A 'rebirth' for outdoors-focused Fire Island cabin opening Memorial Day with revamped program

At one of the narrowest points of Fire Island, where the Great South Bay is a three-minute walk from the Atlantic Ocean, the Appalachian Mountain Club owns a cabin that has remained relatively unknown for nearly a century.

Completely volunteer-run, the hostel-like cabin in Atlantique was constructed on land donated to the club in 1928, and built piecemeal by volunteers and contractors in the decades since. It’s part of a network of accommodations owned by AMC, an outdoors club founded in 1876, meant to provide affordable access to the outdoors along the East Coast.

In 2018 the club, citing concerns including "limited flexibility in lodging options and access, and its proximity to rising seas,” announced it was selling the cabin, sparking an uproar among local members. The plan was scrapped, and the committee that oversees the cabin, whose members typically skew older, since has invested more than $30,000 in renovations and repairs. Since 2021 the group also has planned several initiatives to attract young families and more diverse communities ahead of its opening on Memorial Day Weekend.

One cabin-goer, Colin DeVries, 40, of Jersey City, called it a “rebirth” of the site, which is open from late May through early October, with around 2,200 guests per season.

Opening up a 'hidden gem'

“We have to open this up to the whole club, so that more people know about it, so that it's not this hidden gem,” said Crystal Williams, chairwoman of the AMC Fire Island Cabin Committee.

The cabin, which falls within the boundaries of Islip Town, has two coed rooms with bunks, an indoor eating area and a large commercial kitchen. There are two bathrooms, hot outdoor showers, a gazebo with a library and board games, and a plethora of activities for water and beach enthusiasts, including sailboating and paddleboarding. The property is maintained through donations and membership dues, and managers oversee programs that teach skills such as sailing, tai chi or macro photography. 

In keeping with the AMC mission, which is also focused on conservation, cabin managers recycle and compost waste, carefully monitor resources and host events such as beach cleanups.

Committee's new initiatives

On a recent tour of the cabin and the surrounding 1.4-acre property, Williams pointed out several areas she plans to improve.

“We’re building a platform here for our hammock,” she said, stopping at a cleared area near the cabin garden. One of the activities planned for kids visiting during Memorial Day weekend is to decorate rocks for a path to the platform, she said.

One of the committee's initiatives is to draw more young people and make the club more family friendly. In past years, she said, for the most part overnight stays at the cabin were adult-only.

“If we don't have the young people coming out here, we're going to age out and then they don't have anyone to keep us alive,” she said. 

Williams, who is entering her second year as chair of the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Fire Island headquarters, is the first Black person to head the Long Island branch. She also heads the club's diversity, equity and inclusion committee. 

The Fire Island club historically has had a majority of white members, Williams said. Many of the incoming changes are focused on improving diversity and accessibility through initiatives such as a weekend gatherings centering on people of diverse backgrounds. 

“You go someplace for the first time, and you don't see anyone that looks like you — you don't know if you're going to have a great time, you don't know if you're going to be welcome,” Williams said. “People need a safe space, and the club is supportive of it.”

Voyka Soto, vice chair of the committee, recalled a young Muslim woman from New Guinea who visited during an all women's weekend who said she wouldn't have been able to stay over otherwise. 

Outdoor options at public parks, too

The club also is working to set money aside for financial assistance. Even though the cabin is meant to provide an affordable opportunity to enjoy nature on Fire Island, it can still be pricey for families or those on a fixed income, Williams said.

Rates to use the cabin vary, depending on how many nights a guest is staying, when they’re staying, and whether they’re an AMC member. For a weekend booked in advance, which includes two nights, it’s $170 for a member and $210 for a nonmember. Prices are higher for Memorial and Labor Day weekends. 

Between parking fees and other travel costs, combined with the cost of staying at the cabin, “It can be cost prohibitive,” said Soto.

Long Island environmentalists highlighted the benefits of spending time in nature, also noting there are other affordable options to access the outdoors, including the public park system, which has many locations that allow camping.

“We're, of course, supportive of any efforts to get people outside and connected to the natural world, and especially for kids to experience wild places like the Atlantic Ocean. Those are the kind of authentic experiences that help people develop lifelong connections to the natural world,” said Enrico Nardone, executive director at Seatuck Environmental Association.

Friendships and camaraderie

Regulars at the Fire Island cabin, however, emphasized the uniqueness of their site, highlighting the community and friendships they’ve found at the cabin, drawing many of the volunteers to welcome guests and keep the facility running — a potentially daunting task, with two managers tending to a long list of chores at all hours during the summer season.

“I think this lends something very different than the typical experience,” said Cheryl Bobe, who was a committee member for nearly 15 years. “It’s very communal.”

Suzy Goldhirsch, president of the Fire Island Association, a local civic group, said while she hasn’t visited the cabin in person, the “rustic” style of the structure calls to mind Fire Island communities from 50 or 60 years ago — “like going into a time machine.”

“There’s really nothing like it,” said Diane Serlin, the previous chair of the AMC Fire Island Cabin Committee and a well-versed traveler. “Walk out that front door of the cabin, and you can walk into the bay holding a cup of coffee.”

By Brianne Ledda

brianne.ledda@newsday.com@brianne_ledda

Brianne Ledda covers the Town of Islip for Newsday. She previously covered Southold and Greenport for The Suffolk Times and is a graduate of Stony Brook University.