Hiking in the Hamptons is more of a hobby for full-time residents than the summer masses. In fact, we wouldn’t want it any other way. On most of my favorite trails, I am usually peacefully hiking alone, except for the sound of birds, the waves, crickets and creatures you can’t see. Ninety-nine acre Shadmoor State Park, located east of Montauk Village, is one of my top three favorite trails, especially in the early fall.

It features more than 2,400 feet of ocean beach. Named for its open, rolling geography and the shadbush that grows there, the park boasts beautiful bluffs, freshwater wetlands, a few hiking trails and elevated platforms for birdwatchers, photographers, nature lovers, — oh and KDH hears the old bunker Shadmoor is the secret party spot for Montauk teens. Don’t tell the parents!

The park’s foliage includes black cherry trees and clusters of the rare and federally-endangered sand plain gerardia plant. Of historical note, two concrete bunkers, erected during World War II and once equipped with artillery guns to protect the coast from enemy invasion, remain on the property. Shadmoor does not charge for parking, and my favorite time to hike the trail is in the late afternoon to snap some great sunset photos at Ditch Plains where you will always find the surfing crew of locals paddling after waves.

Shadmoor is legendary because of the hoodoos that line the edge of the trail cliff. Never heard of a hoodoo? Typically found in the west, it’s a name for eroded sandstone and limestone formations, creating dramatic and treacherous looking shapes. Legend has it that the term is an alternate take on the word voodoo and may have African origins. Montauk’s hoodoo formations continually erode, shift, and reshape so you will never have the same view twice on this hike.