Sunken Forrest

Up One Level • Rbt. Moses State Pk • FI Lighthouse • Sailor's Haven • Sunken Forrest • Fire Island Nat Seashore

THE SUNKEN FOREST

Any trip to Fire Island should include a visit to the Sunken Forest, one of the National Seashore's highlights. This unique resource is one of the last remaining maritime forests Holly on the eastern seaboard. The forest is approximately 40 acres, and consists primarily of American holly (Ilex opaca), sassafras (Sassafras albidum), and shadblow (Amelenchier canadensis). Some of the older trees are estimated to be well over 200 years old.

Managed by the National Park Service as a forever preserved wilderness area of hardwood groves, dunes, swamps, and marshes it offers the Island in it’s natural undisturbed state. The wooden walk nature trail is a 1.5 mile boardwalk which leads through several ecosystems besides the forest itself including saltmarsh, the Great South Bay and the swale zone between the dunes. Ranger-led walks through the forest are held 5 days a week during the summer.

The forest is not actually below sea level, as many visitors believe. Rather, because it has developed behind the line of secondary dunes, it appears to be "sunken" beneath the tops of the dunes.

It’s located between Point O'Woods and Cherry Grove. See Distance Table.

Important Phone Numbers:

Visitor Center: 597-6183
Ranger Station: 597-6210
Ferry Company: 589-8980
Marina: 597-6171

Revised: January 14, 2004