It all started with a few texts to set up a hike between friends. The chain quickly grew, and its author, Tim Cody, had to start a Facebook group to stay in touch with an ever-growing list of people who wanted to hit the trails.
Today, Long Island’s East End Hiking Group has grown to 11,000 members joining together to walk all over the state. On a drizzly December day with snow in the forecast, 30 members showed up at Terrell River County Park in Center Moriches to celebrate the group’s one-year anniversary. “It’s my favorite place to walk,” said Denise Fehr of Manorville, one of the group's original members. “I don’t like hiking alone, and everyone is so friendly.” One member brought his pooch along.
A newcomer to the trail walkers is Richard Celli. “I wanted to hike down to see the water,” said the Manorville resident as he headed out with the pack. They walked along the river to Moriches Bay on a trail that opens up to a stunning view of Fire Island. Many of the friends took selfies with the water and its aquaculture farm of oyster pens in the background. They went out over an immense sand spit to a point where the river meets the bay. Weathered tree stumps were here and there along with mats of seaweed and shells. A member said she hoped to see an eagle or a seal.
“It really is beautiful down here,” said another original member, Donna Smith of Miller Place. “The hike takes you through the woods along a trail that ends at the beach. It's great to be out with so many friends.” A fellow strider, Cindy Locrotono, traveled from Southold to be with the group. “It’s just wonderful to be out in the fresh air, very healthy,” she said, thanking Tim Cody for getting everyone together.
The group founder has created a 1-10 rating system for hikes to gauge their difficulty. He rated Terrell as an easy, 3-4 mile trek, pretty flat with no hills. The group tackles more challenging terrain with trips to upstate New York and the Brooklyn Bridge. They’re conquering the Paumanok Trail in sections, a 125-mile path from Rocky Point to Montauk, and are about halfway through. They cover a lot of ground, meeting up to four times a week, and have had groups of over 100 on some of the hikes. After the Terrell Park hike, they all ended up at Waterdrinkers in Manorville to enjoy some cold ones and the sounds of country duo Don and Susan. Check them out on Facebook under Long Island’s East End Hiking Group.