Fire Island National Seashore


Immerse yourself in an enchanting collage of coastal life and history. Rhythmic waves, high dunes, ancient maritime forests, historic landmarks and glimpses of wildlife, Fire Island has been a special place for diverse plants, animals and people for centuries. Far from the pressure of nearby big-city life, dynamic barrier island beaches offer solitude, camaraderie, and spiritual renewal.

Fire Island National Seashore Headquarters are located in Patchogue, New York, on Long Island. Fire Island National Seashore Headquarters: Via Long Island Expressway/I-495: Take Exit 61 (Patchogue-Holbrook Road) to Waverly Ave. Head south on Waverly Ave to West Ave. Turn right onto Laurel Street. Via NY-27: Take Exit 52 onto Waverly Ave. Head south on Waverly Ave to West Ave. Turn right onto Laurel Street.

  • Arts and Culture
  • Boating
  • Boat Tour
  • Camping
  • Backcountry Camping
  • Fishing
  • Guided Tours
  • Hiking
  • Hunting and Gathering
  • Hunting
  • Junior Ranger Program
  • Swimming
  • Saltwater Swimming
  • Wildlife Watching
  • Birdwatching

  • Maritime
  • Lighthouses
  • Ships and Shipwrecks
  • Migrations
  • Animals
  • Birds
  • Dunes
  • Forests and Woodlands
  • Unique Species
  • Endangered
  • Wetlands
  • Marshes
  • Wilderness

View of Fire Island Lighthouse from Great South Bay

The Fire Island Lighthouse against a vibrant sunset.

People from around the world come to visit the Fire Island Lighthouse.

Salt marsh trail at Watch Hill

A boardwalk trail through lush green salt marsh glistens in sunset light.

A boardwalk trail welcomes visitors to a salt marsh at Watch Hill.

The Wilderness Visitor Center in winter

A brown hexagonal building covered in snow stands behind a beachside dune.

The Wilderness Visitor Center welcomes visitors to the Otis Pike High Dune Wilderness on the east end of Fire Island.

Old Mastic House at William Floyd Estate

A view from a meadow of the historic Old Mastic House

A view of the Old Mastic House from the grounds of the William Floyd Estate

Fire Island Wilderness

Grasses and shrubs cover the undulating backdune habitat of Fire Island's wilderness.

Unparalleled opportunities for solitude and recreation can be found in New York State's only federally designated wilderness, the Otis Pike Fire Island High Dune Wilderness.

View of primary dune from Sunken Forest overlook

View of ocean and primary dune with boardwalk winding up to the Sunken Forest overlook.

Get one of the best boardwalk views on a walk through the Sunken Forest - a more than 350 year-old, globally rare ecosystem.