The first thru-hiking campsite along Paumanok Path has been approved by the East Hampton Town Board in May 2016.  It is located at Rod's Valley Park Preserve in Montauk and may be accessed from the eastern side of Hither Woods, not far off the path.  The site is only 14 miles from the end of Paumanok Path at Montauk Lighthouse.  Up to 6 people may stay at one time, for a maximum stay of 1 night.  Camping Permits are available to anyone over 18.  Please see Application and attached Campsite Rules below.

Paumanok Path is the premier long distance hiking trail on Long Island.  Spanning approximately 125 miles in total, it begins in Rocky Point and winds through the Townships of Brookhaven, Riverhead and Southampton before entering East Hampton.  From Town Line Road in Wainscott to the Montauk Lighthouse, the Paumanok Path runs approximately 45 miles through the Town of East Hampton.

The East Hampton section of trail is probably the most impressive, diverse, and well preserved of the entire Paumanok Path. It is the backbone of the trail system in the Town of East Hampton, with many trails connecting to it. The trail has some surprising elevation changes, offering beautiful yet challenging terrain to hikers and bicyclists. It is an excellent setting to observe the natural surroundings of East Hampton.

Unlike the western section of the Paumanok Path, which traverses large stands of Pine Barrens and Laurel forests, the East Hampton section of the trail showcases a great diversity of different habitats. This begins with Oak-Pine forests in the Northwest Woods and Beech tree forest atop dramatic kettle-hole formations in the Stony Hill area, followed by coastal dunes and saltwater estuaries in Napeague, and finally the maritime grasslands and rocky intertidal shores of Montauk.