such as wildlife, habitats, or scientific features—with regulations varying widely depending on the managing agency and purpose.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land
Vast federal lands managed for mixed use—recreation, grazing, mining, conservation—with fewer restrictions than national parks or forests.
Related References
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Park Shore Day Camp
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Blydenburgh Park
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Battle Row
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