Distance: 1 1/2 miles Elevation Gain: 0-5 ft Hike Time: 45 minutes - 1 hour Difficulty: Easy Trail Condition: Earth Hike Type: Loop
How to Get There: Take the Belt Parkway to exit 17, and go south on Cross Bay Boulevard. Follow Cross Bay Boulevard over North Channel Bridge and continue 1 1/2 miles to the Visitors Center on the right.
General Description: The Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge is a good afternoon or morning escape from Queens, though you never do escape the airplanes circling nearby JFK airport. A trail loops from the Visitors Center through fairly open terrain with lots of low-lying vegetation, including a real surprise: a prickly pear cactus that thrives in the islands of Jamaica Bay.
The trail continues through marshy areas of thick, tall grasses and trees. The hike is easy and not long, though you should bring plenty of water and dress properly. Wear long pants because of the brush and bugs, and sturdy boots because of the mud and wet.