Udalls Park Preserve Hiking Trails

In the midst of a developed residential area, Udalls Park Preserve is a 30-acre inlet off Little Neck Bay and is an important habitat for northeastern Queens. The preserve was formed in 1972 to save precious wetlands and forest from increasing development. On the salt marsh of Udalls Park Preserve, clapper rails (Rallus longirostris) stalk silently through the salt grasses (Spartina patens and Spartina alterniflora). Snowy egrets (Egretta thula) carefully wade through the calm waters and osprey (Pandion haliaetus) dive for fish.

Aurora Pond is located in the middle of the preserve, its placid waters alive with dragonflies (Odonata spp.) and wood ducks (Aix sponsa). Raccoons (Procyon lotor), red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and even an occasional coyote (Canis latrans) also hunt along the edges. The Common reed (Phragmites australis) lines the brackish inlet known as Gabler’s Creek, which flows into Little Neck Bay. Wooded uplands of silver maple (Acer saccharinum), black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia), and box elder (Acer negundo) are scattered about the cove.

The pond is named after Aurora Gareiss (Aurora Gareiss: Champion of Udalls Cove | Urban Archive) who founded the Udalls Cove Preservation Committee (UPC) in 1969 (http://www.udallscove.org/). The UCPC was created to conserve what remained of the wetlands at that time after several decades of development and the filling of wetlands for houses, and a proposal to fill most of the remaining weltands for a golf course. UCPC is committed to the conservation, preservation and restoration of Udalls Cove and the wetlands and wooded uplands in the Udalls Cove watershed.

Osprey Landing Trail: Enter the Osprey Landing Trail on the east side of Douglas Road at its intersection with Warwick Road. The trails creates a loop and at the southeast corner of the trail network is an excellent viewing location of Udalls Cove, the salt marsh, and the osprey nesting platform which gives this 2-acre section of the park its name.

The North Ravine Trail: The North Ravine trail connects Douglaston and Little Neck. On the Douglaston side, the trail begins at the north end of Orient Ave. A series of steps lead down the steep slope from the end of Depew Avenue to the trailhead. On the Little Neck side, the trail begins at the intersection of 40th Ave. and 247th St. The trail crosses over Gabler's Creek just before the creek enters a cobblestone lined culvert underneath the Long Island Railroad. The culvert was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression in the 1930s.

Aurora Pond Trail: Just north of the LIRR is the Aurora Pond Trail with two entrances on Sandhill Road. You can also access the trail via an unnamed official trail accessed from Little Neck Road (a/k/a 38th Drive). Gabler's Creek flows through the pond, then continues north until it empties into Udalls Cove at Virginia Point, named for Gareiss' collaborator Virginia Dent.

Virginia Point White Trail: Virginia Point is named for Aurora Gareiss' principal collaborator, Virginia Dent. Enter the White Trail at the northern end of Little Neck Parkway. At Virginia Point, a second freshwater creek enters Udalls Cove from the Great Neck side. Viewpoints along the White Trail, including the official “Virginia Point” a short distance from the entrance demarcated with a large stone, affording views of Udalls Cove and the large salt marsh. A proposed addition to the White Trail in 2025 will create a small loop crossing over the freshwater creek to connect back to the trail to Virginia Point.

Virginia Point Red Trail: Enter the Red Trail at the intersection of Little Neck Parkway and 34th Ave. or further to the north on Little Neck Parkway overlapping with the Virginia Point White Trail. Along the Red Trail you will walk through woody upland out to the floodplain with fine views of Udalls Cove and the large salt marsh. From the Red Trail viewpoint, you'll see wooden pilings that are the remnants of the commercial marinas that operated here until the 1960s.

South Ravine Trail: The southern end of Udalls Cove Preserve can be accessed from Northern Boulevard east of 244th Street. Gabler's Creek, one of two freshwater streams that feeds Udalls Cove, passes underneath Northern Boulevard. It is hidden in a culvert under the roadway, but emerges a few hundred feet north in what is known as the Ravine section of the park. The South Ravine trail starts at Northern Boulevard and continues to the intersection of 244th Street and Church St, next to the Douglaston Firehouse.

Interactive Map

Points of Interest

Osprey Landing Scenic Point

Located at the southeast corner of the area of Udalls Cove named for the osprey nesting platform that you can view from this scenic point. This is an excellent viewing location of Udalls Cove and the salt marsh.

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Virginia Point

Virginia Point is a short distance from the trail entrance at the northern end of Little Neck Parkway and demarcated with a large stone, affording sweeping views of Udalls Cove and the large salt marsh. The point is named for Virginia Dent, Udalls Cove Preservation Committee founder Aurora Gareiss' principal collaborator. The view from the point reaches out through the cove to Little Neck Bay.

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Udalls Cove View

This viewpoint into the cove is similar to Virginia Point, but offers more view of the inner cove. With surrounding understory, this secluded location is a great spot for quiet solitude and birding opportunity. You'll also see wooden pilings that are the remnants of the commercial marinas that operated here until the 1960s.

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Scenic View of Udalls Cove and Gabler’s Creek

This view on the western side of the Virginia point section of Udalls Cove Park Preserve, highlights the marshland with a view of Gabler’s creek as it flows into the tidal cove. At low tide, the mudflats expose weather pilings in the marsh - remnants of the piers used by local fishermen who harvested littleneck clams. To learn more about this hidden creek in NYC visit the Hidden Waters Blog.

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Aurora Pond View

Enjoy a brief respite with a view of this small pond named after Udalls Cove Preservation Committee founder Aurora Gareiss. Find out more on the Udalls Cove Preservation Committee's website about how she and a group of like-minded friends and neighbors galvanized to save Udalls Cove from additional proposed projects to fill the remaining wetlands and build upon them in the late 1960’s and 1970’s. She and the newly formed Preservation Committee members succeeded to gain the support of government officials to acquire and preserve much of the remnant acres of wetlands and woodlands in the Udalls Cove watershed.

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Pine Grove

Located just off of Northern Boulevard in the very southern section of the park is a small pine grove. Walk a few steps from the sidewalk and enter the shade and enjoy the smell of pine and the bounce of the tread under your feet that is cushioned by the pine needles.

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Hiking in NYC Parks

Visit our Hiking in NYC Parks page to find more nature trails in parks across New York City.