Three official sites publish winter hours and rules, and each has a catch. Montauk Point State Park is open year-round from sunrise to sunset, the Morton National Wildlife Refuge near Sag Harbor allows no pets, and Mashomack on Shelter Island is closed to visitors in January 2027. Check any destination’s page the day you go, and read the tick and archery season guide before you walk county land.
Montauk Point State Park
New York State Parks says the park is open year-round, sunrise to sunset. Fishing is available year-round with an annual sport fishing permit or 7-day permit, and big and small game are permitted in season. For night fishing and beach vehicle permits the park lists (631) 669-1000. If you see a seal on a winter walk, the 50-yard rule applies.
Elizabeth A. Morton National Wildlife Refuge
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service describes the refuge as 187 acres on the north shore of the South Fork, in the Town of Southampton near Sag Harbor, including Jessup’s Neck, a peninsula about a mile and a half long between Little Peconic Bay and Noyack Bay. The refuge is open from half an hour before sunrise until half an hour after sunset. No pets are allowed. A portion of the beach is closed from April to August to protect nesting birds, and the refuge reopened its beach after August 20 in 2026 following the nesting season.
Mashomack Preserve, Shelter Island
The Nature Conservancy’s Mashomack covers more than 2,350 acres of tidal creeks, oak woodlands, fields and freshwater marshes, with 11 miles of coastline. The preserve is open from dawn to dusk, seven days a week, and closes without notice during or after severe weather: if the gate is closed, the preserve is closed. The visitor center bathrooms are open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, and the exhibits 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. The Conservancy states that Mashomack is closed to visitation for the month of January 2027, trails included. Getting there means a ferry: see Hamptons Commute’s ferry guide and the Shelter Island profile.
A note on hunting season
Suffolk County says archery hunting runs on county park properties from October 1 until January 31. State and federal sites have their own rules, which you can confirm on their pages. A weekend in the village is another option: the Sag Harbor weekend pairs the Morton refuge with in-town stops.
Questions people ask
Are dogs allowed at Morton National Wildlife Refuge?
No. The refuge says no pets are allowed because their presence disturbs wildlife.
Is Mashomack open in January?
The Nature Conservancy says Mashomack will be closed to visitation for the month of January 2027, and its trails are closed for that month.
Sources
- NYS Parks, Montauk Point State Park
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Elizabeth A. Morton National Wildlife Refuge
- The Nature Conservancy, Mashomack Preserve
- Suffolk County Parks, Archery
Checked October 2026. Rules, fees and hours change; confirm with the office or operator before you act.