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Move With John · Bethpage State Park
Bethpage State Park With the Kids: Short Trails, Big Connections
By John Cordeira · Hiked November 3, 2026 · Bethpage State Park trails · Original photos
~1.25 mi
Distance walked
Easy
Difficulty
Pink Trail
Where we started
2 kids
Hiking crew
Quick Facts
Where: Bethpage State Park, 99 Quaker Meeting House Road, Farmingdale
Trail: Started on the Pink Trail, then made our own shorter route close to the parking lot
Difficulty: Easy. Nothing extreme, and short enough for kids
Bonus: A playground right by the parking lot for when little legs are done
Connection: The park links south toward Massapequa and north toward Woodbury and Cold Spring Harbor
This one wasn't about miles or elevation. It was about getting my son and daughter out in the woods on a fall morning and seeing how far they'd go before they started asking for the car.
The answer: about a mile. Then it was the car or the playground. Honestly, that's a win.
Me and my crew on the trail. Original photo by John Cordeira.
Build Your Own Trail (Kid Edition)
We started on the Pink Trail. I couldn't tell you the official length, because we didn't do the whole thing. Bethpage State Park has a lot of trails crisscrossing the woods, so I put together my own shorter route and stayed close to the parking lot.
That's the move with kids. You're not going to get them to do five miles. Keep the car within reach, and when they're done, you're done. All in, we covered about a mile and a quarter.
The trails were easy. Flat, wooded and nothing technical. My son did the whole thing in Crocs, if that tells you anything.
Leaf collecting from the top of a stump. Original photo by John Cordeira.
What Kept Them Going
With kids, the trail isn't the attraction. It's the stuff along the way.
We found a stick fort someone had built off the trail, and they had to crawl inside. Then there were the hollow tree trunks. Each of them had to climb in one for a picture. Then a set of trees growing close together, which turned into a climbing challenge.
Somebody built this stick fort. My kids moved in. Original photo by John Cordeira.
Same hollow tree, one turn each. Original photos by John Cordeira.
The tree challenge. Original photos by John Cordeira.
Ending at the Playground
When they were done, we headed back. Bethpage State Park has a playground right next to the parking lot. New York State Parks lists it as an accessible playground. For kids, that's the perfect finish: hike first, then play.
The playground sits right by the lot. Original photo by John Cordeira.
Why Bethpage State Park Is a Trail Hub
Walking out there, I kept thinking: this park is basically a hub for Nassau County trails. You can keep it short like we did, or use it as a starting point for something a lot longer.
Heading south: the paved Bethpage Bikeway runs from the park down through the Massapequa Preserve toward Merrick Road. You can bike or walk from Massapequa straight up to Bethpage State Park without dealing with car traffic.
Heading north: Trail View State Park picks up from Bethpage State Park and runs north toward Woodbury. New York State Parks describes it as a 7.4-mile linear park for hiking and biking, with its main entrance on Jericho Turnpike in Woodbury. It's also part of the Nassau-Suffolk Greenbelt Trail, which keeps going all the way to Cold Spring Harbor State Park on the North Shore.
That's the same trail I hiked at the other end in my Cold Spring Harbor to Uplands Farm hike. Same trail system, totally different experience: 6.39 miles with real climbs up north, an easy mile with two kids down here.
John's Take
Short trails, a playground by the lot, and connections to half of Nassau County. Bethpage State Park works whether you've got two hours or twenty minutes of kid patience.
It wasn't a workout for me, and it didn't need to be. My kids were outside, climbing trees and finding forts instead of looking at a screen. They liked it for about a mile. That counts.
Planning a Bethpage State Park Hike With Kids
Keep it close to the car. There are enough trails here to build your own short route. Plan it so you can turn around when they're done.
Save the playground for the end. It's the reward. Hit it first and you'll never get them on the trail.
Check the fee. New York State Parks lists an $8 vehicle entry fee, collected during posted hours that vary by season. Confirm on the official park page before you go.
Grab the trail map. The official park page has a trail map. Trails cross each other a lot, so it helps.
Check for ticks. Especially on the kids, after any walk in the woods.
Bethpage State Park Hiking FAQs
Are there easy trails at Bethpage State Park for kids?
Yes. We started on the Pink Trail and kept it to about 1.25 miles on easy, wooded paths. There are enough trails to build a short route that stays close to the parking lot.
Is there a playground at Bethpage State Park?
Yes. New York State Parks lists an accessible playground, and the one we used was right next to the parking lot, a good spot to finish a hike.
Does it cost money to get into Bethpage State Park?
New York State Parks lists an $8 vehicle entry fee, collected during posted hours that vary by season. Check the official park page for current details.
Can you get from Massapequa to Bethpage State Park on a trail?
Yes. The paved Bethpage Bikeway connects the Massapequa Preserve area north to Bethpage State Park, separate from car traffic.
Does Bethpage State Park connect to Woodbury and Cold Spring Harbor?
Yes. Trail View State Park runs north from Bethpage State Park toward Woodbury and is part of the Nassau-Suffolk Greenbelt Trail, which continues to Cold Spring Harbor State Park.
Live near Bethpage State Park
The park sits between Bethpage and Farmingdale. My local guides cover the neighborhoods, parks and homes on both sides.
Farmingdale guide · Bethpage parks & recreation · Massapequa parks & trails
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John Cordeira
Broker/Owner, Cordeira Homes
Long Island, New York
#RippedRealtor