New York · Hiking

Sandbanks Dunes Trail

Sandbanks Dunes TrailPhoto: mathewingram, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
0.5 mi
round trip
89 ft
climb
Out and back
route
Moderate
difficulty
Jun–Sep
best months

Sandbanks Dunes Trail is a short, out-and-back hike in New York, set in a landscape of dunes and low ground. The trail covers about a mile, with a total climb of about 89 feet up to a high point of 282 feet, and it is rated moderate. The route starts at roughly 257 feet and ends at the same level, with a small rise in the middle, about 0.4 miles in, where the grade reaches about 4 percent. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station run to highs around 77 to 81°F in June through August, with July the warmest month. That station sits at a similar elevation to the trail, so conditions on the dunes should be comparable. The hike takes about half an hour. The Woodlands Trail lies just 0.2 miles away, so it's easy to pair the two on a short outing.

  • Best time to go · Jun–Sep

    Best time to visit Sandbanks Dunes Trail

    Best months: June–September. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      34° / 17°

      19 wet · 16 snow

    2. Feb

      36° / 18°

      17 wet · 14 snow

    3. Mar

      44° / 25°

      15 wet · 9 snow

    4. Apr

      56° / 35°

      15 wet · 3 snow

    5. May

      68° / 47°

      14 wet

    6. Jun

      77° / 56°

      12 wet

    7. Jul

      81° / 61°

      11 wet

    8. Aug

      80° / 61°

      12 wet

    9. Sep

      73° / 53°

      12 wet

    10. Oct

      61° / 42°

      16 wet · 1 snow

    11. Nov

      49° / 32°

      16 wet · 5 snow

    12. Dec

      39° / 24°

      19 wet · 12 snow

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Webster 2 Ne, NY, 46.4 mi away at 275 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

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Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors