Gilgo State Park reopens to limited permit holders after sand replenishment
An aerial view of Gilgo State Park, with the Atlantic Ocean on the left and homes off Ocean Parkway on the right, looking west on Nov. 12. Credit: Newsday/John Paraskevas
Gilgo Beach State Park has re-opened to limited permit holders after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers placed 1.25 million cubic yards of sand on the South Shore beachfront, the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation announced Wednesday.
The monthslong sand replenishment, which was announced in November, is part of the federal government's $1.5 billion plan to fortify the Fire Island Inlet to Montauk Point project, spanning 83 miles of shoreline.
The Army Corps placed the sand from the Fire Island Inlet onto the shoreline of Gilgo State Park, a four-wheel drive access only park within the Town of Babylon, officials said.
Currently, access is available only to Surfing/Windsurfing 4-Wheel drive access permit holders. These permits cost $80, or $125 for out-of-state residents.
Access for Fishing 4-Wheel Drive permit holders will begin April 1, officials said.
The deadline to purchase the permits is March 31.
Gilgo State Park and Orient Beach State Park were temporarily closed in April after a massive storm swept across Long Island.
Roughly 50,000 cubic yards of sand were added to stabilize the entrance of Gilgo State Park, allowing the park to remain open in the summer.
The drive-only access park is mainly used by surfers and fishermen during the summer seasons.
Robert Brodsky is a breaking news reporter who has worked at Newsday since 2011. He is a Queens College and American University alum.
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